The Hawksmoor Eight

Not sure what to order on your next visit? Meet the magnificent eight. We use the other parts of the animal in burgers, hot dogs, pies and braises, but these are our favourite cuts for steak.

Sirloin

This cut sits just above the fillet. A good balance of flavour and tenderness. This is a cut that produces such flavourful yet tender beef that legend has it Henry VIII (or James I depending on who tells the story) is said to have knighted it with his sword – “Arise Sir Loin of Beef”. A more likely explanation of the name is that ‘Sir’ is derived from the French ‘Sur” meaning ‘on’ (sur loin – above the loin). We serve ours on the bone because the meat absorbs and retains flavour from the bone and it prevents the meat from shrinking whilst cooking.

Best Served:

Medium-Rare

Rib-Eye & Prime Rib

The inner ‘eye’ of the flavoursome rib muscles. Containing a seam of fat that bastes the meat as it cooks – this keeps it moist, juicy and adds lots of flavour. A Prime Rib is simply a Rib-Eye with rib bone attached – recommended for two people.

Best Served:

Rib Eye – Medium-Rare to Medium | Prime Rib – Medium

Rump

A more hardworking muscle with lots of beefy flavour. This cut is taken from the backside of the cow and comprised of five separate muscles. All these muscles have a denser texture and can be a little bit chewier than a fillet, Sirloin or Rib-eye.

Best Served:

Medium-Rare

T-Bone & Porterhouse

The T-Bone is two steaks in one: fillet and sirloin separated by T-Bone. The Porterhouse is the same T-Bone-shaped steak however it has more of the fillet muscle. Making it a great sharing steak.

Best Served:

Medium-Rare

Chateaubriand

The thick end of the wedge-shaped fillet. Fibres are open and the steak is super soft. This is large cut and usually served for 2 or more people. Taken from the head (thick) end of the Fillet. It is the most tender cut of the whole animal. As there are only two on each cow, it commands the highest price.

Best Served:

Medium-Rare (Strongly recommended)

Fillet

Also known as Tenderloin, Filet Mignon and Undercut. The laziest muscle on the cow = the most tender steak. This is a small muscle that is attached to the underside of the Sirloin. The fillet consists of two muscles and is very thin at one end (which has the most flavour) and very thick at the other end (the most prized cut on the animal, the Chateaubriand).

Best Served:

Medium-Rare