When putting together a series on famous Steakhouse cuts, you have to consider the Delmonico.
The naming of the Delmonico steak is unique because it was named after the historic Delmonico’s restaurant in New York City.
The history of the name requires a bit of explanation to be sure. The restaurant, Delmonico’s, opened in 1837, and by the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Delmonico had earned a reputation as one of the highest-quality steaks money could buy.
Although considered a “mark of quality” and not necessarily a specific cut, the term was known generally for being thick and tender. Experts suggest the actual cut of meat likely changed frequently based on what was available from a single animal, especially since the restaurant operated before the invention of modern refrigeration and while the restaurant currently serves a boneless rib eye as their Delmonico steak, Merriam-Webster defines it as a “club steak” (a small steak from the end of the short loin). This historical ambiguity—the fact that it wasn’t one specific cut—eventually led to a decline in its popularity as diners began favoring more clearly defined cuts like the rib eye in the 1950s and ’60s.
To confuse you even more, on the West Coast, this “cut” might be called a Spencer.
Today, the name might be considered a gold standard in luxury steakhouses and is often used by butchers to describe various high-quality, well-marbled, “butcher’s choice” cuts, rib eye or not, that offer steakhouse luxury at a more budget-friendly price.
If you want to know how to perfectly cook this steak or any other, check out this post I did with a REAL New York, multi-generational butcher!
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