New York Strip Vs Ribeye Steak

New York Strip and Ribeye steaks are both extremely high quality, premium cuts of beef. They’re very similar in general appearance, size, quality, price and taste because they both come from the same back area of the cow. However, they’re actually very different cuts. New York Strip is a leaner cut of beef with less marbled fat, which means it’s slightly less tender. Ribeye is a fattier cut of meat with more marbling, so it’s slightly more tender than a New York Strip, and due to the extra fat, it also has a bolder flavor.

A New York Strip steak, also known as a Kansas City Strip, is a high-end cut of premium beef that comes from the short loin of the cow which extends from the hip bone up to the shoulder blade. This area has few connective tissues because it covers a single muscle which makes it a well marbled, lean and tender cut of beef.

The average cost of a New York Strip steak is about $20 per pound.

Ribeye steaks are cut from the rib section of the cow. It’s one of the most popular steaks because of how tender, juicy, and flavorful the meat is. Both the New York Strip and the Ribeye are cut from the same general muscle area, which gives them a similar texture, size and taste. The main difference is the amount of fat that each steak contains and how tender they are.

The average cost of a Ribeye steak is about $25 per pound. The main reason why Ribeye Steaks are more expensive vs NY Strips is their marbling, which makes them juicier and more flavorful beef.

New York Strip Or Ribeye Steak?

Choosing between a NY Strip and a Ribeye is hard to do because they’re such similar steaks. Both come from the same part of the cow so their taste, quality and texture are almost identical. And they’re both premium cuts which means a high price per pound. However, the Ribeye steak has more fat which makes it slightly more tender with a bolder beef flavor when properly cooked.

The extra marbled fat of a Ribeye is the main difference that sets these two cuts of beef apart.

If you like a slightly fattier and more tender steak with a stronger beef flavor, choose a Ribeye.
If you like a leaner cut that’s still very tender and tastes great, go with a NY Strip.

I prefer the NY Strip when I’m cooking a traditional steak dinner on the grill. They’re excellent when seasoned with coarse salt and pepper followed by a quick sear and then a slow cook on medium heat.

I like a Ribeye better when it’s cooked in a skillet with butter and fresh herbs or in the oven. You can create some fantastic flavors when the meat caramelizes in its own fat.

New York Strip or Ribeye? Both cuts are premium with great texture, tenderness and flavor, so you really can’t go wrong with either. Which cut is best depends on how you prepare and serve the meat and how much fat you like on your steak.

New York Strip Steak

New York Strip, a.k.a. Kansas City steak, sirloin steak, or strip loin, is cut from the longissimus dorsi muscle along the rear end of the cow. The meat is part of the short loin primal, which is muscle extending from the hip bone to the shoulder blade. The meat is very tender, juicy and flavorful. NY Strip can be purchased bone-in or boneless.

The are of the cow where NY Strips steaks are cut from doesn’t get much exercise, which makes the meat more tender. However, it doesn’t have much fat either, which can make the meat tougher and less flavorful if you don’t prepare it properly.
NY Strip is a premium cut of beef that averages around $20 per pound.
You can buy NY Strip steaks at retailers, grocery stores, online and butcher shops. It’s a very popular cut, so it’s not hard to find.

Unlike Ribeye steaks, New York Strips don’t have much marbling. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t taste as good. NY Strip and Ribeyes come from the same area of the cow, so the taste and texture is very similar. Both cuts are tender with a fantastic beefy flavor.

Because NY Strips don’t have as much marbling as Ribeye Steaks, they’re usually cut thicker at over 1-inch. The extra thickness helps prevent the meat from drying out inside while cooking.

Like a Ribeye Steak, you can broil, pan-fry, or grill a New York Strip. But it’s best when grilled because it doesn’t have much fat to caramelize in and flair ups are less likely.

Ribeye Steak

Ribeye is cut from the rib primal section of the cow (upper rib cage just before the short loin), which is the same general area as the NY Strip. The meat is mostly longissimus dorsi muscle from the ribs and loin. However, Ribeye may also contain some spinalis and/or complexus muscles, depending on how the meat is butchered. They can be purchased bone-in or boneless.

Ribeyes are one of the most popular steaks because of how juicy, tender and flavorful they are when cooked properly.
But they’re also one of the most expensive cuts of beef averaging around $25 per pound. The reason Ribeyes are slightly more expensive than New York Strips is due to their marbling, which makes them more tender and flavorful.
Ribeye steaks are sold at supermarkets, online and many retail stores. If you want the best quality and freshest Ribeye available, consider hiring a butcher.

Ribeye is also sold as market steak, beauty steak, cowboy steak (when sold with bones), Spencer steak (when served without bones) or Delmonico steak., which is the name of the famous steakhouse in New York in 1827 where some say it originated.

Because of their marbling, Ribeye steaks are known for being juicy and tender. They contain intramuscular fat, which gives the Ribeye steak a fantastically rich beefy flavor.

You can grill, broil, or pan-fry a Ribeye steak, but they’re best when cooked in a pan and allowed to carmelize in their own fat. Bone-in Ribeye steaks are even more flavorful and juicy than boneless cuts when cooked in a pan or skillet because of the marrow that releases and soaks into the meat.

The Main Differences Between Ribeye vs NY Strip Steaks

There are a few key differences that you should know about before choosing between a NY Strip or a Ribeye. These include where the the meat is cut from and the fat content.

While both cuts are very similar and come from the same region of the cow, they are quite different steaks.

New York Strip is a leaner cut of beef with less marbling (fat). This makes it a little tougher in texture than Ribeye.
Because NY Strip has less marbled fat, it’s best when cooked on a grill instead of a skillet.
New York Strip is about 20% cheaper per pound vs Ribeye.
Ribeye is a fattier cut of meat with more marbling than New York Strip. This makes it more tender with a bolder beef flavor when prepared properly.
Because of a Ribeye Steak’s fat content, they’re best when cooked in a pan and allowed to caramelize.

Both cuts of steak can be cooked in a pan, grill or oven. But due to the difference in fat, how the steaks are best prepared is different.

New York Strip is best cooked using high heat like grilling or broiling. The outside should be seared to lock in juices. Slow cooking NY Strip can dry the inside out. This is also why the steaks are typically cut thicker than Ribeye at over 1-inch.
Ribeye is best cooked in a pan or oven where the fats can caramelize and/or soak into the beef. Because of all the fat, they can be cut thinner without the risk of drying out.

The main difference between Ribeye and NY Strip steaks are the marbled fat found in a Ribeye. This makes the Ribeye slightly more tender and juicy with a bolder beef flavor. And it also changes how the steaks are best prepared.

Texture & Taste

Both Ribeye and New York Strip are very tender and flavorful premium steaks. They’re both cut from the same general area of the cow so their taste and texture are very similar. But Ribeye’s have more marbled fat which gives changes its texture and flavor depending on how they’re prepared.

Ribeye

Ribeye steak has a lot of marbling which makes it more tender with a richer taste.
The cut comprises longissimus and spinalis muscles, which has a pad of fat that separates the two muscles.
If cooked correctly, the steak will become extremely tender.
The extra fat gives Ribeye a bolder flavor when cooked in a pan.
Ribeye Steaks can be cut thinner than NY Strip because they have more fat and don’t dry out as easily.

New York Strip

New York Strip is cut from the same muscle group as the Ribeye
The meat is very tender and flavorful with a thick pad of fat down one side but much less marbling.
Because it’s leaner beef than a Ribeye, it can dry out when cooked improperly.
Because of how lean they are, NY Strip steaks are cut thicker than Ribeyes to prevent them from drying out.
Because they have less fat, NY Strip steaks don’t have as strong a beef flavor.

Which Cut is Best?

Overall, Ribeye is the more tender and flavorful steak when cooked in a pan or the oven. The meat will melt-in-your-mouth with a rich, beef flavor created by all the caramelized fat. If you like a steak cooked in a pan or oven, or you want rich beef flavor, a Ribeye is the better choice.

NY Strip is better as a traditional grilled steak. When you sear the outside and slow cook the inside with coarse salt and pepper, the meat is excellent with great flavor and texture. If you want a traditional steak dinner cooked on a grill, New York Strip is the better choice.

Similarities Between Ribeye & NY Strip Steak

While there are several differences between a NY strip and a Ribeye, there are also a lot of similarities between the two steaks. This is mainly due to them being cut from the same rib area of the cow.

Origin: Both steaks are cut from the same area of the cow, the longissimus dorsi muscle. This means the meat is very similar in quality, texture and taste. The difference being that a Ribeye is cut near the neck and along the upper rib cage, while the New York Strip is cut further to the rear.

Texture & Taste: Since the meat is cut from the same area, the steaks are both tender and flavorful. The Ribeye is more tender, with a stronger beef flavor than a New York strip because it has more marbled fat. However, the New York strip is generally considered the better steak for grilling because high fat steaks have more flair ups that can char the meat.

Shape & Size: Ribeye and NY Strip have similar sizes and shapes and bth come with or without bones. The difference is that NY Strips are cut thicker than Ribeyes to prevent them from drying out when cooked.

Price: Ribeye steaks are about 20% more expensive than New York Strips on average.

Quality: Both are considered a top tier premium cut of beef.

You really can’t go wrong with either steak. If you like your steak cooked in a pan with a strong beef flavor and rich, caramelized fat, choose Ribeye. But if you want a traditional steak dinner, I’d pick the NY Strip.

Which Is More Expensive, Ribeye vs New York Strip?

Both a Ribeye and NY strip steak are premium cuts of high-end beef that are similarly priced. But the Ribeye is about 20% more expensive on average. This is mainly due to demand, scarcity and the Ribeye’s marbled fat. On average a Ribeye costs around $25 per pound while a NY Strip costs about $20. However this is for USDA Prime cuts. When you get into aged beef, Wagyu or Kobe steaks, the prices of each get much higher.

Scarcity: The number of steaks cut from a single cow varies based on the size of the animal, the cut of meat, steak size and the skill of the butcher. On average, a single cow yields about 6 Ribeye steaks, each weighing approximately 12 ounces. But a cow usually produces about 8 New York Strips around the same size.

Less Ribeye steaks per cow than NY Strips helps drive up the price a little.

Demand: Ribeye is a steak dinner traditionally served at holidays, which can drive up the price at certain times of year. But overall, demand for Ribeye tends to be a little higher than NY Strip.

Quality: Both cuts are extremely high quality beef, but Ribeye is seen by many to be a little better because of the marbled fat.

Preparation: In restaurants, Ribeye steaks are typically more expensive than a NY Strip. Marbling makes the Ribeye even more tender and flavorful than a NY Strip when it’s cooked in a pan or oven vs a grill. This can drive up the cost even more.

When ordering steak at a restaurant or buying it yourself at the butcher, expect to pay slightly more for a Ribeye vs a New York Strip.

How to Cook Ribeye & NY Strip Steak

Ribeye are NY Strip steaks are very similar in size, texture, tenderness and flavor, but a Ribeye has more marbled fat. Both steaks can be cooked in a pan, oven or on a grill, but because of the additional fat, Ribeye steaks are better when cooked in a pan or oven while NY Strips are best cooked on a grill.

The Best Way To Grill A NY Strip

New York Strip steaks are best cooked over high heat on a grill or in a broiler. Personally I like cooking them on the grill and I think most steak lovers would agree. The high heat and open flame helps sear the steak and lock in juices.Or you can start by searing the steak in a red hot skillet, this is the method I prefer.

Preheat your stove-top skillet or grill as hot as possible. If you use a skillet, a little butter in the pan helps develop a beautiful brown caramelized surface.
Season your steak, I recommend coarse pepper and salt or a rub.
Place the meat onto the grill or into the skillet for about 2-3 minutes.
Flip the steak and sear the other side for another 2-3 minutes.
If your steak is thick, sear the edges for a 1-2 minutes.
Reduce the heat and move your steak to the cool side of the grill or finish cooking in an oven until they reach your desired level of doneness. Around 300°F-350°F is best.
Remove the meat from heat and let it rest covered in foil for about 5-10 minutes.
Serve and eat.

This cooking method develops a char on the outside, locks in juices and slow cooks the inside. Resting the steak after it cooks lets juices redistribute evenly throughout the meat, making it even more tender and juicy.

For even more flavor, add a little compound butter to the top of the steak right before you serve or as it rests.

The Best Way To Cook A Ribeye Steak In A Skillet

Ribeye steaks are best cooked in a pan or the oven. They have lots of marbled fat which melts out of the meat, caramelizes and develops rich beefy taste. When you grill a Ribeye, the fat drips off and creates flare ups, which can burn the meat. But a pan or skillet turns those drippings into flavor.

As a Ribeye is slow cooked, the fat renders out slowly, making the meat more tender, flavorful and juicy.

Preheat your skillet as hot as possible on a grill or stove-top. Don’t add fat to the pan because Ribeyes have enough of their own.
Season your steak, I recommend coarse pepper and salt or a rub.
Place the meat into the red hot skillet for about 2-3 minutes. The fats will render and develop a thick brown crust.
Flip the steak and sear the other side for another 2-3 minutes.
If your steak is thick, sear the edges for a 1-2 minutes.
Place the entire skillet in an oven set to 225°F until it reaches your desired level of doneness. This can take 20-30 minutes or more depending on how you like your beef.
Remove the meat from heat and let it rest covered in foil for about 5-10 minutes.
Serve and eat.

This cooking method is great for a Ribeye because it renders the fat and develops a wonderful, thick and flavorful brown crust on the outside. Slow cooking locks in juices and slow cooks the inside making the meat super tender and juicy.

Make sure to rest the steak after it cooks. This time lets juices redistribute evenly throughout the meat, making it even more tender and juicy.

For even more flavor, add a little compound butter to the top of the steak right before you serve or as it rests.

Tips For Cooking The Best Ribeye & NY Strip Steaks

Now that we’ve discussed both the Ribeye and NY Strip steak as well as the best ways to cook them, I thought I’d give you a few additional tips. Both cuts are pretty versatile and can be cooked in a pan, oven or on the grill. But there are a few tricks you should know that can help you get the best results.

Here are a few tips I use to cook the perfect steak:

Don’t cut into a steak to check its temperature, check by touch or with a meat thermometer instead.
Cutting into a steak releases juices and dries out the meat.
Once you pierce a meat thermometer into the top of your steak, don’t turn it over or juices will leak out.
When turning over your steak, use tongs instead of poking it with a fork.
Season your steak with coarse salt and pepper or a rub before putting it on the grill.
If you cook NY Strip in a skillet, baste it in butter because it doesn’t have that much fat.
If you cook Ribeye in a skillet, don’t add butter because it has lots of marbled fat.
Allow your steak to rest for at least 5-10 minutes after cooking. During this time, its juices redistribute making your steak even more tender and flavorful.
Sear your steak in super high heat skillet to caramelize the edges, locking in the meat’s juices.
Add some compound butter over top your meat as it rests or just before serving.
Keep the spices simple because both steaks are very flavorful on their own.
Both steaks are naturally very tender, if you cook them properly, even a well done Ribeye or NY Strip won’t be tough or chewy.

Are NY Strip & Ribeye Boneless Or Bone-In?

Both a Ribeye and a New York Strip are sold boneless and bone-in. However the Ribeye is more commonly sold as bone-in and the NY Strip more commonly comes boneless. This can be a big benefit depending on how you cook your steaks.

Ribeye is best when slow cooked in a skillet or oven. Its marbled fat renders out and caramelizes to develop a thick and tasty outer coating. When you cook a bone-in Ribeye, the marrow soaks adds even more beef flavor and a rich quality you can’t get without the bone. If you slow cook your Ribeye, I recommend buying a bone-in cut.

NY Strip has less fat than a Ribeye and is best when grilled. Season and sear it over high heat and then finish on medium to low. Since it’s not cooked in a pan, you don’t get much added flavor from the bone and grilling bone-in steaks makes it harder to get an even cook. For these reasons, NY Strip is better when cooked boneless.

Ribeye and NY Strip are both versatile steaks that can be prepared in a number of ways. Buy a bone-in or boneless cut based on the way you plan on cooking the steak and how much beef flavor you want.

Grilling: Bone-in cuts make it harder to get an even cook vs boneless cuts. The bone heats up and cooks the surrounding meat faster than meat further away from the bone. For grilling, I recommend a boneless steak.

Pan: If you’re slow cooking your steak in a pan or oven, a bone adds more flavor because of its marrow. If you like a stronger beef flavor, choose a bone-in cut, but if you want a more subtle flavor profile, choose boneless.

Which Steak Is Better, Ribeye vs New York Strip?

Ribeye and New York Strip are two of the best steaks you can buy. They’re tender and juicy with a wonderful beef flavor. Neither one is clearly better than the other, so which is best depends on how you like your steak prepared.

Ribeye is fattier and more tender than NY Strip which makes it better when slow cooked in a skillet or the oven.

Ribeye is the more tender and flavorful steak when slow cooked in a skillet or the oven. It has more marbled fat which renders out to develop a rich outer crust while the inside becomes melt-in-your-mouth soft. But because of all that extra fat, the flavor is stronger than a NY Strip.
If you like a robust beef flavor and a slow cooked steak, choose a Ribeye.

NY Strip is leaner with a milder flavor which makes it better when pan seared, grilled and served as a traditional steak dinner.

NY Strip is very flavorful and tender, but it’s leaner than Ribeye. This makes it better when seared, grilled and served as a traditional steak dinner. When you season a NY Strip with salt and pepper, sear the outside on high heat and slow cook the inside, the meat is excellent with great flavor and texture. Because a NY Strip has a milder beef flavor, you get more out of salt and pepper or a rub.
If you want a traditional steak dinner cooked on a grill, New York Strip is the better choice.

You really can’t go wrong with either steak because they’re both excellent. I recommend making a choice based on the way you like your steak prepared rather than comparing the quality of the meat. But it’s worth mentioning that Ribeye is about 20% more expensive per pound vs NY Strip.

Summary: New York Strip Vs Ribeye Steak

A New York Strip steak, a.k.a. Kansas City Strip, is a high-end cut of premium beef that comes from the short loin of the cow which extends from the hip bone up to the shoulder blade.

New York Strips steaks are well marbled, lean and tender cuts of beef.
The average cost of a New York Strip steak is about $20 per pound.

The average cost of a Ribeye steak is about $25 per pound.
The main reason why Ribeye Steaks are more expensive vs NY Strips is their marbling.
Ribeyes are juicier and more flavorful than NY Strip.

If you have any questions or comments about Ribeye vs New York Strip steaks, email any time.