# Minute Steaks **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [April 11, 2026, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191 "2026-04-11T03:37:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191/1 "2026-04-11T03:37:50Z")
Was there a frozen (?) product in the '70s called ‘Minute Steaks’? I googled, and it seems it’s a well-known concept; but I could swear there was a product called ‘Minute Steaks’ that dat bought in a supermarket (most likely, Safeway) in the mid-'70s. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191/2 "2026-04-11T03:41:01Z")
My mom made “minute steaks” for us growing up in the Midwest in the '60s. They were just very thinly sliced steaks from the eat counter that cooked in a minute. I remember them being tough. I don’t think she did anything else to them. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191/3 "2026-04-11T03:46:48Z")
A knock-off version of Steak-umm or no? ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191/4 "2026-04-11T03:51:08Z")
I have a vague memory of beef (of unknown but probably cheap cut) that was very thin, and looked like it had been tenderized to within an inch of its life, that was called a minute steak, but not as a brand name. This was many years ago. I never bought or ate one. You can take any decent cut of steak, say top sirloin, slice it into thinner pieces, and pound it until it is about 1/4” thick, then cook it about one minute per side. Chef John recommends, in addition to salt and pepper, a thin coating of regular fine bread crumbs on each side, which (he says) makes it more tender and juicy. ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191/5 "2026-04-11T03:57:44Z")
I remember Minutes Steaks as a brand here in Chicagoland. It would have been late 70’s or early 80’s. They were a huge treat when we had them. No onions, always melted cheese; possibly Merkts cheddar – never cheezewiz. Later, in the early 80’s we would get philly steaks from Market Day through school. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191/6 "2026-04-11T04:08:10Z")
Minute steak still makes an occasional appearance in butcher shops and the freezer-fresh sections of supermarkets. Its not a specific cut of beef, just thin-sliced and fairly small (its minute, in fact) and plausibly cooks in just 60 seconds. Probably best for when you want some cooked meat to add to say a steak sandwich, or a Thai beef salad but can’t be arsed with the 90 seconds of prep. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191/7 "2026-04-11T04:23:59Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > My mom made “minute steaks” for us growing up in the Midwest in the '60s > [@Banksiaman](#): > > Minute steak still makes an occasional appearance in butcher shops and the freezer-fresh sections of supermarkets. To reiterate: I’m not talking about ‘minute steaks’ that you make at home, or buy from the butcher’s counter. I’m asking about a packaged, frozen product. > [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > A knock-off version of Steak-umm or no? I do remember the Steak-umm brand name. It’s possible that that’s what dad bought, and he called them ‘minute steaks’. OTOH… > [@CaveMike](#): > > I remember Minutes Steaks as a brand here in Chicagoland. It would have been late 70’s or early 80’s. Time frame is about right (maybe a little later). We were in SoCal. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191/8 "2026-04-11T04:44:31Z")
My dad used to fry Minute Steaks (a brand name) for me when I was little. They were thin slices of beef that made good sandwiches. I don’t remember them being tough at all, so I imagine they were tenderized either chemically or mechanically. I do, however, remembering them having a certain aroma as they cooked, especially once they were salted. My mouth still waters whenever I remember how they smelled. This was in Minneapolis back in the early '60s. When I was living in Toronto, the local supermarket stocked “minute steaks” from Armour, I believe. These were frozen burgers a lot like the ones served in my junior high cafeteria, and nothing like the Minute Steaks my dad fed me. They still had that salty aroma when fried, however, and weren’t bad. I used them to make Egg McMuffin-style breakfast sandwiches. ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191/9 "2026-04-11T13:19:49Z")
Minute steaks are just very thinly sliced steaks. I used to live off them in grad school (late 90’s) because they were cheap (toast a bagel, ketchup, throw on a slice of American cheese and a minute steak and dinner sorted for about $1.50). My GF (now spouse) put a stop to that when we started dating. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191/10 "2026-04-11T14:06:24Z")
I remember minute steaks iirc frozen square product basically a cube steak product where the meat has been mechanically flattened and tenderized. Now I find a similar product in the freezer by Holtons called smashed burgers. Not bad, they do cook up from freezer in minutes. These might be similar to both minute steaks and steakumms. > **[Stehouwer's original Beef Sizzler. | Stehouwer's Frozen Foods](https://stehouwersfrozenfoods.com/beef-sizzler/)** > > Cooks up lean, tender and juicy with increased efficiency with freezer-to-cooking convenience. Easy way to increase menu variety with no Preservatives! Meets U.S.D.A. standards. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191/11 "2026-04-11T14:17:56Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > A knock-off version of Steak-umm or no? When I was in school, we would buy this for an afterschool snack. I can’t remember how we prepared it. Perhaps a sandwich? ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191/12 "2026-04-11T15:51:51Z")
I went looking for Steak-umms the other day and ended up with [Demake Brothers Beef Shaved Steak](https://www.target.com/p/old-neighborhood-shaved-beef-steak-14oz/-/A-53318444) instead. Worked fine for my DIY cheese steak sandwich. I’ve also used [Trader Joe’s Gyro Slices](https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/gyro-slices-055277)…different flavor profile of course, but still pretty tasty. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191/13 "2026-04-11T16:03:20Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > To reiterate: I’m not talking about ‘minute steaks’ that you make at home, or buy from the butcher’s counter. I’m asking about a packaged, frozen product. Are you sure it was a brand name and not the item name - like [this](https://dewigmeats.com/product/minute-steaks-frozen-3-lb-box/) ? The brand is Dewig but the products are minute steaks, beef patties, ground beef etc. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191/14 "2026-04-11T16:09:23Z")
Yummy. Steak-umms. Tricky to find but yeah I think the OP is looking for a similiar product. Raw, unfrozen Minute steaks from the butcher counter are a different beast. It’s what we make chicken fried steak with. Little more involved than a steak umm type thing. I don’t specifically remember a brand called “minute steak” but it seems entirely possible. ETA- I googled, “Sandwich steaks” or “Minute steaks” were a brand. They were regional, it said. Usually in red or yellow boxes. But a knock off on Steak umms. (Well, that’s lunch sorted 😀) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191/15 "2026-04-11T16:12:22Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > A knock-off version of Steak-umm or no? As a friend of mine once said “Steak-um suck-um.” I equate ‘minute steak’ to cube steak. Any butcher can run a steak of your choice through their tenderizer and cube (tenderize) it for you. They make for a good schnitzel-type dinner once dipped in flour and egg and panko. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191/16 "2026-04-11T16:16:46Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > Are you sure it was a brand name and not the item name It may have been Minute Steak, or it may have been a brand. Think Banquet, Stouffer’s, or whatever; but for frozen meat. I am not asking about generic ‘minute steaks’. I’m looking for a brand of packaged, frozen, minute steaks that was sold in Southern California in the '70s, and had Minute Steak(s) on the package. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191/17 "2026-04-11T19:33:12Z")
I get what you are looking for - it was just an example of a branded, frozen minute steak. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191/18 "2026-04-11T22:10:23Z")
We had those in Minnesota ca. 1960. ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191/19 "2026-04-11T22:27:06Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I’m looking for a brand of packaged, frozen, minute steaks that was sold in Southern California in the '70s, and had Minute Steak(s) on the package. I’m from southern Caifornia; I remember them. They were a cut of cheap steak, probably from the round, mechanically tenderized, then frozen with a pat of butter or margarine stuck on each steak. I don’t remember the brand name. They were sold stacked in a plastic bag in the freezer section. I don’t think my mom ever bought or cooked any, which is surprising, because she was all about cheap, bland midwestern cooking and these should have been right up her alley. ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191/20 "2026-04-11T22:46:35Z")
Too late to add to my above post. Googling around produces the brand “Camp’s Buttered Beef Steaks”, which were sold in the 1970s in California. Is this the brand you are thinking of? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minute-steaks/1029191.md?page=2)