Overview

Steak denotes a thick slice of meat—especially from Beef—cut for dry‑heat cooking methods such as grilling, pan-searing, or broiling. Authoritative dictionaries define steak as a slice of meat (often beef) or a cross‑section of firm fish prepared by broiling or frying, a sense that also extends to non‑meat analogues in modern usage, according to Merriam‑Webster and the Britannica Dictionary. (merriam-webster.com, britannica.com)

Etymology and scope

English borrowed steak in the fifteenth century from Old Norse steik, related to steikja ‘to roast on a spit’, as summarized by Oxford Reference, The Diner’s Dictionary and Merriam‑Webster. Though in common parlance steak implies beef, the term historically and today also covers pork, veal, lamb, and cross‑section slices of large fish such as tuna or swordfish. (oxfordreference.com, merriam-webster.com)

Cuts and types

In U.S. butchery, steaks are taken from primals such as rib, short loin, sirloin, and round; desirable quick‑cook steaks include ribeye, strip loin, tenderloin (filet mignon), and composite bone‑in cuts (T‑bone and porterhouse), as summarized by Britannica’s beef overview. The official U.S. Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications (IMPS) precisely define named items: for example, a porterhouse steak must have a tenderloin section at least 1.25 inches wide (measured parallel to the backbone), while a T‑bone must have at least 0.5 inch, per USDA AMS IMPS Series 100, item 1173 and 1174. (britannica.com, ams.usda.gov)

• –Common high‑end beef steaks and typical traits (culinary consensus):
  • –Ribeye: high marbling, rich flavor.
  • –Strip (New York strip): firm texture, beefy flavor.
  • –Tenderloin (filet mignon): very tender, leaner flavor.
  • –T‑bone/Porterhouse: strip plus tenderloin separated by a T‑shaped bone. Background and cooking guidance widely discussed in industry and culinary sources such as USDA AMS specifications and educational overviews. (ams.usda.gov)

Internally, these terms correspond to specific muscles (e.g., longissimus for strip, psoas major for tenderloin) and separations documented by IMPS diagrams and descriptions maintained by the United States Department of Agriculture. (ams.usda.gov)

Grading and marbling

U.S. beef quality grades (Prime, Choice, Select, Standard and below) communicate expected palatability based mainly on intramuscular fat (marbling) and maturity; official standards and examples are published by USDA AMS and its Beef Grading Shields. Research generally finds that marbling is positively associated with juiciness and perceived tenderness, though the relationship with instrumental tenderness is modest: classic and contemporary studies (e.g., National Academies Press chapter on eating quality, USDA‑ARS summary in Wheeler et al., and breed‑focused analyses) report that marbling explains a limited portion of tenderness variation, while contributing more strongly to juiciness and flavor perception. (ams.usda.gov, nap.nationalacademies.org, digitalcommons.unl.edu, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Preparation and cooking

Steaks are commonly cooked over intense dry heat—grilling, broiling, or pan‑searing—often followed by a brief rest. The characteristic brown crust and complex aromas derive from the Maillard reaction, a cascade of reactions between amino acids and reducing sugars that accelerates at higher surface temperatures and lower surface moisture. Culinary and popular‑science explainers summarize its mechanisms and temperature ranges for practical cookery. (sciencefocus.com)

Advanced techniques such as sous vide, which cooks steak at a controlled temperature followed by high‑heat searing, are used to achieve precise doneness and uniformity before inducing Maillard browning on the exterior, as discussed in modern culinary literature and technical guides. (sciencefocus.com)

Doneness and food safety

For intact whole‑muscle steaks, U.S. guidance specifies a safe minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius) with a 3‑minute rest, verified with a thermometer, per FoodSafety.gov and USDA/FSIS. The same agencies advise 160 degrees Fahrenheit for ground meats. (foodsafety.gov, fsis.usda.gov)

A distinction exists for mechanically tenderized beef (e.g., blade‑ or needle‑tenderized steaks), where surface bacteria can be translocated internally. Since 2016, U.S. regulations require labels to disclose mechanical tenderization and include validated cooking instructions; FSIS outlines the rule and the associated Federal Register amendments, and advises consumers to follow the higher time‑temperature guidance on such labels (with at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit plus rest, unless otherwise validated), as summarized by FSIS and the 2015 compliance guideline. (fsis.usda.gov)

Aging and tenderness

Post‑mortem aging improves palatability. Wet aging (vacuum‑packed, refrigerated) and dry aging (unpackaged under controlled temperature, humidity, and airflow) are both practiced. Reviews and trials report that dry aging tends to intensify beefy, nutty flavors and may increase consumer flavor liking versus wet‑aged beef, albeit with additional shrink and trim losses and careful process control requirements; see an open‑access review in the Journal of Animal Science and Technology and comparative work in Meat Science (PubMed abstract). (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Nutrition and health

Red meats such as beef provide high‑quality protein and micronutrients (notably B vitamins, heme iron, and zinc). Evaluations of cancer hazards from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classify unprocessed red meat as Group 2A, probably carcinogenic to humans, and processed meat as Group 1, carcinogenic to humans; the IARC monograph reviews epidemiologic, animal, and mechanistic evidence and notes the nutrient contributions of red meat. Dietary guidance from public‑health research organizations commonly emphasizes moderation and substitution with plant proteins or fish for cardiometabolic benefit; for example, randomized‑trial meta‑analysis summarized by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health finds favorable risk‑factor changes when red meat is replaced with high‑quality plant proteins. (publications.iarc.who.int, hsph.harvard.edu)

High‑temperature cooking of muscle meats can form heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The U.S. National Cancer Institute explains their formation and provides exposure‑reduction strategies (shorter high‑heat time, frequent turning, pre‑cooking, trimming char), with similar recommendations from the American Institute for Cancer Research to marinate and limit charring. See NCI’s fact sheet and AICR guidance. (cancer.gov, aicr.org)

Commerce and culture

Steak houses and chophouses emerged as specialized restaurants serving premium cuts and classic accompaniments. In the United States, Delmonico’s popularized thick‑cut steaks and associated preparations in nineteenth‑century New York and is frequently credited in culinary histories with shaping the steakhouse template later emulated nationwide. (britannica.com)

Terminology and derivatives

Beyond intact beef steaks, the word extends to dishes that differ in fabrication or technique. Chicken‑fried steak is a tenderized, breaded, pan‑ or deep‑fried beef cutlet served with gravy, especially in the American South, as documented by Britannica. Other names include Swiss steak (a braised, pounded preparation) and Salisbury steak (ground‑beef patties served with gravy). The breadth of usage illustrates how culinary naming overlaps with processing and cooking methods. (britannica.com)

Related concepts (internal)

Topics closely linked to steak include Cattle and cattle husbandry for beef production; United States Department of Agriculture standards for grades and purchasing specifications; the Maillard reaction in flavor development; Food safety practices for thermometer use and cross‑contamination control; and the historical role of Delmonico's in steakhouse culture.