Cuts: What is a strip / New York / Kansas City steak?

When you visit your butcher or market to purchase a great steak, do you know the difference between a strip steak, a New York steak and a Kansas City steak?

The answer: there is no difference. These and many others are all different names for the same steak.

MANY NAMES

There are many names for this steak, including the following names, and all mean exactly the same steak:

• strip
• New York
• Kansas City
• top loin
• Ambassador
• hotel
• club
• shell
• sirloin
• veiny
• IMPS/NAMP 1180 and 1180A

In the US, the best way to ensure that you have the correct cut is to use its official designation, "IMPS/NAMP 1180". The IMPS/NAMP refers to the official, USDA designation for this exact steak. Unfortunately, butchers and markets are not required to use this number on the label.

However, the label must use the official, complete name for this steak, which is, "Beef Loin, Strip Loin Steak, Boneless". This is often in very small print, so look carefully.

Be especially careful about ordering any steak called a "sirloin". This word is commonly used to describe two completely different steaks: either the IMPS/NAMP 1180, or a very inferior quality steak from a different subprimal.

CONCLUSION

We all love a great steak, and the strip / New York / Kansas City steak may be the best of the best, no matter what it is called, because

What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.

Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)

Enjoy!!

SteakPerfection

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