A customer told me I was trimming too much fat off their ribeyes

Been cutting for about 8 years and always thought a clean trim with almost no fat cap was the way to go for presentation. This older guy who buys from me every Wednesday finally called me out on it, said I was throwing away the flavor and paying for meat I'd never use. Now I leave at least a quarter inch on most cuts and customers actually seem happier about it. Any of you ever had someone's comment completely flip your process around?

2 comments

2 Comments

lisa_murray1mo ago

Oh man, that's a good one. I actually just watched a YouTube video from a butcher shop out in Kansas talking about this exact thing. They said some of the best flavor comes from that fat because it keeps the steak moist while cooking. I never really thought about it until I read that, but it makes sense why those older guys get so particular. A quarter inch sounds about right, I bet your regular customers are glad you switched it up.

sage_lewis101mo ago

Actually, that fat cap being a quarter inch isn't what keeps the steak moist while cooking. It's the marbling inside the meat that does that, not the outer fat layer. The fat cap mainly adds flavor and protects the meat from getting too cooked on the outside, but it doesn't really soak into the steak or keep it juicy.