Minute Steak

What is Minute steak?

Very simply, a Minute Steak is a thin (usually 1/4 inch thick) cut of boneless, tenderised beef – most often from the sirloin of a cow. What does that mean? Well, the sirloin is a region of muscles that can be found on the mid to lower back of a cow (between the Fore Rib and Rump). This is a muscle group that does quite a lot of work so expect the meat to be quite lean yet still tender and flavorful. Because minute steaks are so thin, they cook evenly and quickly in about 4 minutes (I know: Why is it called a minute steak then?). The short cooking time and the fact that it has usually been tenderised or pounded mean that it’s able to retain its juices, resulting in one of the moistest and deliciously tasty steaks; a firm favourite of homes up and down the country! 

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Minute steak nutritional facts

Choosing the perfect Minute Steak

We believe there are a multitude of factors one has to consider when trying to select a minute steak that has premium taste and tenderness, is healthy for you and the environment, and comes from cows that have lived healthy and happy lives! Our website covers a wide variety of these factors in our deep dive into factors to consider when buying meat and our discussion on what you should look for in an online butcher. Here is a brief snippet, discussing the value of the organic label, as well as X when buying minute steaks. 

Organic Minute Steak

Undoubtedly the most prominent organic standards assurance scheme, having the the Soil association label on your minute steak certifies the health and high welfare of the cows that have produced your and the standards of the farms from which they come – on a level superseding entry-level british standards and legislation. To be certified by the soil association a farmer is not permitted to use confinement systems, must ensure all their animals are free range with access to clean water as well as shade or shelter, and consume grass that has not been treated by man-made pesticides or chemicals. Read more about what the Organic Soil Association labels mean here or on our own Outline on Organic Beef . 

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100% Traceable Minute Steak

Traceability is fast becoming a quality of meat that is extinct. It's almost impossible to find out where the minute steak you find in a supermarket isle has come from – not to mention what kind of animal, farm or field it heralded from. Though it's tough, we strongly recommend not compromising on this standard. Knowing where your minute steak comes from means you (and maybe even your family) can sit down and enjoy your steak knowing that it comes from a cow that was farmed responsibly and treated with dignity and respect while it lived. It also means you can ensure that the cow that produced your minute steak ate 100% natural green grass so you can be rest assured that the minute steak you (and maybe your family if you have one) are enjoying is actually healthy for you, as well as the planet! 

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Ageing Minute steak

Though we go into it more in our masterclass on beef ageing, here we're going to plainly urge you to make sure the minute steak you purchase has gone through both dry and wet ageing cycles, for a combined total of 21 days. 21 days is really the sweet spot for ageing using these methods – you'll taste it in the lucious tenderness of the minute steak, as well as the 'beefy', 'nutty' taste that comes with it too! 

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How to cook Minute Steak

Though we've heard some alternative options from time-to-time, pretty much anyone who knows anything about steak will tell you that if you're not pan frying your minute steak – you're doing something very (very) wrong! It's easy to get right, but also quite easy to get wrong. Here's our breakdown on how to deliver buttery tenderness and fine taste when pan frying your minute steak! 

1. Lightly season your minute steak with both Salt and Pepper. You don’t want to over do the seasoning because it’s such a thin cut. 
2. Place a heavy pan or skillet over a medium high temperature and add a table spoon of olive oil 
3. Place minute steak on the pan 
4. Cook on one side for 2 minutes 
5. Flip the minute steak over and cook other side for another 2 minutes until both sides are browned 
6. Remove minute steak and add two 1 cm cubes of butter to the pan and mix with steak remains to form a juice 
7. Let the minute steaks rest on one side for 4 minutes 
8. Drizzle juices over steaks and serve! 

What to serve with Minute Steak

We recommend serving your Minute Steak with a simple garden salad that includes cherry tomatoes, rocket and iceburg lettic, all drizzled with with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Enjoy! 

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