Deckle: a long overlooked cut of beef

[Gifted Gourmet]

article in Nation's Restaurant News

about a year and a half ago, Caputo cut the deckle off of the rib eye...  He found that this highly marbled piece of meat had the tenderness of a filet, but with much more flavor. He began to offer deckle preparations as specials, but they wouldn't sell. "I couldn't give the deckle away," ...Ziebold is an alumnus of The French Laundry, and calls the deckle of the rib eye by its French name, calotte ...To him, the word "deckle" is a common butchers' term that applies only to the cut of meat on the brisket ... Chef Caputo is serving deckle at room temperature as a sort of quickly seared carpaccio. Sliced and served not too cold, the deckle "almost melts in your mouth, literally," he says.

Whether you call it deckle or calotte, this is a piece of meat which needs its place in the sun, so to speak ...

If you are 'into' beef and the myriad ways of cooking it, how do you handle deckle?

Do you give it its proper respect?

Is it a favorite of yours for its flavor and tenderness?

Let's hear from you!

[chef koo]

haven't actually heard of this cut of meat. is it the fatty section that sort of cradles the rib eye? in that case it's the standard "staff meal" cut of beef, which has been used by many resourceful cooks for years

[aprilmei]

I never knew this cut of meat had a name but when I buy rib eyes, I look for a large deckle. It's my favourite piece of beef. It's tender and juicy, even when it looks overcooked. My sister-in-law doesn't like it so when my mother makes her annual rib-roast for Christmas, my father - the carver - cuts it off my SIL's slab of meat and he and I eat it.

If they start removing it from rib eyes, I'm going to be very unhappy.

[rlibkind]

If they start removing it from rib eyes, I'm going to be very unhappy.

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A rib eye doesn't include the deckle; it's just the un-fatty part (eye) of the rib steak. A rib steak, with or without bone, does include the deckle.

[bigbear]

On an old TV show, Jeffrey Steingarten called the deckle the best part of a prime-rib slice. He instantly became my favorite food critic.

[Jaymes]

"...To him, the word 'deckle' is a common butchers' term that applies only to the cut of meat on the brisket."

So, is the "deckle" in this article the same thing as what those of us that like fatty brisket at our BBQ joint are referring to?

[Gifted Gourmet]

The deckle actually is best known as the fatty part of the brisket, the favored cut for pastrami and the aficionado's preferred part of "smoked meat," the Jewish-Canadian cousin of corned beef.  In fact, the deckle is any part of the strip of muscle and fat that lies right on top of the ribs,

is the answer to your question from the article itself ...

[Timh]

I use the piece for many preparations, some of which are a ragu, any sort of braise(think a really good short rib), and grinding for really great burgers.

[wesza]

The deckle actually is best known as the fatty part of the brisket, the favored cut for pastrami and the aficionado's preferred part of "smoked meat," the Jewish-Canadian cousin of corned beef.  In fact, the deckle is any part of the strip of muscle and fat that lies right on top of the ribs,

is the answer to your question from the article itself ...

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May I clarify some of the confusion.

(1) The Beef Deckle does not have anything to do with the Beef Brisket.

(2) I have never heard of the "Deckle" being used to make Pastrami. The cuts used in preparing Pastrami are The "Navel Plate" and more frequently during recent years the "Brisket". The Pastrami served at "Katz's" and the "Carnegie Deli" are all from the Navel as that where the balance of lean to fat provides the best taste, flavor and character.

(3) The Deckle is that flap, or top cover in part of the Prime Rib that is generally removed when the Rib is make into Spencer Steaks or Rib Eye Roasts or Steaks.

It is also removed in whole Rib Roasts to meet the specifications required by Caterers and Restaurants who need more uniform tenderness and quality when serving customers. The USDA Meat guides assign numbers for all the variations insuring that guidelines are maintained.

The main reason for this as the Deckle when roasted is much more chewier then the other parts of the Rib , causing customers to complain about the meat being tough. In reality it's only the Deckle thats tough, thats why it removed.

Since most Beef is now send to source Boxed it's generally not used. Some suppliers tenderize it mechanically to use for Swiss Steaks, Stew or mostly Ground Beef. The few Kosher Caterers that still Butcher the Primal Ribs sometimes Corn the Deckles to use as Corned Beef at Buffets or as Spiced Beef similar to Pastrami but it's still has good taste, but if not slow cooked long enough to break down the collegian still is chewier.

To those of us who enjoy chewing out meat it can be enjoyable. It's most commonly sold retail at Markets offering a special of Bone On Rib Steaks. These are generally cut from the Deckle ends of Whole Ribs into Steaks, reserving the part of the Rib without any deckle to being sold at a higher price as Roasts.

That the reason those Steaks have a part thats chewy, reflecting the price retailed.

At many retailers your best value of taste, tenderness and quality per pound is from the Spencer Steaks since they are often only one to two dollars per pound then the whole rib, bone on steaks on special.

Buy a 2 pound whole rib bone in steak at $4.00 per pound = $8.00 or a 1 pound Spencer Steak at $6.00 you received about 25 % more rib eye then the much heavier cut.

Irwin

[Chris Amirault]

The US Beef folks (click) define the deckle as the "fat and lean between the bone and the main muscle" of a brisket.

[Timh]

Per the origional topic(I think), are we talking about the rib eye and the outer strip? I always understood if the strip ws remove the "eye" was called a club cut.

[aprilmei]

God, this is confusing...

[Gifted Gourmet]

God, this is confusing...

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Maybe not so very confusing, aprilmei ... how about a look at this definition of deckle...

The point cut is the smaller of the two. It is thinner, fattier and more flavorful, which makes it the choice of meat connoisseurs.…Some butchers refer to it as the second cut or deckle point, as it contains the deckle, a hard pocket of fat. Others erroneously call this whole piece the deckle.

[wesza]

I am sorry but since I have not been keeping myself up to date about the new designations of beef cuts I will not update the comments on my previous post meant to clarify the "Deckle".

Officially now in "2006" the USDA has changed the name of the meat thats on top of the Prime Rib Roasts now regularly removed to a new designation.

Previously called "Deckle" is now named "Blade Meat" with it's own ordering number # 109B.

It is not customarily removed from the Bone in Prime Rib Roasts.

The Brisket is now broken differently with a Flat Cut and the former Top Fatty Piece being called a "Deckle".

I will be receiving a update on most cuts that I will have available in my files.

This is certainly becoming more interesting and fun then it used to be when we put together the original boneless beef cut designations as well as primal cuts together with gradings about 45 years ago for the first USDA Guides. It took almost 25 years for the "Triangle" to become a official beef cut.

Irwin

Edited March 9, 2006 by wesza (log)

[Juanito]

Let's confuse the issue a bit more.

I think what you all are referring to as "deckle" and what Irwin refers to as "blade meat" is aka "lifter meat" or "special trim" in the trade.

It is used quite a bit in the Mexican market for shredded beef.

J

[ghostrider]

What's a Spencer Steak? Is that a West Coast or PNW term?

Sorry, it's clear what the cut is, but I've never heard the term before.

[Gifted Gourmet]

What's a Spencer Steak?  Is that  a West Coast or PNW term?

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Check this out .. scroll down a bit

Ribeye Steak

Similar to a Rib Steak, the ribeye does not contain the rib bone. This premium steak is juicy and flavorful with generous marbling throughout.

Also called: Beauty Steak, Delmonico Steak, Spencer Steak

Spencer Steak sounds like a Hollywood actor's name, to me anyway ...

[ghostrider]

I was thinking the same thing. I wonder who Spencer was though.

Interesting that Delmonico is applied to two different cuts.

So that's the deckle there on the rib steak. Another peculiar term. Opportunities here for some obscure etymological research.

[rlibkind]

This morning, when I asked Harry Ochs of Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market what cut of meat he thought of when I used the word "deckel" his immediate response was the fatty part of the Brisket. When I then mentioned some folks used that term for the fattier portion around a rib steak/roast, he acknowledged that that part is called the deckel, too.

[Pam R]

I have a small 'roast' and the label says "Beef Breast Chuck Deckle". Can I treat it like I would a pot roast? It's rolled and netted, and doesn't look all that fatty . .

[Pam R]

I took a picture, though I'm not sure it's at all helpful:

Looks like a roast. It's about 3 lbs. We cut one up for a customer the other day (for stew) and it wasn't very fatty, and was rolled like a spiral (one long piece rolled up).

[tim]

Previously called "Deckle" is now named "Blade Meat" with it's own ordering number # 109B.

Irwin

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Hi,

The University of Nebraska's website, Bovine Myology has a rotating picture of the 109B Beef Rib, Blade Meat

I think that The French Laundry serves a Cap Steak that is this same cut of beef.

Tim

[mhjoseph]

The meat surrounding the rib that some are referring to is the spinalis dorsi, see this http://www.seriouseats.com/2007/08/serious...rill-steak.html. Also you can Google spinalis dorsi for more information than you can use.

[qrn]

Is this what they are selling as "boneless short ribs???

[tim]

Is this what they are selling as "boneless short ribs???

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Hi,

In my experience, boneless short ribs can range from top blade steaks (Sav-S-Lot) t0 real boneless short ribs. That is one problem with State regulation, you can call any given cut of meat almost anything.

I really doubt that the cap from a prime rib would be sold as boneless short ribs. It is very tender and not appropriate for braising. (Actually, that is illogical since, the top blade steak is also tender and appropriate for braising.)

Tim