Steak

Swordfish steak in a plate.

Beef steaks on a grill.

Pork steak.

Steak is a slice off a larger piece of meat, usually beef. In North America, steaks are usually grilled. They are also often pan fried or baked. The most tender (softest) cuts of the animal are usually used for steak. This also means that steaks have a high price. The pieces of meat used for steaks are usually cut across the muscle fiber, not along it. This makes them look more tender.

A restaurant that mainly makes steaks is known as a steakhouse. A well-known side dish to steak is prawns or a cooked lobster tail. This combination is often called surf and turf or reef and beef (the words "surf" and "reef" refer to the seafood and "turf" and "beef" refer to the steak). Special steak knives are used to cut steak. A steak knife is sharper than most table knives and is usually serrated.

Fish is not the only side dish for steak. Other common side dishes are baked potatoes, dinner rolls, salad, and corn on the cob. In France, steaks are often served with french fries. This combination is known as steak fries or steak-frites. They do not come with vegetables, but sometimes a salad is served with them.

Seasoning

Steaks are seasoned with salt and black pepper. Some additional seasonings are garlic, rosemary, and other herbs and spices. Marinades are also an option depending on the cut. Butter can also be used for basting steaks for a milky flavor. Often, steaks are served with a special sauce called "steak sauce", but sometimes steaks are served with a spicy sauce called horseradish.

Cuts of steak

Steak comes in a wide variety of cuts, which come from different parts of the cow. Some different cuts are:

• Filet Mignon
• Strip steak
• Rib eye
• Flank steak
• Sirloin
• Chuck
• Skirt steak
• Flap steak

Degrees of cooking

Meat that is cooked less will appear to be more tender and soft. The usual degrees of cooking for steaks (and some other meats) are:

• Raw/Uncooked - for example in tartare.
• Rare - cooked very quickly, mostly red inside.
• Medium Rare - cooked quickly, mostly pink inside with some red.
• Medium - moderately cooked, mostly pink inside, but no red.
• Medium-Well - Mostly cooked, with some pink remaining inside.
• Well-done- thoroughly cooked. No pink remains inside, may be blackened on the outside.