# List of steak dishes
A steak dish is any prepared dish whose principal ingredient is a steak, a cut of meat sliced across the muscle fibers, most often beef, cooked by grilling, pan-frying, broiling, or frying. The entries below cover the best-documented steak dishes by region, drawing on food-history writing, regional reporting, and official cooking guidance.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Etymology | The word "steak" traces to 15th-century Scandinavia; etymologist John Ayto records Old Norse "steikja", the Scandinavian "steik", or Middle English "stickna" as possible origins[1](https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/dining-in/restaurant-secrets-how-to-cook-the-perfect-steak) |
| Scope of the word | Steak technically refers to a cut sliced from a muscle of any animal, though it usually conjures beef[2](https://www.tastingtable.com/1562336/steak-dishes-around-the-world/) |
| Safe doneness (US) | USDA guidance: cook beef steaks to 145 degrees F (62.8 degrees C) with at least a 3-minute rest; ground meats to 160 degrees F (71.1 degrees C)[3](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/safe-temperature-chart) |
| Oldest documented dish on this list | Bulgogi, rooted in the Goguryeo era (37 B.C. to 668 A.D.)[2](https://www.tastingtable.com/1562336/steak-dishes-around-the-world/) |
| Newest documented dish | Carne asada fries, created in the mid-1990s at Lolita's Mexican Food in San Diego[4](https://www.foodrepublic.com/1808287/best-regional-steak-dishes-need-try/) |
| Signature cuts | Picanha (rump cap) for Brazilian churrasco; flank or skirt for carne asada; bife de chorizo, the Argentinian equivalent of the New York strip, for asado[2](https://www.tastingtable.com/1562336/steak-dishes-around-the-world/) • [5](https://www.tasteatlas.com/best-rated-beef-in-the-world) |
## United States regional steak dishes
**Philly cheesesteak.** Around 1930, Pat Olivieri was working a hot dog stand in [South Philadelphia](https://www.edgepedia.org/south-philadelphia)'s Italian Market when he grilled beef for his own lunch; a passing cab driver asked for one, and the steak sandwich took off. Olivieri opened his own restaurant, which still operates as [Pat's King of Steaks](https://www.edgepedia.org/pats-king-of-steaks). About a decade later, his manager "Cocky" Joe Larenza added provolone, creating the [cheesesteak](https://www.edgepedia.org/cheesesteak). The canonical build uses thinly cut frizzled rib-eye, grilled onions, and melted cheese on a roll[4](https://www.foodrepublic.com/1808287/best-regional-steak-dishes-need-try/).
**Chicken fried steak.** A classic Southern comfort food with murky origins; one account holds it was inspired by German and Austrian immigrants bringing wiener schnitzel techniques to Texas in the mid-1800s. A tough, cheap cut of beef, usually cube steak, is tenderized, dredged in seasoned flour, dipped in egg wash, and floured again, then served under a creamy, peppery gravy made from pan drippings. The related country fried steak is shallow-fried in a skillet, while chicken fried steak is deep-fried for a more even, crisper crust[4](https://www.foodrepublic.com/1808287/best-regional-steak-dishes-need-try/).
**Carne asada fries.** Created in the mid-1990s by San Diego's Lolita's Mexican Food: crispy french fries topped with grilled carne asada, guacamole, sour cream, and melted cheese[4](https://www.foodrepublic.com/1808287/best-regional-steak-dishes-need-try/).
**Other named regional styles.** Reporting on American regional steaks describes pork steaks slow-braised in beer at St. Louis barbecues, finger steaks battered and fried in Idaho taverns, and tri-tip grilled over red oak in California backyards[4](https://www.foodrepublic.com/1808287/best-regional-steak-dishes-need-try/). The Kansas [strip steak](https://www.edgepedia.org/strip-steak) is the same cut of meat as the New York strip but is served with a thicker edge of fat that renders during cooking and is used to baste the steak; it is typically cut 1.5 to 2.5 inches thick and often aged 21 to 28 days before searing with a peppered crust[6](https://www.chowhound.com/2004463/best-regional-steak-styles-ranked/). The Chicago steakhouse tradition centers on a massive dry-aged porterhouse, which combines New York strip and tenderloin separated by a T-shaped bone, charred at high heat and finished with butter, herbs, and garlic[6](https://www.chowhound.com/2004463/best-regional-steak-styles-ranked/).
**Hamburg steak.** An early steak dish that fed into the modern hamburger: plates of ground beef formed as a patty and eaten with knife and fork, served at German restaurants in New York City in the 1870s. After a German restaurant served it at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, it appeared on non-German menus, in cookbooks, and in newspapers as far away as Chicago and [North Dakota](https://www.edgepedia.org/north-dakota)[7](https://time.com/4342423/national-hamburger-day-history-origins-inventor/).
## Latin America
**Churrasco de picanha (Brazil).** Brazilian [churrasco](https://www.edgepedia.org/churrasco) involves grilling skewered meat over a fire, a tradition that blossomed in southern Brazil in the 16th century. Service is often rodízio style, meaning "rotation" or "turn" in Portuguese, in which diners are continuously served different cuts; legend attributes the style to a waiter who took a meat skewer to the wrong table. Picanha, the rump cap or sirloin cap, carries a fat layer that adds flavor and is traditionally seasoned only with rock salt, served with rice, beans, and farofa, a toasted cassava flour[2](https://www.tastingtable.com/1562336/steak-dishes-around-the-world/). The fraldinha cut, part flank, part short loin, and part bottom sirloin, is also traditional for churrasco[5](https://www.tasteatlas.com/best-rated-beef-in-the-world).
**Carne asada (Mexico).** The dish uses quick-cooking cuts such as flank or skirt steak, grilled after marinating to give a smoky, slightly spicy, charred result. It traces to the 16th century in [Northern Mexico](https://www.edgepedia.org/northern-mexico), when Spanish colonizers brought cattle to the Americas, and is typically eaten in tacos with cilantro, onion, salsa, and lime, or in burritos; it is a staple of large celebrations[2](https://www.tastingtable.com/1562336/steak-dishes-around-the-world/).
**Argentina.** Bife de chorizo, equivalent to the United States New York strip steak, strip steak, sirloin, and top loin, is the cut traditionally used for asado[5](https://www.tasteatlas.com/best-rated-beef-in-the-world).
## Europe
**Steak au poivre (France).** A classic bistro dish consisting of a tender cut of beef, traditionally filet mignon or sirloin, thickly encrusted with coarsely cracked peppercorns, pan-seared to form a savory crust, and served with a cognac-infused cream sauce made from the pan drippings[8](https://www.tasteatlas.com/steak-au-poivre). France's broader meat culture remains strong even as consumption shifts: per the agriculture ministry's Agreste 2024 report, average per capita meat consumption in France has fallen 5.8 percent over 20 years across beef, lamb, and pork[9](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/our-times/article/2025/03/30/the-revenge-of-french-meat-lovers_6739662_39.html).
**Carpetbag steak (Australia).** Known as a stuffed steak, this traditional Australian dish is made from a thick cut of steak, usually filet mignon, stuffed with oysters[10](https://wikimd.com/wiki/List_of_steak_dishes).
## Asia
**Bulgogi (Korea, 불고기).** The name translates to "fire meat", a reference to the original cooking method over skewers and a grill. It uses thinly cut pieces of meat, typically sirloin or rib eye, marinated for a sweet-and-salty flavor, and its history is traced to the Goguryeo era, 37 B.C. to 668 A.D.[2](https://www.tastingtable.com/1562336/steak-dishes-around-the-world/). Chinese-influenced Peruvian cooking (chifa) also produces a salty, savory steak dish fusing Chinese technique with Peruvian ingredients[2](https://www.tastingtable.com/1562336/steak-dishes-around-the-world/).
## Cooking and doneness
Doneness and safety are distinct measures. "[Doneness](https://www.edgepedia.org/doneness)" refers to the sensory state of the food, its texture, appearance, and juiciness, while safety depends on temperature and time: the USDA states that a food thermometer is the only reliable way to confirm a safe minimum internal temperature, and that color and grill marks are not reliable indicators[11](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/food-thermometers). For raw beef steaks, chops, and roasts, USDA guidance is a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees F (62.8 degrees C), measured with a food thermometer, followed by a rest of at least 3 minutes before carving or consuming; consumers may choose higher temperatures for preference[3](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/safe-temperature-chart). [Ground beef](https://www.edgepedia.org/ground-beef) preparations, such as the hamburg steak above, follow the stricter 160 degrees F standard because grinding distributes surface bacteria through the meat[3](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/safe-temperature-chart).
Cut choice also drives method. Tenderloin is extremely tender and needs minimal cooking, while less tender cuts such as chuck require slow, moist heat; general meat-cutting guidance is to match each cut to the cooking procedure that suits its tenderness[12](https://www.fao.org/4/t0279e/t0279e05.htm).
## References
1. [Restaurant Secrets: How To Cook The Perfect Steak, MICHELIN Guide](https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/dining-in/restaurant-secrets-how-to-cook-the-perfect-steak)
2. [15 Types Of Steak Dishes From Around The World, Tasting Table](https://www.tastingtable.com/1562336/steak-dishes-around-the-world/)
3. [Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/safe-temperature-chart)
4. [11 Regional Steak Dishes You Need To Try, Food Republic](https://www.foodrepublic.com/1808287/best-regional-steak-dishes-need-try/)
5. [100 Best Beef Cuts and Dishes in the World, TasteAtlas](https://www.tasteatlas.com/best-rated-beef-in-the-world)
6. [7 Regional Steak Styles Everyone Needs To Try At Least Once, Chowhound](https://www.chowhound.com/2004463/best-regional-steak-styles-ranked/)
7. [How the Hamburger Became an American Favorite, TIME](https://time.com/4342423/national-hamburger-day-history-origins-inventor/)
8. [Steak au Poivre | Traditional Beef Dish From France, TasteAtlas](https://www.tasteatlas.com/steak-au-poivre)
9. [The revenge of French meat lovers, Le Monde](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/our-times/article/2025/03/30/the-revenge-of-french-meat-lovers_6739662_39.html)
10. [List of steak dishes, WikiMD](https://wikimd.com/wiki/List_of_steak_dishes)
11. [Food Thermometers, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/food-thermometers)
12. [Guidelines for slaughtering, meat cutting and further processing, FAO](https://www.fao.org/4/t0279e/t0279e05.htm)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Food, customs, and everyday culture › Food, cooking and hospitality › Dishes, foods, and foodstuffs › Meat, poultry, and game dishes › Beef and steak dishes*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license