The filet is considered to be the tenderest cut of beef. The average cow provides no more than 4-6 pounds of filet per animal. Because the muscle is non-weight bearing, it receives very little exercise, which makes it tender. The New York strip steak consists of a muscle that does little work, and so it is particularly tender it has some marbling. The ribeye steak is from the rib section it is tender and fattier (the meat is said to be "marbled") than other parts of the cow. This extra fat makes ribeye steaks tender and flavorful.