Ironically, neither of them have roots in the Lone Star State.
And it continues to stamp its steer-head logo on ever-more buildings across the U.S.
But it got a little help from Hollywood, too.
Photo: LongHorn Steakhouse/Facebook. Design: Eat This, Not That!
LongHorn’s"Honky Tonk atmosphere came along at the right time," McKerrow noted.
Ribeye
Fatty and flavorful, the ribeye is a very popular piece of meat.
LongHorn offers two versions of this particular cut.
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One is seared on a flat-top griddle, the other is char-grilled.
This one is the lesser of the two.
Upon arrival, it weighed 10.2 ounces on my digital scale and measured about 3/4 of an inch thick.
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The look:Evenly seared but not exactly enticing.
That’s a shame, particularly for a high-quality cut like a ribeye.
The taste:Spicy.
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The meat was moist and a little chewy in places, while the fattier parts were quite tender.
But, I would prefer much lighter seasoning and some char from a real flame.
I ranked this dead last because, frankly, a quality ribeye deserves more respect.
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Conversely, both are cooked the same way: on the grill.
The smallerFire-Grilled T-Boneis still pretty substantial, listed at 18 ounces.
This one cost me $27.99.
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After cooking, the hulking steak weighed about 15 ounces on my scale.
The look:Big and blackened with tell-tale grate marks from its time on the grill.
The t-bone notably combines two of the most popular beef cuts: the strip and the filet.
Photo: Chris Shott for Eat This, Not That!
Here, the strip side dominates with just a sliver of filet on the opposite side of the bone.
The taste:Strongboth in terms of spice and char.
Heavy seasoning only compounded the intense taste.
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Salty, peppery, and smoky notes largely overpowered the beefy flavor of meat.
But again, the heavy-handed flavoring detracted from what otherwise should make for a top-notch steak.
The Renegade Sirloin
The Renegade Sirloin is by far the cheapest steak at LongHorn.
(A bigger 8-ounce portion is also available for a higher price.)
The economical steak weighed a little over 5 ounces when it arrived at my table.
The look: Plump and glistening with juice.
Outside, the steak showed spots of dark char, while inside, it struck a luscious red color.
The taste: Forcefully flavored, much like the t-bone.
The meat itself is very juicy, but here again, the dusting feels more like a downpour.
The aftertaste lingered long after I left.
Both options cost less than similar-sized filets at my local Outback.
I tried each cut during separate visits to different locations, and they seemed more or less the same.
Inside, the meat presented reddish pink.
The taste:Savory and more self-restrained.
The first bite of this filet tasted beefy, not spicy like many of the others.
But, LongHorn’s version is causing me to reconsider that stance.
Inside, it reveals a glorious, rosy center.
The taste:Rich and succulent.
It turned out that the restaurant’s most talented chef was on duty that day, and it showed.
So, naturally, this signature cut is bestowed with the restaurant’s own name in its title.
It’s also the most expensive steak on the menu, costing me $34.49.
The mammoth cut measured about an inch and a quarter thick and weighed over 18 ounces after grilling.
Cutting out the bone left me with a good 14 ounces of pure beef.
The look:Colossal and darkly charred with a noticeable juicy sheen.
The taste:Lush and smoky.
Meanwhile, the less-singed filet side tasted soft and buttery.
LongHorn’s take, the so-called Outlaw Ribeye, has only strengthened my case.
The look: Sumptuous.
The taste:Exquisite.
It’s the absolute juiciest, most tender steak on the menu.
Why spend $5 more on a puffed-up porterhouse?
You’ll be equally satisfied, if not more so, by opting for the eminent Outlaw instead.
