Most Expensive Cut of Beef: 4 Luxury Picks

most expensive cut of beef

When you think of fine dining, you most likely think of steak. Nothing can satisfy both your hunger and your tastebuds quite like a juicy cut with a side of roast vegetables. However, if you’re going to splurge on a good dinner, you might as well choose the best.

While you may think choosing an expensive cut of steak is unnecessary, think again. Pricey meat makes a difference, especially when it comes to such a luxury meal. Therefore if you’re looking for the most expensive cut of beef to complete your next dinner, keep reading to discover the choicest picks.

What Makes Steak So Expensive?

Steak

We all know that when it comes to cuts of meat, steak is always on the pricier side. However, have you ever wondered why that is? Modern farming techniques mean there’s no shortage of cows. Yet even the cheapest cuts of steak can still cost a minimum of 10$ per pound.

The issue here lies in the choice of cuts. Butchers can’t utilize the entire cow to get steak meat. Instead, they choose the tenderloin, rib, sirloin, or brisket area when fileting steaks. This is entirely due to their position.

The tenderloin, sirloin, and rib area get the least exercise during the cow’s lifetime. Because of this, the muscle fibers in those areas develop without any collagen or fat to make them tougher. The result is, of course, a tender, fine-grained lean meat that melts in your mouth after you cook it.

The brisket, on the other hand, gets plenty of exercise. It’s the muscle that supports the cow’s legs and helps it walk and graze. So the muscle fibers there have plenty of connective tissue that toughens the meat up, making it harder and chewier.

However, the reason why brisket meat is so mouthwatering is a combination of fat and collagen. Tough muscle fibers require a lot of fat and collagen to support them—and both of these compounds alter the taste and texture of the meat during cooking.

Fat adds flavor, while collagen gelatinizes when cooked long enough. That tenderizes the meat quite a bit, making it fall apart when you bite into it.

But the choice of cut isn’t the only thing that determines how good a steak will be. The kind of cow you take the cut from also matters. A cow’s breeding, diet, and exercise regimen are the things that separate basic supermarket steak from five-star gourmet barbecues.

4 Most Expensive Cuts of Meat

So now that you know why steak costs a pretty penny, it’s time to look at just how high that price point goes and why.

1. The New York Strip ($20‒30 per pound)

New York Strip

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When it comes to the most expensive cut of beef, the New York strip is pretty forgiving on the wallet. This is one of the most common higher-end steaks you’ll find on the market. However, it’s still good quality. Butchers usually source the steak from grass-fed pasture-raised cows, meaning that the meat is both healthy and delicious.

Though it isn’t as tender as a filet or rib-eye, it’s still a good option if you’re looking to treat yourself to a fancy dinner.

2. Filet Mignon ($30 per pound)

Filet Mignon

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When you think of fancy meat, you think of filet mignon. This luxury steak always packs a high price point and with good reason. Butchers can only take the cut from the tenderloin. As its name suggests, this part of the cow is the most tender. It’s also fairly small compared to the whole animal, which means it can yield a tiny portion.

Though it’s not uncommon to find cheaper filet mignon, quality cuts will come exclusively from grass-fed, pasture-raised cows. That is why it’s one of the most expensive cuts of beef. However, if you try it, you definitely won’t regret the splurge.

3. Japanese Wagyu Beef ($300 per pound)

Wagyu Beef

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If you Google the words perfect steak, a picture of Japanese Wagyu will likely come up. With its incredible taste and unforgettably tender texture, this cut of meat is the king of flavors. It’s also the king of prices, with whole Japanese Wagyu cows costing a whopping $30,000 per animal! That’s not surprising, especially when you learn how they’re farmed.

Japanese farmers raise the cows in special conditions, on highly specific diet of grass, straw, and grains. Farmers are very strict with the food portions and the amount of exercise the cows get to ensure the meat achieves the right amount of marbling and flavor.

Considering how delicious Wagyu steaks are, all that hard work pays off. And it makes Wagyu one of the most expensive cuts of beef.

4. Japanese Kobe Beef ($300 per pound)

Kobe Beef

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This is it. The creme de la creme. The most expensive cut of beef you can get globally. And once again, it originated in Japan. Like Wagyu meat, farmers raise Japanese Kobe cattle in incredibly specific conditions—except the process is even more strict for Kobe steaks.

Only around 3,000 cows get labeled as authentic Kobe beef annually. Farmers are unyielding regarding the type of diet, living conditions, and exercise their cattle receive. Their efforts help create steaks with the most marbling and, by extension, the creamiest and most decadent flavor of any meat in the world!

In light of this, it’s no wonder Kobe steak is the world’s most luxurious dish.

Nicole Middleton
Nicole calls herself a typical millennial girl and thrives on her share of social media, celebrity gossip, and all things viral content. She’s a big fan of pop music and plays the guitar as a hobby.