Steak

A steak is a thick slice of meat cut specifically for roasting, grilling, or frying.

To create a steak, the meat is often sliced across the muscle fibers. This method helps with the texture when eating. Some steaks also include a bone to add flavor during the cooking process. While most people associate steaks with beef, they can come from many different animals. You might find steaks made from bison, buffalo, camel, goat, horse, kangaroo, sheep, pig, turkey, or deer.

Even fish can be prepared this way. Large fish like swordfish, shark, marlin, tuna, and salmon can be cut into steaks by slicing perpendicular to the spine.

Cooking a steak involves specific techniques to manage heat and flavor.

Most cooks use a grill or a frying pan to prepare the meat. A very important goal is to achieve the Maillard reaction. This is a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned food its distinctive flavor. Cooks often sear the outside of the meat to create this crust. The inside is then cooked to the diner's preferred level of doneness. These levels range from "blue," which is very rare with a cold raw center, to "well done," where no pinkness remains in the middle. Some people even enjoy steak served completely raw, such as in a dish called steak tartare.

There are many different types of cuts used for steaks.

Common beef cuts include ribeye, sirloin, tenderloin, rump, porterhouse, and T-bone. These cuts differ between countries because of different farming and butchering traditions. Some cuts are categorized as steaks because they are thin and grilled, such as skirt steak or flank steak. Other cuts, like the tenderloin, are very soft and cook quickly with dry heat. Less tender cuts from the chuck or round might require moist heat or mechanical tenderization. For example, chicken-fried steak uses a tenderized cube steak that is breaded and pan-fried. There is also restructured steak, which is made by fusing smaller pieces of meat together with a binding agent.

The history of the word steak traces back to the mid-15th century. It comes from the Scandinavian word "steik," which is related to the Old Norse "steikja," meaning to roast on a stake. This connects the food to the word "stake" or "stick." Early written records of the word "stekys" appeared in a 15th-century cookbook, referring to beef or venison.

In London, steak was so important that special clubs formed around it. The Rump-Steak or Liberty Club existed from 1733 to 1734. Later, the Sublime Society of Beef Steaks was established in 1876. These clubs were places where notable people and geniuses could gather to dine together.

Steak production and quality are often managed by specific standards and competitions.

In the United States, the Department of Agriculture grades young beef as Select, Choice, or Prime. Prime beef is the highest quality and usually has significant marbling, which is fat distributed within the muscle. In 1996, only 2.4% of cattle in the U.S. were graded as Prime. New Zealand holds a "Steak of Origin" competition to find the best sirloin. Judges use data like pH levels and marbling, but the winner is ultimately decided by a tasting panel. This panel uses "shear force" to measure how tender the meat feels.

Steak is a central part of many different food cultures around the world.

In Argentina, beef steak consumption is a major part of the national identity. The "asado," a traditional grilled meal, often features large steaks. In the United States, steakhouses are popular restaurants that specialize in individual portions of meat. Some of these establishments, like Delmonico's in New York, became famous in the 19th century. Even the way steak is served can vary, appearing as a small hors d'oeuvre or a large main course. It is even served as a breakfast dish for heavy manual laborers like farmers.

Many different flavors and sauces are used to complement a steak.

Classic options include Béarnaise sauce, peppercorn sauce, or garlic butter. Some people prefer simple seasonings like fresh rosemary, pepper, or mustard. In the U.S., certain commercial sauces have very large market shares. For example, in 2012, A1 Steak Sauce held over 50% of the market for meat sauces. Beyond meat, some people use vegetarian alternatives. This can include grilled portobello mushrooms or even grilled fruits like watermelon to create a "mushroom steak" or a vegetarian version of the dish.