What's The Difference Between Beef And Steak?

We eat a lot of meat. Per Ibis World, the average American was projected to eat up to 56.2 pounds of beef in 2023. And those figures don't even come close to those of the country's favorite meat — chicken. From 2020 onward, Americans have been reported as eating eight billion chickens every year, which translates to an average consumption of around 100 pounds of chicken per person, annually. Of course, these aren't the only meats out there, but they are the top two for Americans who were also said to eat just over 15 pounds of turkey each year and less than 52 pounds of pork annually.

While meat is obviously a huge food group in America, most people still can't tell the difference between beef and steak. You're not alone if you read that sentence and thought to yourself, "Aren't they the same thing?" In fact, a lot of people think they are the same type of meat. But they aren't and there are a few key differences.

Steak is a cut of meat that is typically associated with beef, but it doesn't necessarily have to be beef. Other meats, such as pork, lamb, and even fish can also be cut into steaks. Steak simply refers to a portion of meat that is sliced perpendicular to the muscle fibers, resulting in a tender, juicy piece of meat that can be cooked by grilling, broiling, or frying. The most popular cuts of steak include ribeye, sirloin, filet mignon, and New York strip, which comes from beef. However, ham, tuna, and salmon steaks are also popular dishes. 

Beef, on the other hand, is a type of meat that only comes from cattle. It is a popular meat that is consumed in a variety of forms, such as steaks, roasts, ground beef, and stews. So, while steak is usually associated with beef, it can also be made from other types of meat, but beef is always made from cows. 

If you are still confused, think of it this way – not all bacon is made of pig because you can also have turkey bacon. However, all pork comes from pigs. Only some cuts of meat from a pig will be called bacon, just as only some cuts of meat from a cow will be called a steak. Beef is a blanket term for the meat that comes from cows, while steak is a name for a specific cut of meat from the cow. 

Once you have a steak from the cow, you can get more specific on the cuts of steak. Steak will often be broken into specific types, such as sirloin, which comes from the hip of the animal, or fillet, which comes from the rib of the animal, or even rump steak, which — as you probably guessed — comes from the rump of the cow. These specific names are only used with beef steaks, though, not the steak you'd get from pork or fish.