The Most And Least Fattening Cuts Of Steak (Slideshow)

This steak has little to no marbling, but is still flavorful. We wouldn't recommend cooking it up like a standard steak, but it's perfect for slow-cooking.

Fat: 5.4 grams
Calories: 206
Saturated Fat: 2 grams

The rear leg of the cow is called the round, so any cuts with the word "round" in it come from this cut. This cut looks similar to the filet mignon, but it's not taken from the tenderloin so it's a lot tougher and less juicy. These are best used for eye of round roasts, prepared like prime rib and sliced as thinly as possible.

Fat: 7 grams
Calories: 276
Saturated Fat: 2.4 grams

Also called London Broil, top round is a lean, tough cut, so it's best when braised. It's also a good choice for jerky.

Fat: 7.6 grams
Calories: 240
Saturated Fat: 3 grams

The top sirloin is an entirely different cut of meat from the sirloin (it's located on the other side of the tenderloin), but it looks similar and can be cooked in a similar way as well: hot and fast. You don't want to cook it any more than medium rare; however, because there's still only a small amount of marbling on it.

Fat: 10.6 grams
Calories: 316
Saturated Fat: 4 grams

The third and final cut of meat from the round, bottom round is also lean and best when braised, but it has a slightly higher level of marbling so can be eaten as a steak if tenderized. Just make sure it's cooked no further than medium rare.

Fat: 11 grams
Calories: 300
Saturated Fat: 3.8 grams

The flap is sometimes confused with the hanger steak (which looks similar and has a comparable fat content), but it's an entirely different cut, coming from the bottom sirloin primal, near where the tri-tip comes from. Sometimes called the sirloin tip or faux hanger, it's inexpensive and extremely versatile: you can marinate and grill it then slice it thinly, cube and skewer it, or braise it and let it fall apart into shreds. Eat it medium-rare or medium; any less and it'll be mushy.

Fat: 12 grams
Calories: 240
Saturated Fat: 3.8 grams

Cut from the thicker end of the tenderloin, the filet mignon is quite possibly the most tender cut on a steer, simply because the muscle really has nothing to do. Of all the high-end steaks, this is also the one with the least amount of fat.

Fat: 16 grams
Calories: 348
Saturated Fat: 6 grams

The steak of choice at many top steakhouses including Peter Luger, the porterhouse is actually a composite of two steaks, the tenderloin and the short loin. Porterhouse steaks are cut from farther back on the steer so there's a nice size piece of tenderloin on it, and t-bones are generally cut from further up, resulting in less tenderloin. It's a great all-around steak as well; you get the filet and the New York strip all in one.

Fat: 16.4 grams
Calories: 346
Saturated Fat: 6.6 grams

The skirt steak comes from the plate section of the steer, down by the belly. While it contains a similar amount of fat as flank steak, which is located further back, it's a completely different muscle. It's best cooked hot and fat,sliced thinly, and it holds onto marinades well.

Fat: 17.2 grams
Calories: 348
Saturated Fat: 6.6 grams

The New York strip; also called a club steak, shell steak, or Kansas City strip, comes from the short loin primal and is another steakhouse favorite. It's well-marbled, dry-ages well, and is an all-around favorite even though it's not the most tender cut.

Fat: 18 grams
Calories: 360
Saturated Fat: 6 grams

The top of the heap, the rib-eye is the most prized, expensive, and well-marbled cut you'll find on a cow. Cut from the rib section, it'll sometimes be served with the rib still attached and called a cowboy rib-eye. It's quite fatty and is incredibly versatile; it can be seared in a hot pan or roasted whole low and slow, resulting in a prime rib. The fat content makes it a special occasion steak, but you won't find many people eating a rib-eye multiple nights a week, anyway.

Fat: 37.6 grams
Calories: 466
Saturated Fat: 15 grams