Steak
From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change
Steak (not to be confused with stake) 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 broiled. 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 appear 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.
In France, steaks are usually served with french fries. They do not come with vegetables, but sometimes a salad is serverd with them. This conmination is known as steak frites.
[change] Degrees of cooking
Meat that is cooked less, will appear to be more tender and soft. The most frequently used degrees of cooking for steaks (and most other meats) are:
- Raw/Uncooked - for example in tartare.
- Rare - cooked very quickly, usually red inside
- Medium - moderately cooked. There is some pink remaining inside
- Well-done- thoroughly cooked. No pinks spots remain inside, may be blackened on the outside
