Scotch Fillet

The Beef: This is Rachel's Farm beef, 100% grass-fed and grass-finished, raised regeneratively on pasture managed for soil health first. The cattle graze on diverse, living pasture their whole lives, moving often so the land gets time to rest and recover. That slow, natural growth comes through in every bite: a deeper, more mineral beef flavour, a satisfying chew, and fat with a golden tinge that tastes of grass. It's beef with real character, grown in a way that leaves the land better than it found it.

The Cut: The scotch fillet is cut from the rib section, the same muscle as a ribeye, just served off the bone. It's the most generously marbled steak on the animal, with a seam of fat running through the centre and the prized rib cap (the spinalis) curling around the outside. That cap is the butcher's favourite: loose, rich and incredibly tender. The rib is a lightly worked muscle, so the scotch gives you tenderness and big, beefy flavour in the same steak, which is why so many people call it the best all-rounder on the menu.

How to Cook It: Take the steak out of the fridge 30–40 minutes before cooking and pat it dry. Season generously with salt. Get your pan or grill screaming hot; cast iron or open flame is ideal.

Sear 3–4 minutes per side for a 3cm steak, turning every minute or so if you want an even crust. Stand it on its fat edge for a minute to render the fat and crisp it up. Baste with butter, garlic and thyme in the final minute.

Grass-finished beef is leaner than grain-fed and its fat renders at a lower temperature, so it cooks a little faster and rewards a slightly gentler hand. Keep a close eye and don't chase a hard crust at the expense of the interior.

Pull at 50–52°C internal for medium-rare and rest for 5–8 minutes. Slice against the grain and pour the resting juices back over the top.

Tips

• Don't go past medium. The scotch's fat needs a bit of heat to melt, but grass-finished beef is at its best pink in the middle.
• Save the rib cap for last. Trust us.
• Cooking for a crowd? Leave the scotch as a whole piece, roast it at 180°C to 50°C internal, rest, then slice. It's a showstopper for the table.
• Keep the sides simple. Chips, a sharp salad or a spoonful of salsa verde is all it needs.

A Little History: Every beef culture has its own name for this cut. In France it's the entrecôte, literally "between the ribs," pan-fried and served with frites and a sauce béarnaise in bistros across Paris. In America it's the ribeye, a steakhouse staple, and left on the bone and roasted whole it becomes the standing rib roast, the centrepiece of the British Sunday table. Here in Australia and New Zealand we call it the scotch fillet, a name whose origins nobody can quite agree on. Whatever you call it, it's the steak people come back to: rich, tender and full of flavour.