Dry-Aged Beef Steak Series
Ribeye Steak
(cowboy steak, rib steak, scotch filet, Delmonico)
By far one of the most requested steaks in the butcher shop, this easily recognizable steak is an amalgamation of several lateral muscles that follow the loin. Resting on the inside of the rib bones, the ribeye is known for its well-defined marbling of fat and is located further up on the cow towards the chuck and shoulder.
The ribeye section usually has seven ribs and are protected by the spine and feather bones on the top, which are removed, and the deckle and back fat underneath. When cross cut the steak is revealed, having a deep crimson red when first cut, but which oxidizes to a bright red after being exposed to the air.
The still-life is taken straight on with the face of the rib section, but at a slight angle to reveal the form of the rib-loin. Lighting mainly from the front, the meat casts a slight shadow to emphasize the weight of the section as it retains its curled form. A series of close-ups on texture shows the variance in muscle structure and formation, as well as the contrast between the waxy opaque fat and the almost translucent red fibers of the muscles.
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References: Danforth, Adam. Butchering Beef. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 2014. p 250.