Cutting Across the Grain Explained

What does it mean to “cut across the grain” of meat, and why is it so important?

If you look closely at a piece of meat, you’ll notice little bundles of closely packed muscle fibers that run parallel to one another. This pattern of fibers is known as the grain. Recipes recommend slicing across the grain—perpendicular to the fibers—to shorten them and thereby make the meat tender and easier to chew. To be sure this wasn’t merely convention, we made our recipe for Pan-Roasted Flank Steak and sliced the cooked steak into pieces cut both with and across the grain. Tasters unanimously agreed the slices cut with the grain were chewier and stringier than those cut against it. It’s equally important to cut across the grain when you’re cutting up raw flank steak for a stir-fry.

THE BOTTOM LINE   For easier eating, cut against the grain.