Look at the raw cut before it goes near heat. Mark the direction with a small nick so you know where to slice later.
Why it matters more than the knife
Muscle fibres run in bundles. Slice along them and every mouthful is a long rope of fibre; slice across them and you shorten each fibre to the thickness of the slice. On a well-cooked flank steak that difference is the whole meal.
Finding it
- Look at the raw meat in good light — the lines are obvious before cooking, and almost invisible after.
- Cut a shallow nick at one corner, across the grain, as a reminder.
- On cuts where the grain changes direction — brisket, flank — divide the piece first, then slice each part separately.
- Slice thinner than feels necessary. A quarter inch is plenty.
If you are unsure, ask when you buy it. We will mark the direction on the paper.
