Last Updated on April 15, 2024 by Shari Mason
The strip steak, originating from the loin section of beef, remains a popular choice at steakhouse establishments. Its appeal lies in its excellent value and superior quality.
It was first seen in Kansas City but became popular in New York City.
Now, people are confused, are they different, or are they just the same? In this article, we’ll compare the New York Strip vs Kansas City Strip, so read on.
Comparing New York Strip & Kansas City Strip
New York Strip steak and Kansas City steak are technically the same meat cuts, regardless of their thickness.
These two steaks only differ in origin and marrow attachment. Kansas strip steak came from Kansas City with a t-bone included in it and a tail section.
On the other hand, the NY strip steak is from New York City and is boneless. It looks like filet mignon steaks in a strip style, but it is a strip steak. Also, it doesn’t have a tail section and has less fat.
The chef intentionally made minor differences to distinguish it from the other countries with their version of club steak.
Read: Which Cut Of Steak Has The Most Fat?
Key Differences
Origin
Each strip steak is named after the city from where it originated. Kansas City steak originated from Kansas, while a chef cuts the New York Strip steak from New York City.
These strip steaks don’t have many differences between the two cities. The steak cut was first named Kansas City steak but became popular in New York City.
Bone Attachment
The bone attachment between the two common strips is the main difference. KC strip steak has a t-bone attached, and the New York strip steak is a boneless strip.
The bone-in version Kansas strip is also more flavorful and healthy because the marrow adds nutrients and flavor to the meat. [1]
Chefs do the bone removal to obtain a New York Strip steak. If the part of the steak with fat and marrow is included, that is called the Kansas City strip.
Read: What Is The Most Expensive Beef Cut?
Tail Section
The tail section is also one of the subtle differences between the KC Strip and the New York steak. The New York strip’s tail section was removed, while the Kansas City strip was not.
The Kansas City strip retains its meat and fat part that extends from the eye to the end of the loin, while the New York strip doesn’t.
Thickness
The two steak dishes also differ in size cuts. Regarding the thickness of the cut, New York Strip steak is greater than 1.5 inches than the Kansas City Strip.
The Kansas City Strip is cut thinner at less than 1.5 inches thick. Since the Kansas strip has its tail section, it is heavier than the New York strip.
Fat Layer
The fat layer is what makes the steak marbled. Many consumers prefer fattier steak because of its health benefits. [2]
KC strip remains its thin layer of fat attached to the muscle, making it flavorful. On the contrary, the New York strip trimmed off its fat layer, making it less marbled.
Ways To Cook
Pan Searing
Kansas and New York steaks don’t differ in searing pan cooking. They are both excellent to be cooked in a medium-high heat cast iron skillet and let sear to perfection.
You can add some garlic butter or high smoke point oil like avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or olive oil will sear it fast and perfectly within one minute on each side.
The steak’s internal temperature should be 135° F for half-cooked and 145° F for medium.
Read: How To Cook Frozen Steak In Instant Pot?
Broiling
Broiling the two strips only differs in cook time based on their thickness. To achieve a perfect medium-rare steak for a Kansas City strip, broil it for 13 to 15 minutes.
For the NY strip, which is 1.5 inches thick, you need to broil the steak in the oven for 16 to 18 minutes; turn it 1 minute before the halfway point.
The oven should be at 500° F. You may turn the temperature down depending on your preferred doneness.
Grilling
For a medium-rare 1-inch New York strip, grill the steak at 140 degrees medium heat for at least 7 minutes for each side.
If you want medium-well, grill the steak straight for 10 minutes, and the internal temperature should be 155 degrees.
Grilling the Kansas strip is a bit different from the New York strip. Preheat the grill up to 400° F, then place the steak. Close the lid and let it cook for 4 minutes.
“A steak needs fat to taste great.”
– Tom Colicchio, American Celebrity Chef
Rotate the steaks at 45 degrees and let them cook for another 2 minutes. After that, flip the steak, close the grill lid, and cook for another 4 minutes.
Sear-Roasting
For pan-searing, both New York strips and Kansas strips must be seasoned with salt and add pepper before being put inside a preheated oven to 400° F.
It will be best to place the steaks in an oven-safe baking dish. For a medium-rare, cook the steak for five to seven minutes. For extra rare, two to four minutes is enough with a golden brown outer crust.
Tenderness
The New York strip has a beefy flavor and good marbling. It is fine-grained in texture with a bit of fat content, making it tender and easy to trim and cook.
The Kansas City strip is tender and juicy too. It is cut from short loin primal, which makes it easy to cook in the grill, broiler, cast iron skillet, or even on the stovetop.
Flavors
The Kansas strip is hand-blended with spices like two tablespoons of black pepper, two tablespoons of garlic salt, three cloves of minced garlic, Mexican oregano, and many more.
While making New York strip steaks, hefty seasonings are unnecessary because four tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, and pepper seasoning are enough to make it great.
The difference in flavorings made the Kansas strip much more flavorful and tasty than the New York strip.
Popularity
Originally, Kansas City strip steak was the steak’s first name given by the Delmonico brothers, who rented space in NY in 1827.
It gained popularity when a chef from New York City started to make their strip steak by removing the marrow and calling it New York Strip to boost American Capitalism.
But, these two-strip steaks are almost the same with minimal differences to distinguish from each other.
Do New York Strip & Kansas City Strip Have Similarities?
New York Strip Steak and Kansas City Strip Steak are just the same cut of steak from the short loin. It is technically the same steak named after the state it is cooked.
But with the cooking method, seasoned and flavored, Kansas City Strip and New York City Strip are just the same part of the meat cut.
Why is the New York Strip Better Than Ribeye?
New York strip steak is better than Ribeye because it is cheaper but offers an authentic taste of beef.
Ribeye is a good steak that you’ll have at a steakhouse with onion rings, green beans, and white wine on the side, but the NY strip is a good choice if you’re on a budget.
The New York strip is a cut from the short loin and marinated with Worcestershire sauce for an extra tender, meaty flavor. It is also marbled, juicy, and the same flavorful as the Ribeye.
The fact that it is cheaper than the Ribeye steak is more than enough for steak lovers to choose this over Ribeye if you’re on a budget and want a rich steak flavor as a treat.
Is Kansas City Strip Steak Tough?
No, Kansas City Strip steak is not tough in texture because it is cut from the short loin and brined in a sealed plastic bag to give you the vibes of a genuine cowboy in Kansas as you eat it.
Short loin cuts are from the backbone hood of tender meats and are significant for grill and broiler cooking, making it a perfect steak on your dinner table. [3]
Most steaks like Kansas City Strip Steak, Tenderloin, and Porterhouse came from the same cattle barons that produced high-quality steaks.
FAQs
u003cstrongu003eIs the Kansas City strip more flavorful than the New York strip?u003c/strongu003e
Yes, the Kansas City strip is more flavorful than the New York strip because of the bone attached to the meat of the Kansas strip. The marrow adds flavor to the meat while cooking.
u003cstrongu003eIs the New York Strip chewy?u003c/strongu003e
No, the New York Strip is not supposed to be chewy because it is cut from the short loin like the Kansas City strip. u003cbru003eu003cbru003eSome of the reasons steaks are chewy are because of the poor quality of meat or the way it is cooked.
u003cstrongu003eIs New York steak the same as strip steak?u003c/strongu003e
Yes, the New York Strip is the same as a strip steak. Strip steak is a type of beef cut. It is also known as club steak internationally.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eIn some countries like the US and Canada, it is called New York Strip, shell steak, or Kansas City strip steak.
Final Verdict
We conclude that the New York and Kansas City strips are just the same strip steak from the same short loin hood.
Chefs only make their bone and tail sections different to distinguish them from each other. But all in all, the NY and Kansas strip are just the same steaks from different cities.
To distinguish the steak, take note of the key differences mentioned above, such as origin, marrow attachment, tail section, thickness, and fat layer.
References:
- https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/healthy-ways-cook-tbone-steaks-4187.html
- https://meat.tamu.edu/beefgrading/
- How Does Outback Cook Their Steaks? Unveiling the Secret - April 19, 2024
- Outback vs Longhorn Steakhouse: Comparing the Giants - April 19, 2024
- How to Get Lumps Out of Mashed Potatoes: Complete Guide - April 19, 2024