The Moon-Shaped Ribeye Cut Curtis Stone Called His 'Absolute Favorite'

While personal preferences differ, ribeye is often cited as the most desirable cut of steak, but ask chef Curtis Stone that question and you'll get a more specific answer that you may not even know existed. Among many other accomplishments, accolades, and TV hosting jobs, the Australian-born chef and author is also the owner of Gwen Butcher Shop & Restaurant in Los Angeles, a Michelin-starred chophouse. That means the man knows a few things about steak. So of course when we sat down to talk with Stone about entertaining, and his career, we had to ask about his absolute favorite cuts. While Stone told us that he loves a good hanger or flank, his ideal steak cut is a part of the ribeye known as the ribeye cap.

In fact Stone was even more technical, telling us, "My absolute favorite cut is the spinalis, which is the top moon-shaped piece within the ribeye." As Stone says, the spinalis (short for spinalis dorsi) is contained within the larger ribeye cut of the cow. In a full bone-in ribeye, it is the section farthest from the bone, separated from the larger "eye" of the meat by a thick layer of fat. This roughly 1-inch-thick section can be trimmed away from the rib roast when it's still whole, producing a separate cut of steak that is often called the ribeye cap. It's one of the rarest cuts on a cow, with one side of ribs producing only a single 16-inch by 8-inch piece of beef.

If ribeye is already so good, what makes this little slice of beef so beloved by chefs like Stone? Well, good steaks usually fall into two categories. There are cuts that are popular for being tender, like filet mignon, and those that are popular for being well-marbled and flavorful, like standard ribeye. The ribeye cap is closer to the backbone of the cow, which means it does very little work — that's a big part of what makes cuts like this so tender. Because it's part of the rib section, ribeye cap is even more well-marbled and juicier than other cuts that are often favored for their tenderness. Yet there aren't as many big, chewy pieces of fat as there are on a ribeye, either. Essentially ribeye cap has the best characteristics of everyone's favorite cuts of steak, and none of the tradeoffs.

Being a steak with all the best characteristics comes with a price, of course, and the ribeye cap isn't cheap. If you treat yourself, however, you'll find that there simply isn't another steak that can compare. If you don't want to slice the cap off the ribeye yourself you will likely have to go to a butcher or online specialty retailer, as ribeye caps aren't very common in grocery stores. Since it's a relatively thin cut that's quite tender, ribeye cap is best cooked quickly over high heat, ideally on a grill. This will allow you to get a good browned crust without overcooking the interior. Your wallet may not love the ribeye cap, but any steak lover will find it irresistible.