Oklahoma State University Wants To Patent A Steak

Turns out that what happens in Vegas no longer stays in Vegas—and that's a good thing. A self-proclaimed Meat Geek has teamed up with Oklahoma State University to devise the first new style of steak in years.

"The Vegas Strip Steak is the latest and perhaps last steak to be found from the beef carcass," said Jacob Nelson, a value-added meat processing specialist (and owner of the best job title of all time) at the Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center of Oklahoma State University. The Vegas Strip is the brainchild of Tony Mata, of industry group Mata & Associates, who approached Nelson and the FAPC for help developing the cut. "Initially, the cut was labeled as undervalued," Mata told the Drovers Cattle Network. "Whenever we can take a muscle and turn it into a steak rather than grinding it or selling it as a roast, we are adding value to the carcass."

The steak itself weighs in at about 14 ounces and can be portioned out as small as 4 ounces. The taste, tenderness, and flavor are reportedly akin to a New York Strip or Flat Iron cut. "The tenderness of the Vegas Strip Steak is comparable to the New York Strip Steak," said Mata. "It does not require aging or marinating to achieve tenderness and its visual appeal enhances the steak eater's overall enjoyment."

The cut recently debuted in (where else) Las Vegas at a dinner arranged at the Trump Tower by Rick Gresh, the chef at David Burke's Primehouse at The James Hotel. It reportedly received rave reviews from those attending.

Most interesting is the fact that this new cut of meat apparently counts as intellectual property, replete with its own licensing and a patent on the cut's fabrication. Mata and Gresh have yet to reveal where, exactly, the cut comes from but they've already lined up national suppliers so we should be getting a taste of Vegas at the local butcher shop soon.