The Little-Known Competition That Keeps Texas Roadhouse Butchers At The Top Of Their Game

Have you ever wondered what makes Texas Roadhouse steaks so good? Maybe it's that the steakhouse almost never uses frozen steak, relying on fresh meat instead. Perhaps it's the caliber of the beef, as the chain plates USDA Choice steaks, which all but guarantee juicy, drool-worthy results. But if you ask us, Texas Roadhouse's unparalleled steak offerings greatly benefit from well-trained butchers, some of whom hone their skills at a little-known meat cutting competition every year.

Since 2001, Texas Roadhouse has hosted an annual National Meat Cutter Challenge for its steak-slicing employees. Butchers go head-to-head on the cutting board with 20 to 30 pounds of beef at a time in local, state, and regional rounds for a shot at the national prize: $25,000.

The general goal is to cut as many steaks as possible (some outlets specifically report that qualifying rounds demand butchers prepare a filet, ribeye, and sirloin in one hour's time). Judges also factor in cutting accuracy and overall quality. Texas Roadhouse marketing partner Jeff Krackow explained to NBC affiliate WGAL that the steaks need to have a specific size and thickness to qualify, and "they can only have a certain amount of fat." The competitions typically take place at indoor ice rinks because the low temperature mimics the chill of a restaurant cooler, keeping the meat at peak freshness. This way, the cut steaks can be sold at nearby Texas Roadhouse restos after the competition.

Every Texas Roadhouse location has butchers on site to slice nearly every steak on the menu by hand before it's cooked. (The one Texas Roadhouse steak that isn't cut in-house is the porterhouse T-bone steak, since the restos don't have the proper equipment to slice through such a large bone. Instead, it's pre-cut and shipped frozen to each location.) These meat masters cut about $1 million worth of beef per restaurant each year. That's no surprise, considering steak makes up 44% of the menu offerings, according to the brand.

The best-selling steak is the 6-ounce USDA Choice sirloin. It's the leanest cut offered at Texas Roadhouse, expertly trimmed before hitting the grill. It's also tenderized by hand, like other steaks on the menu. If it's flavor you seek, Texas Roadhouse says its New York strip is the most robust-tasting option. For photo-worthy marbling, turn to the Ft. Worth ribeye. And for melt-in-your mouth succulence, look no further than the Dallas filet, aged up to 21 days for maximum tenderness. (That pick won our ranking of Texas Roadhouse steaks.)

Its hand-cut meat is so popular that Texas Roadhouse even started selling steaks to go in 2020. Now, you can also buy a Family Pack including four sirloin steaks, salad, rolls, butter, and your choice of two large sides, starting at $44.99.