Beef, chuck, top blade, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 0" fat, all grades, cooked, broiled
Whole food · Beef Products
Photo: Wikipedia
This is a lean, boneless cut from the chuck shoulder, known for its deep beefy flavor and a surprisingly tender, fine-grained texture when broiled. With over 25g of protein and virtually no carbs per 100g, it's a powerhouse for muscle maintenance and satiety. The top blade's signature feature is a line of connective tissue that melts into rich gelatin during cooking, adding succulence.
Calorie split: 49% protein · 0% carbs · 51% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People adore it for delivering a robust, steakhouse-quality beef flavor at a more accessible price point than premium cuts. Its versatility shines whether sliced thin for stir-fries or served as a hearty broiled steak, making it a reliable weeknight hero.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The central connective tissue can become tough if not cooked properly, which may disappoint those expecting a uniformly soft bite. To counteract this, slice thinly against the grain after cooking, or choose methods like braising that fully break down the collagen.
Key benefits
- Excellent source of high-quality complete protein
- Rich in bioavailable iron and zinc
- Provides B vitamins, especially B12 and niacin
- Zero carbohydrates, suitable for keto and carnivore diets
- Contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a naturally occurring fatty acid
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The 'top blade' is essentially the same muscle as the more famous flat iron steak, but the flat iron is the whole muscle after the central gristle line is surgically removed.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 61.6 g |
| Energy | 216 kcal |
| Energy | 902 kj |
| Protein | 25.7 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 11.7 g |
| Ash | 1.1 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 0.00 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0.00 g |
| Total Sugars | 0.00 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 7.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 2.8 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 24.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 214 mg |
| Potassium, K | 299 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 67.0 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 8.7 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.11 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.00 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 19.9 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.12 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.23 mg |
| Niacin | 3.8 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.94 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.38 mg |
| Folate, total | 8.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 8.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 8.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 98.0 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 3.5 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 0.00 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 0.00 iu |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.17 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 3.9 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.26 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 2.3 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 1.3 g |
| SFA 20:0 | 0.02 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 5.4 g |
| MUFA 14:1 | 0.07 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.32 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 5.0 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.43 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.33 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.06 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.03 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 61.0 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
| Tryptophan | 0.28 g |
| Threonine | 1.2 g |
| Isoleucine | 1.3 g |
| Leucine | 2.3 g |
| Lysine | 2.4 g |
| Methionine | 0.73 g |
| Cystine | 0.28 g |
| Phenylalanine | 1.1 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.94 g |
| Valine | 1.4 g |
| Arginine | 1.7 g |
| Histidine | 0.83 g |
| Alanine | 1.6 g |
| Aspartic acid | 2.6 g |
| Glutamic acid | 4.1 g |
| Glycine | 1.2 g |
| Proline | 1.1 g |
| Serine | 1.0 g |
| Hydroxyproline | 0.12 g |
FAQ
What's the best way to cook top blade for tenderness?
For broiling, cook to medium-rare or medium (135-145°F internal temp) and slice thinly against the grain. For maximum tenderness, consider braising or slow-cooking to fully melt the internal connective tissue.
Is this the same as flat iron steak?
It's the same muscle (the infraspinatus), but flat iron steak is the whole, trimmed piece. Top blade may still have the central line of gristle, while flat iron has it removed.
How does the nutrition compare to other beef cuts?
It's leaner than ribeye or T-bone but has more fat than eye of round. Its protein content is very high, and the fat is primarily saturated, which is typical for beef.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 2.16 kcal/g · 48% calories from protein · 0.0 g fiber · 0.0 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 0.22 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.