minute steak: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Culinary, everyday
Quick answer
What does “minute steak” mean?
A very thin piece of beef, usually from a tender cut, which cooks extremely quickly.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A very thin piece of beef, usually from a tender cut, which cooks extremely quickly.
A thin slice of tenderised meat, often pounded, designed for fast cooking methods like frying or grilling. May also refer informally to any task or event that is expected to be completed very swiftly.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Concept and term are identical. The cuts of beef used might vary slightly based on local butchery traditions.
Connotations
Implies convenience, speed, and a casual meal. Not considered a premium or formal dining cut.
Frequency
Slightly more common in American domestic cooking discourse, but well-understood in the UK.
Grammar
How to Use “minute steak” in a Sentence
[Subject] cooked the minute steak.[Subject] served minute steaks with chips.The recipe calls for two minute steaks.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “minute steak” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Not applicable as a verb.
American English
- Not applicable as a verb.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
American English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- Not typically used attributively. The compound itself functions as a noun.
American English
- Not typically used attributively. The compound itself functions as a noun.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Could be used metaphorically in project management for a 'quick-win' task.
Academic
Virtually non-existent.
Everyday
Common in home cooking contexts, supermarket shopping, and casual recipes.
Technical
Used in butchery, culinary arts, and food science to describe a specific preparation method.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “minute steak”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “minute steak”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “minute steak”
- Pronouncing 'minute' as /ˈmɪnɪt/.
- Thinking it refers to a steak cooked for exactly one minute.
- Using it to describe a small, thick steak.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It uses the pronunciation /maɪˈnjuːt/ (my-NOOT), meaning 'very small', not /ˈmɪnɪt/ (MIN-it).
The term is strongly associated with beef. For other thin, quick-cooking meats, terms like 'thin-cut pork chop' or 'chicken cutlet' are more common, though 'minute chicken steak' might be understood contextually.
Its primary advantage is speed of cooking, making it suitable for very quick meals. A secondary advantage is that it often requires less tenderising due to the pounding/thinning process.
It can be made from various cuts. It is often made from moderately priced, tender cuts like sirloin or rump that are then sliced thin, so it is not usually the cheapest option (like stewing steak) but is a cost-effective way to use better cuts for a fast meal.
A very thin piece of beef, usually from a tender cut, which cooks extremely quickly.
Minute steak is usually culinary, everyday in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's a minute-steak job.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a steak so thin it only takes a MINUTE to cook, but you must be 'minute' (my-NOOT) in observing it to avoid overcooking.
Conceptual Metaphor
SPEED IS THINNESS / CONVENIENCE IS ACCESSIBILITY
Practice
Quiz
What is the correct pronunciation of 'minute' in 'minute steak'?