Roasts vs Steaks
what's the difference between Roast (or locally called Lechon) & Steaks ? which is better?
writing based on personal experience of Jon Bendicion of what's available in Metro Manila, Philippines
Generally there are 3 classifications of meat parts of a pig /cow depending on its tenderness.
a) Very Tender
This is where some steaks belong depending on part, breed and grade. This is usually the muscle that hardly moves in a cow or pig. Yes ,some steaks are still not tender enough especially like local Sirloin steaks.
Focusing on Beef. These meat are so tender that it can be cut thick along the the grain and still tender and juicy to the the bite..as long as it is not over cooked. Cooking is relatively very short in just a few minutes and adding herbs & spices is minimal as you would like to bring out the natural taste of the "imported" beef.
As steaks are not tenderized and seasoned as much, tenderness and flavor depends heavily on the fat marbling of meat material. These tender cuts, tend to be the most expensive.
Steaks are best enjoyed fresh off the grill, making them incredible for Gourmet Bento rice Meals . Experience rich taste of Angus & Wagyu beef without breaking the bank with with Bravour Roastery's Angus and Wagyu Steak Rice Meals at https://bravourph.com/products/Gourmet-Bento-Rice-Meals-c192238002
b) Medium Tenderness.
This where Roasts, Braises, Stews come in.
Some parts like the belly are perfect for roasting...or particularly slow roasted to make it very tender. As cooking takes 2 to 36 hours, meats have to be marinated well to make them juicy and tasty.
Unlike steaks, roasts taste better when cut thinly across the grain. A few would still cook and cut Roasts parts like steak but it would be very chewy --those so-called street-style steaks
Roasts would give the best value for money as these cuts are not not priced as expensive as steaks. For me, Roast US beef Belly is the best balance between tenderness and fat-content... Pefect for affordable premium party trays https://bravourph.com/products/Party-Trays-c140645260.
For Beef belly in particular, Angus and Wagyu Beef belly would be too fatty and unnecessary to add tenderness and good taste. It would just make it more expensive.
c) Hard.
This where other parts comes in especially the moving or muscular ones of the live stock.
Need to tenderize physically like using a grinder or cooked at higher temp/pressure to become soft and and may need to be cured (with pink salt or sodium nitrite) to be tasty or seasoned again or served with a tasty sauce ..in short it needs to be "processed". At Bravour Roastery, we only offer the whole or unprocessed equivalent of processed meats. Processed meats naturally becomes the cheapest as once machine ground or emulsified, one can add other ingredients to make it even cheaper. Emulsification is the mixing of water, fat, meat , and starches to make it appear as tender meat when cooked. Be careful, many steaks and Samgyupsal slices, meat cubes are processed already but appear as fresh meat cuts.
As to which is better? Steaks and Roasts? Each has its own advantage and disadvantage . Roasts or steaks can better depending on one's preference and the expertise of the one cooking it. If one like beefy or natural aroma of beef on chunky bite , go for steaks.. if you like the rich taste of beef slices developed with the right herbs & spices with melted fat from prolonged cooking, go for Roasts.