Only 11% Of People Consider This Famous Steak Their Favorite

When one sets out to buy a  high-quality steak, they normally have to go all in due to how expensive the prime cuts are. The expense, as The Spruce Eats explains, comes from the fact that these cuts come from the muscles of the cow that receive the least amount of exercise during the beast's lifetime, which only account for 8 percent of its beef. So, to determine how people most like to splurge on parts of the cow, Mashed asked people to choose their favorite type of steak from a list of 4 famous options or pick "Other" and name their steak of choice in the comments. 

Responses from about 55,000 people worldwide told us that by far, the most popular steak of the bunch was ribeye with 46 percent, a whopping 25,300 votes. Following in second came the famously expensive filet mignon with 22 percent, or 12,100 votes, and T-bone/porterhouse in third with 16 percent, a respectable 8,800 votes. New York strip steak was the least popular of the four main options, with 11 percent, or 6,050 votes. "Other" received 5 percent, with multiple commenters mentioning skirt steak and sirloin. Why did people rank these steak cuts the way they did? And why was the New York strip, a staple of many steakhouses, ranked so low?

Why should ribeyes outstrip strip steaks by such a margin? The answer might be due to the texture of the ribeye versus the strip. Both cuts, Prime Steakhouses contributor Kelly Pettitt explains, come from the muscles lining the exterior of the rib cage. Ribeye steaks, however, are cut from the upper rib cage near the neck. On the other hand, New York strip steaks come from below the backbone. The difference in location means that the strip steak is thicker than the ribeye and has less marbling, making it a chewier meal.

Repeatedly, websites like Prime Steakhouses, Smoked BBQ Source, and Grillmaster University state that if you desire a chewier and very slightly healthier steak (thanks to its lower fat content), you should choose the strip steak. If, however, you desire a steak that is soaked in flavor, has a smooth texture, and melts in your mouth due to its fat, then go for the ribeye. Unsurprisingly, the majority of people go for the ribeye, assuming they can afford to do so. As one survey respondent remarked, "A well marbled ribeye, seasoned and seared is just short of heaven."