Steak-umm is a brand of thin-sliced frozen meat manufactured by The Steak-Umm Company, LLC. Steak-umms are sold in supermarkets throughout the United States and are used for making homemade Philadelphia-style cheesesteaks. [1] The company claims to be "the best-known sandwich steak brand in America" and to have "helped turn the regional 'Philly Cheese Steak' Sandwich into standard fare on America's dinner tables over four decades ago". [2] The company also produces ready-to-cook hamburger patties that are available in "Original" and "Sweet Onion" varieties.
Steak-Umm was previously owned by Gagliardi Bros., H.J. Heinz, and Pomfret, Connecticut-based TriFoods International. In 2006, Reading-based Quaker Maid Meats acquired the rights to the Steak-Umm brand name and associated intellectual property. [3] The purchase of the Steak-Umm brand by TriFoods is cited in a formative business judgment rule judgement of a Delaware Chancery Court. [4]
The product was invented in 1968 by food technologist Eugene Gagliardi, who is also credited with inventing popcorn chicken. Gagliardi, who at the time worked at his family's meat-distributing company (Gagliardi Brothers) in West Philadelphia, created the meat as a softer alternative to steak sandwiches of the time. [5] [6] [7] [8] In 1975, the Steak-umm company was started, operating out of a meat-processing plant in West Chester, Pennsylvania, with the name coined by a friend of Gagliardi. [5] [7] [9] The company was sold to H.J. Heinz in 1980 for $20 million, and marketed under its Ore-Ida frozen foods brand. [7] [10]
In April 1994, the Steak-umm brand was acquired by TriFoods International, Inc., a company which Gagliardi founded as Designer Foods, Inc. and held a minority share in. The company was moved from Pennsylvania to Pomfret, Connecticut. [4] [11] In 1996, Gagliardi would sue TriFoods in Delaware Chancery Court, after his employment with the company was terminated and he was removed from his Chairman of the Board position. [4] On May 22, 2006, Quaker Maid Meats purchased the rights to the Steak-umm brand, manufacturing the product in Reading, Pennsylvania. [12]
In July 2009, Steak-umm brought suit against a Philadelphia grocery store and sandwich shop called "Steak'em Up" claiming trademark infringement. In 2012, federal District Judge Lawrence F. Stengel ruled in favor of the owners of Steak'em Up, ruling that the two establishments were not direct competitors and there was no significant evidence that consumers were confused by the names. [5] [9]
According to inventor Gene Gagliardi, Steak-umm was created after putting beef through a grinder multiple times, mixing and molding it, freezing it, softening it, then ultimately slicing it. [6]
In the 2012 lawsuit, Judge Lawrence Stengel described the product as "chopped and formed meat product that is comprised of beef trimmings left over after an animal is slaughtered and all of the primary cuts, such as tenderloin, filet, and rib eye, are removed. . . . The chopped and formed meat is pressed into a loaf and sliced, frozen and packaged." [13]
It is sometimes used as a substitute for chipped beef. [14]
In 2017, Steak-umm started a campaign to have its Twitter account, @steak_umm, verified with a blue check with the hashtag #VerifySteakUmm. They acquired verified account status on January 15, 2018. [15] [16]
The Twitter account gained even more notoriety during the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the growing popularity of brands assuming casual, self-aware Twitter personas. [17] The Steak-Umm account started posting inspirational tweets, jokes, and even getting into some controversy with Neil DeGrasse Tyson. [18] The exact reason(s) for the account's growth in popularity have been the subject of an academic study and dialogue between researchers. [19] [20] [21]
A hamburger, or simply a burger, is a dish consisting of fillings—usually a patty of ground meat, typically beef—placed inside a sliced bun or bread roll. The patties are often served with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, bacon, or chilis with condiments such as ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, relish or a "special sauce", often a variation of Thousand Island dressing, and are frequently placed on sesame seed buns. A hamburger patty topped with cheese is called a cheeseburger. Under some definitions, and in some cultures, a burger is considered a sandwich.
A cheesesteak is a sandwich made from thinly sliced pieces of beefsteak and melted cheese in a long hoagie roll. A popular regional fast food, it has its roots in the United States. city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Chipped beef is a form of pressed, salted and dried beef that has been sliced into thin pieces. Some makers smoke the dried beef for more flavor. The modern product consists of small, thin, flexible leaves of partially dried beef, generally sold compressed together in jars or flat in plastic packets. The processed meat producer Hormel once described it as "an air-dried product that is similar to bresaola, but not as tasty."
A French dip sandwich, also known as a beef dip, is a hot sandwich consisting of thinly sliced roast beef on a "French roll" or baguette.
Pat's King of Steaks is a restaurant that specializes in cheesesteaks. It is located at the intersection of South 9th Street, Wharton Street and East Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia, directly across the street from rival Geno's Steaks.
Geno's Steaks is a Philadelphia restaurant specializing in cheesesteaks, founded in 1966 by Joey Vento. Geno's is located in South Philadelphia at the intersection of 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue, directly across the street from rival Pat's King of Steaks, which is generally credited with having invented the cheesesteak in 1933. The cheesesteak has since become a signature dish for Philadelphia.
Hot Pockets is an American brand of microwaveable turnovers generally containing one or more types of cheese, meat, or vegetables. Hot Pockets was founded by Chef America Inc. Since April 20, 2002, they have been produced by Nestlé.
The cuisine of Philadelphia was shaped largely by the city's mixture of ethnicities, available foodstuffs and history. Certain foods have become associated with the city.
Charleys Philly Steaks is an American restaurant chain specializing in Philly cheesesteak headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Formerly known as Charley's Steakery and Charley's Grilled Subs, the franchise was established in 1986 on the campus of Ohio State University. By 2017 there were 600 locations in 45 states and in 19 countries. Charleys is believed to have doubled in size in 2021. In addition to traditional Philly cheesesteaks, the chain also has other steak based sandwiches and multiple grilled chicken sandwiches, among other grilled sandwiches.
Steak Escape is a restaurant chain based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. Locations are typically found in food courts in shopping malls as well as airports, all serving a variety of menu items, including cheesesteaks. The company is known as the originator of the mall cheesesteak concept. The chain is owned by Columbus, Ohio-based Escape Enterprises.
A steak sandwich is a sandwich prepared with steak that has been broiled, fried, grilled, barbecued or seared using steel grates or gridirons, then served on bread or a roll. Steak sandwiches are sometimes served with toppings of cheese, onions, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, and in some instances fried eggs, coleslaw, and french fries.
Jim's Steaks is a Philadelphia restaurant specializing in cheesesteaks, founded in 1939 on North 62nd Street in West Philadelphia. Jim's Steaks currently has two locations, the original in West Philadelphia and another in Springfield, Pennsylvania. Jim's Steaks owned the restaurant on South Street until 2011.
Tony Luke's is an American-based cheesesteak restaurant that was founded in 1992 by Tony Lucidonio and his sons, Tony Luke Jr. and Nicky Lucidonio at its original location at 39 East Oregon Avenue in South Philadelphia. The franchise has since expanded, with 16 locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, one location each in Washington, DC, Maryland & Texas as well as one in Bahrain.
Dalessandro's Steaks & Hoagies is a cheesesteak restaurant that was founded in 1960 in Roxborough, a neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. In 2011, when referring to Dalessandro's, The New York Times declared that "Philly food could be summed up by those cheese steaks".
Steve's Prince of Steaks is a cheesesteak eatery that was founded in 1980 on Bustleton Ave in the Oxford Circle section of Northeast Philadelphia. The eatery has since expanded to three additional locations and is popular among locals. The eatery is known for its melted American cheese and does not chop the meat.
Joe's Steaks + Soda Shop, formerly named Chink's Steaks, was a cheesesteak restaurant founded in 1949 in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Controversy over the restaurant's former name led to the owner renaming it. A second restaurant location opened in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia in 2015. In addition to its cheesesteak sandwich specialty, the company sold other types of sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages, and other foods. The original location closed in early 2023.
A Philly taco, also known as South Street Sushi, or the Lorenzo's-Jim's Challenge, is a sandwich consisting of a cheesesteak wrapped in a jumbo slice.
Jim's South St., formerly a part of the Jim's Steaks franchise, is a Philadelphia restaurant located on South Street specializing in cheesesteaks. The original restaurant chain known as Jim's Steaks was founded in West Philadelphia in 1939, however in 2011 ownership of the location on South Street changed and was later renamed to Jim's South St.
Philadelphia's Steaks and Hoagies is a restaurant with multiple locations in the U.S. state of Oregon. There are two restaurants in the Portland metropolitan area and another in Sisters.