My sous chef told me to stop trimming fat off ribeyes and I fought him on it

I've been working the grill station at a steakhouse in Austin for about 8 months now. I always trimmed the fat cap down to almost nothing because I thought it looked cleaner on the plate. My sous chef kept telling me to leave at least a quarter inch on there for flavor and juiciness. Finally gave it a shot last Saturday during a busy dinner rush and the difference was huge. The steaks came out way more tender and customers actually commented on the flavor. Has anyone else had to unlearn a habit that just seemed right at first?

2 comments

2 Comments

morgan.joseph18d ago

Did you ever try leaving the fat on the grill to render down first?

smith.anna18d ago

Three hours on a slow smoke at 225 and you're telling me to throw the fat cap directly on the grates? That's asking for a grease fire that'll char the outside before the inside even hits 160. I've lost two racks doing that, cremated the bark and ended up with dry, chewy meat underneath. If you want rendered fat, just trim it off and put it in a foil pan next to the meat, not directly on the burners.