Entrecôte

What is an Entrecote?

If you are a true meat lover, you have probably heard of entrecote, but what exactly is an entrecote? The entrecote is cut from the thin loin of the cow and is recognizable by the fat edge on top of the steak. Just like the tournedos, an entrecôte is under the t-bone, but on the other side. The meat has a firmer texture than the tournedos and has a bit more bite, but also more flavor. The fat edge that characterizes the entrecote certainly contributes to that full flavor. Moreover, that same edge ensures that the meat does not dry out during cooking. You can also very well cook the meat on its own fat edge. Either way: an entrecote is a tough steak that is generally easy to prepare for steak lovers!

Why the Name Entrecote?

Literally translated, entrecote means 'between the ribs,' and entrecote is indeed cut from the thin loin of the cow, including the fat edge. Entrecote is a delicious, sturdy steak with a full flavor. In America, entrecote is also known as New York Strip, strip steak, or Striploin (a term that actually comes more from Canada), and here we also know this meat as sirloin steak.

Preparing Entrecote

The key during the preparation of entrecote is to leave the fat edge intact, even if you are not a fan of that fat edge. After all, fat is flavor, and it also serves an important function: the fat edge ensures that the steak does not dry out during cooking. If you then cut off that fat edge? You can do that after cooking. An entrecote is often eaten medium and doesn't need much on its own. Take the meat out of the refrigerator in time and let it slowly come to room temperature. Grind some fresh black pepper over it and in the meantime, heat some butter or oil in a frying pan. When frying the entrecote, keep approximately one minute per centimeter per side. On average, an entrecote is about 2 centimeters thick, which means about 2 minutes per side for medium rare. If you want to do it really precisely, you can use a core thermometer. An internal temperature of about 55 degrees is perfect. Then let your entrecôte rest for another 5 to 10 minutes under aluminum foil, so the meat retains its juices. Finish with some sea salt (preferably sea salt flakes, which melt deliciously on your tongue) and you have a delicious tough steak!

Cooking Entrecote in 8 Steps

1. Take the entrecote out of the refrigerator in time (at least an hour in advance) to come to room temperature.
2. Pat the meat dry with a paper towel and season it with freshly ground pepper and salt.
3. Heat a pan on the stove and add a splash of olive oil. Be careful, not too much because you are going to cook the entrecote on the fat edge.
4. As soon as the oil is properly heated, place the entrecote in the pan (on the fat edge) and support it with tongs so it doesn't fall over.
5. Once the fat edge has a nice color, cook the entrecote on both sides for 1 minute per centimeter per side. So if your entrecote is 2 centimeters thick, cook it first for 2 minutes on one side and then another 2 minutes on the other side after flipping.
6. While cooking the entrecote, spoon the meat juices over the meat. This is called basting.
7. Remove the entrecote from the pan and let it rest for another 10 minutes under aluminum foil.
8. Enough? Then slice the steak perpendicular to the grain and serve.

TIP: Cooking on gas? Keep the steak moving for even cooking. Cooking on induction? Let the steak rest, except for flipping once.

What Internal Temperature for Entrecote?

You can of course cook your entrecote by feel, but if you are not yet a chef at heart, it is definitely a good idea to measure the internal temperature while grilling. Measuring is knowing after all! So if you don't have a core thermometer yet, get one right away and you'll never have a steak that is just overcooked again. The internal temperatures for entrecote are:

- Rare > 50-52°C

- Medium Rare > 53-55°C

- Medium > 58-60°C

How Long Should You Cook an Entrecote?

How long you should cook an entrecote purely depends on how thick the steak is and how 'done' you want it. Personally, we find it best medium rare, so you can best follow the times of 1 minute per centimeter per side. So if your entrecote is 3 centimeters thick? Grill it for 3 minutes on one side and 3 minutes on the other side.

Which Breed of Entrecote Should I Choose?

With so many choices, we can imagine that you might feel overwhelmed. But having so many choices is also nice because there is only a very small chance that the entrecote you are looking for isn't included! An all-time favorite here is the Black Angus USA PRIME entrecote, which is also one that we often recommend if you are looking for a nicely grain-fed entrecote. Want to go all out with a dinner? Then definitely go for Wagyu, for example from Japan, the real deal! Be aware that you can't easily polish off a 400-gram Japanese Wagyu entrecote like with a 'normal' entrecote. The Japanese Wagyu entrecote has a much more intense marbling than an entrecote from, for example, the Black Angus cow, which means you fill up much faster. This makes it especially nice to serve as a to-share steak.

Which Wine Pairs with Entrecote?

Grilled entrecote on the menu? You surely want to serve a nice wine with it. With intense flavors like those of an entrecote, you are quickly well-suited with a powerful red wine with a sturdy structure. Think of a nice Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, or Sangiovese. When serving the steak with sauce, you should of course adjust your wine accordingly. Entrecote with herb butter pairs perfectly with a full wine with suppleness. A classic Béarnaise sauce is best paired with a ripe wine such as an older Pauillac or Rioja Reserva..

Buying Entrecote Online

Buying entrecote online is not a far-fetched idea at all! Online, you can search much more precisely. You can choose by breed, by weight, by origin… You prefer to eat entrecote from an authentic beef breed like Black Angus USA, Aberdeen Angus Uruguay, Hereford Argentina, Wagyu, Rubia Gallega, or Blonde d’Aquitaine and you can search specifically online. We deliver from Monday to Friday between 5:00 PM and 10:00 PM. You choose your own delivery day and if you order your entrecote before 11:00 AM, you can have it at home the same evening. QuickFrozen, ensuring optimal quality preservation. Ordering entrecote online is thus a piece of cake.

Entrecote QuickFrozen Delivery

The Butchery delivers all the meat QuickFrozen to your home. So the entrecote you add to your shopping cart is delivered frozen. All the meat you find in our webshop, we receive fresh directly from the slaughterhouse. We then trim, portion, and package the meat in vacuum and freeze it almost immediately upon arrival in a special way. This ensures that all nutritional values in the meat are preserved for optimal quality maintenance.

Ordering Entrecote Online

Entrecote online ordering is ideal! The selection is vast and therefore we dare to say with certainty that we have an entrecote that you are looking for. Grass-fed, grain-fed; from the Netherlands, Japan, or America, you can find it all at The Butchery! In any case, all the entrecotes you will find with us have one thing in common, namely a fine origin. Moreover, the ordering process is very simple. You choose your favorite steaks, add some extra products to your shopping cart like a pound of ground meat or some chicken fillets and spareribs, and place your order. During checkout, you can choose your desired delivery day. If you order before 11 o'clock, it will even be delivered the same evening!