The amount of guys I see leaving a thick fat cap on a ribeye is wild

I was at a big meat show in Kansas City last year and it hit me. Half the display cuts had a fat cap over a quarter inch thick. That's a waste. A proper ribeye needs that cap trimmed down to maybe an eighth of an inch, max. Any thicker and it won't render right on the grill, it just stays chewy and turns people off. I learned this the hard way about five years back when a regular told me my steaks were 'too greasy.' He was right. I started trimming closer and my sales went up. Now I see it everywhere and it drives me nuts. What's the thickest fat cap you guys will leave on before you trim it down?

4 comments

4 Comments

parker_thomas1mo ago

Watching my dad chew through a giant fat cap once was like seeing a cow work on cud. He never ordered a ribeye again after that.

gray3141mo ago

Ha, that's why I stick to burgers.

the_riley5d ago

Ask @parker_thomas if his dad ever tried cooking it low and slow to render that fat down?

jake_sullivan1mo ago

Yeah, exactly. I got a side of beef last fall and the ribeyes came with a fat cap like a winter coat. Had to sit there and trim every single one. If you don't get it thin, that fat just stays rubbery and inedible. I aim for a sliver, just enough to baste the meat.