ThePaleoList Answers: Is Steak Umm Paleo?

If you’re from Pennsylvania or the surrounding area, there’s a good chance you’ve had a box of Steak-umms in your freezer at some point in your life. These thin slices of steak claim to contain one ingredient: beef. Is this 100% beef product actually Paleo?

What is Steak-umm?

Steak-umms are thinly sliced frozen steaks that hail from Reading, PA. They are sold in supermarkets all across the United States, and are used for making homemade cheesesteaks.

A recent lawsuit against a Philadelphia-based restaurant revealed a little more about this beef product. According to the Daily News as shared by Grub Street, a Steak-umm is:

“[C]hopped and formed emulsified 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 emulsified meat is pressed into a loaf and sliced, frozen and packaged.”

We can’t confirm what these leftover beef trimmings consist of, but they’re akin to the pink slimethat caused so much controversy online in 2013-2014. While it is definitely Paleo to use every part of the animal, emulsified meat doesn’t really qualify.

Is Steak-umm Paleo?

No! A Steak-umm is definitely not Paleo. Although one look at the ingredients label might convince you otherwise, a Steak-umm is more like partially digested ground beef than a fresh steak! Things like hot dogs, bologna, and fast food hamburgers and cold cuts are made in much the same way, and none of them are Paleo!