If it has gristle it's just a cheap steak. You might want to look for the marks from the jockey whipping it.
Back in the day, like waaaaaaay back in the day they used to feed the filets to the dogs because they didn't have any marble to them hence less flavor. That "gristle" you are talking about is what gives the meat its fine taste which is why for me a ribeye is unbeatable. None of that choice crap wrapped in plastic sitting on the shelf either, gotta get the prime stuff from the butcher.
Thread title implies there is only 1 shrimp in tha grits. Should be shrimps if ya is a hungry man. Carry on.
Several rules apply here. 1.) Steak should never be cooked on anything other than a cast iron skillet, or a charcoal grill. 2.) A good steak needs no sauce. I do on occasion enjoy dipping mine in a good hot sauce tho. 3.) Steak should never be cooked above the upper end of rare, lower spectrum of med. rare. I prefer my steak seared for a cpl minutes on both sides and served still screaming at me.
The key word in my statement was "need". While putting steak sauce on ones steak is a personal preference, a good steak doesn't need it. I have had steak in some places where it was mandatory to choke it down.