Fillet vs Ribeye: Which Steak Is More Tender, and Which Tastes of More

Where each one comes from

The fillet is the psoas major muscle. It lies on the inner side of the lomo bajo, against the spine, in a part of the animal that hardly moves. Each animal has only two fillets, of 2 to 3 kg each. Small supply and high demand: that is why it is the most expensive cut per kilo.

The ribeye comes from the loin itself, the long muscle that runs along the backbone (longissimus dorsi). It is the same cut as a chuletón with the bone taken off. It has more marbling than the fillet, and that fat gives flavour and juiciness. One Spanish detail: entrecot simply means a boneless loin steak, so it can be ribeye, from the lomo alto, or sirloin (US: striploin), from the lomo bajo. The lomo alto vs lomo bajo guide explains the two ends.

Tenderness and flavour are two different things

How tender a piece of meat is depends above all on how much the muscle has worked. The fillet has done almost nothing; the loin a little more. That is why fillet can be cut with a fork.

Flavour takes another road. It depends on marbling, on the breed, on the age of the animal and on ageing. Fillet is lean and mild. Ribeye has more fat between the fibres: more flavour, more texture, more to chew. Neither is better. There is a cut for each person and each dish.

When to choose fillet

• When tenderness comes before everything else.
• For children, or for anyone who does not want visible fat on the plate.
• For a beef Wellington, which needs a cylindrical, lean, even piece.
• For steak tartare: clean meat with no sinew or fat, chopped with a knife.

When to choose ribeye

• When you want the taste of beef, not only the texture.
• For a griddle or the barbecue (US: grill), where the fat browns and adds to the steak.
• When you want a generous portion at a lower price per kilo.

How to cook each

Fillet is cut into medallions of 3–4 cm. Because it is lean, it dries out if it goes too far, and the rule is simple: never past medium, 60–63 °C (140–145 °F) at the core, and better at medium-rare, 54–57 °C (129–135 °F). Sear it hard on the outside, keep the inside pink and rest it before cutting. Cooked whole, for a Wellington or in the oven, the same logic applies.

Ribeye goes in steaks of 2–3 cm. It stands the heat better because the fat protects it, but it is still at its best rare, 50–52 °C (122–126 °F), or medium-rare. A very hot pan or griddle, a couple of minutes a side depending on thickness, and a rest.

How much to buy

Fillet: 200–250 g per person. A whole mature cow fillet of approx. 2.3 kg gives about ten portions, or one large Wellington. Whole fillets are big pieces, so plan to portion what you do not need and freeze it on arrival. At a Spanish counter ask for “solomillo de ternera” or “solomillo de vaca”, either “entero”, whole, or “en medallones de tres o cuatro centímetros”. Do not ask for filete, which is a thin frying steak.

Ribeye: 250–350 g per person. There is more on portions in how much steak per person.

Yearling or mature cow?

Yearling (añojo) fillet is milder and paler. Fillet from a mature cow (vaca) has more flavour and is still the most tender cut on that animal. For children, or for anyone who wants tenderness and nothing else, yearling is plenty. For tenderness with some character, choose the cow.

A third option: both at once

If you cannot decide, a T-bone is lomo bajo on the bone with a piece of fillet on the other side of it. Strictly that is sirloin and fillet, but it puts the two textures in one piece, for the barbecue and for sharing.