Is There Any Point To Braiding Steak?

Most new recipes, we'd imagine, are prompted by cooks looking for a better, easier, or tastier way to make a dish, but others seem to be created strictly for social media likes. While we can't speak to the motivation of the TikTok creator calling himself Max the Meat Guy, we can say that one meat expert is unimpressed by his idea of braiding steak into a meaty challah bread dupe. When we asked Anthony Carron, former chef and CEO of JRS Hospitality (a group whose restaurants include Las Vegas' Alexxa's, Beer Park, and Cheri Rooftop), for his take on the TikTok-viral braided steak, he told us he saw no benefit in it, apart from admitting "It looks kind of cool."

While some commenters on the TikTok video seemed amused by the concept of braided steak, few expressed any real enthusiasm about trying it. It seems the main reason for making such a dish may have been simply to generate some interest and possibly to drum up business for the creator's sideline in selling jerky. As to whether such a steak is ever likely to find its way onto a Carron-curated menu, don't hold your breath. When we asked the chef to name something he'd consider to be a red flag at a steakhouse, he shot back: "If they serve braided beef steaks."

@maxthemeatguy

I Turned Steak Into Bread... 50% SLABS and HALF POUND (8OZ) Bags! Shopping in my profile is the only way to access the deal, take advantage through 5/3! @MaxJerky 🥩 Choose open in external browser or shop directly through my YouTube store front! We've made salmon bread and pork belly bread... you already know steak was coming next! What should I bread-ify next? #bread #nystrip #meat #mediumrare #challahbread #challah

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Assuming you have extra time and beef on your hands, there are several ways to make your own braided steak. Max the Meat Guy, who's previously braided both salmon and pork belly, used strip loin, while some other cooks who've tried beef braiding prefer the budget-friendly skirt steak. The video shows a steak cut into six strips connected at the top (the creator compares it to the type of windshield cleaner you might see at a car wash), but it's possible — and easier — to make a steak braid using just three. You can also use wooden toothpicks to ensure that your braid keeps its shape as the steak cooks.

Once you've sliced your steak but before you braid it, Anthony Carron noted you might want to rub it with some spices. As he told us, "You could get some seasoning in there this way." You could also garnish it with herbs, wrap it in bacon strips, or make like Max and bathe it in some type of steak sauce or marinade. (If you're inclined towards this last option, try using any of these ingredients to boost the flavor.) Max cooks the meat on a gas grill, though it's also possible to heat it right over the coals, caveman-style. (President Eisenhower was a big fan of this cooking method.) Carron, however, said that if he were ever to make braided steak, "I would take more of a roast approach with lower heat to ensure even cooking."