Top round is a common but largely unknown cut of beef. It comes from the round a prime cut of beef from the hindquarters that consists of the upper back legs of the cow. Top round is also known as “inside round” because it consists of muscles that are located on the inside of the leg. You may have also heard of bottom round and eye of round which are located in addition to top round. One thing that all three of these cuts have in common is that they are among the leanest cuts of steak with very little fat. Despite this top round has a rich beefy flavor giving you the most bang for your buck of all steaks.
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How to Turn an Average Cheap Steak into an Extraordinary Steak – Salted Top Round Steak – Top Round Steak
The problem with lean cuts of beef is that they can become very tough and dry when you cook them and top round is no exception. For this reason top round is often prepared as a slow-cooked roast and is one of the best cuts of roast beef you can buy. However when you cut a top round roast into steaks things get a little trickier. We don’t usually associate slow-cooking methods with steaks but when it comes to top round steaks there is an underused steak preparation that can make it tender while adding a whole new level of flavor.
You may not have heard of Swiss steak before but it was quite a popular dish in the mid-20th century and it’s a little unclear why it hasn’t caught on given how well it elevates cheaper cuts of steak. The name “Swiss steak” can be confusing as the dish has nothing to do with Switzerland. In fact the name refers to “Swissing” the technique of tenderizing meat by pounding it with the pointed end of a meat mallet. The spikes tear through the tough muscle fibers in the meat making it more tender. You can sometimes find meat prepared this way called “cube steak” in the grocery store.
To make Swiss steak you start with a Swiss steak (who knew?) but instead of quickly cooking it over high heat like you would any other type of steak you braise it. Braise is when you cook meat slowly in a simmering liquid and in this case the Swiss steak is cooked in a rich tomato and onion sauce. In this way the dish combines two effective tenderizing methods – swiss and braise – making it perfect for tough cuts. This is why recipes for Swiss steak usually call for top round or other cuts of the beef primal round.
