Beef Steak

Name: Beef steak — a slice of beef cut across the grain, usually grilled, pan-fried or broiled. The main steaks include ribeye, sirloin, fillet (tenderloin), strip (New York strip), T-bone and rump, and differ in tenderness, flavour and fat. Pages on ribeye, fillet, sirloin and flank cover specific cuts.

Description

Steak is the centrepiece of many meals and a symbol of celebration in many cuisines. Tenderness comes from the cut, with muscles that do little work (the loin and rib) being tender, and those that do more (chuck, round, flank) being tougher, and from ageing, where beef is hung or stored for weeks, which tenderises it and deepens flavour.

Beef is graded by marbling and age in some countries, such as USDA Prime, Choice and Select in the United States, and Wagyu beef from Japan is famed for intense marbling. Doneness ranges from rare (50 to 52°C) to well done (above 71°C), and is a matter of taste and safety.

Main nutrition value

Beef is a rich source of high-quality protein, highly absorbable haem iron, zinc, vitamin B12, selenium and niacin, with the amount of fat varying by cut.

How best to be consumed

Steak is cooked fast over high heat, and rested.

1. Bring to room temperature, pat dry, season generously, and sear in a very hot pan or grill for 2 to 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness.
2. Check with a thermometer: 52 to 54°C rare, 54 to 57°C medium-rare, 60 to 63°C medium.
3. Let cooked meat rest for 3 to 5 minutes before slicing, so it stays juicy.
4. Slice against the grain, and serve with a sauce, butter or simple sides.
5. Choose leaner cuts, and cook gently, if you want a healthier option.

Overconsumption could cause…

Steak is healthy in moderation.

1. Higher risk of bowel (colorectal) cancer with regular high intake of red meat, which the World Health Organization's cancer agency classifies as probably carcinogenic, so many health bodies advise keeping red meat to about 350 to 500 g (cooked weight) a week.
2. Raised LDL cholesterol and heart disease risk from the saturated fat in fattier cuts, skin and processed products, so choose lean cuts and trim visible fat.
3. Harmful compounds (heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) formed when meat is charred or cooked at very high heat over flames, so avoid burning it, marinate first, and cook gently.
4. Food poisoning (E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter) from undercooked meat, especially minced meat and burgers where bacteria are mixed all the way through, so cook mince to 71°C and use a thermometer. Whole steaks are lower risk than mince, since bacteria are mostly on the surface, but steaks that are pierced, tenderised or injected should be cooked through.
5. Iron overload in people with haemochromatosis, an inherited condition, since the haem iron in red meat and offal is well absorbed.
6. Gout flare-ups in people with gout, since meat and especially organ meats are high in purines.

GroupsBeefMammals (red meat)Fresh

Related foodsBeef BrisketBeef ChuckBeef FilletBeef Flank SteakBeef Mince / Ground BeefBeef Ribeye

Wikipedia — Steak, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steak