▁a ▁food ▁product ▁that ▁is ▁formed ▁into ▁a ▁ste ak ▁shape ▁from ▁various ▁pieces ▁of ▁meat . ▁Gr illed ▁f ruits ▁such ▁as ▁wat erm el on ▁have ▁been ▁used ▁as ▁veget arian ▁ste ak ▁alternatives . ▁ ▁Et ym ology ▁The ▁word ▁ste ak ▁origin ates ▁from ▁the ▁mid - 1 5 th ▁century ▁Sc and in av ian ▁word ▁ste ik , ▁or ▁stick na ''' ▁in ▁the ▁Middle ▁English ▁dialect , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁Old ▁Nor se ▁word ▁ste ik ja . ▁The ▁Oxford ▁English ▁Dictionary ' s ▁first ▁reference ▁is ▁to ▁" a ▁thick ▁slice ▁of ▁meat ▁cut ▁for ▁ro ast ing ▁or ▁gr illing ▁or ▁f ry ing , ▁sometimes ▁used ▁in ▁a ▁pie ▁or ▁p ud ding ; ▁especially ▁a ▁piece ▁cut ▁from ▁the ▁h ind - quarters ▁of ▁the ▁animal ." ▁Sub sequ ent ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁entry , ▁however , ▁refer ▁to ▁" ste ak ▁fish ", ▁which ▁referred ▁to ▁" cod ▁of ▁a ▁size ▁suitable ▁for ▁cutting ▁into ▁ste aks ", ▁and ▁also ▁" ste ak - raid ", ▁which ▁was ▁a ▁custom ▁among ▁Scottish ▁High land ers ▁of ▁giving ▁some ▁cattle ▁being ▁driven ▁through ▁a ▁gentleman ' s ▁land ▁to ▁the ▁owner . ▁An ▁early ▁written ▁usage ▁of ▁the ▁word ▁" st ek ys " ▁comes ▁from ▁a ▁ 1 5 th - century ▁cook book , ▁and ▁makes ▁reference ▁to ▁both ▁be ef ▁or ▁ven ison ▁ste aks . ▁ ▁Production ▁ ▁Liv est ock ▁for ▁meat ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁as ▁ste