Finger steaks
Encyclopedia
Finger steaks consist of 2–3” long by 1/2" wide strips of steak
(usually sirloin), battered with a tempura
-like batter, and deep-fried in oil. Typically they are served with French fries and a buttered piece of thick toast. They are commonly found in restaurants, bars, and fast-food joints (either handmade or of the frozen variety) in Southern Idaho
and less frequently in nearby states but are not well known outside the Inland Northwest.
’s “Milo’s Torch Lounge” (aka The Torch) in 1957. Milo Bybee claimed to have invented finger steaks while wondering what to do with leftover tenderloin
scraps when he was working as a butcher for the U.S. Forest Service in McCall. Bybee went to work as a chef at the Torch in 1946. Others claim that Milo himself did not invent the recipe but that it was passed onto him by the original owners of The Torch. Either way, Finger Steaks are somewhat of a local specialty in Boise with many different homemade varieties.
Their legendary origin is so closely tied to Idaho that one suggestion for the Idaho state quarter design was to “do something with the fact that Idaho is the home of finger steaks,” submitted to the state arts commission on a napkin.
Finger steaks were produced as a frozen food
by B and D Foods, which was founded in 1972 to supply its Signature Finger steak to a chain of fast food restaurants, the Red Steer, a now defunct chain of fast food burger joints in Idaho.
Steak
A steak is a cut of meat . Most are cut perpendicular to the muscle fibers, improving the perceived tenderness of the meat. In North America, steaks are typically served grilled, pan-fried, or broiled. The more tender cuts from the loin and rib are cooked quickly, using dry heat, and served whole...
(usually sirloin), battered with a tempura
Tempura
], is a Japanese dish of seafood or vegetables that have been battered and deep fried.-Batter:A light batter is made of cold water and soft wheat flour . Eggs, baking soda or baking powder, starch, oil, and/or spices may also be added...
-like batter, and deep-fried in oil. Typically they are served with French fries and a buttered piece of thick toast. They are commonly found in restaurants, bars, and fast-food joints (either handmade or of the frozen variety) in Southern Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
and less frequently in nearby states but are not well known outside the Inland Northwest.
History
Finger steaks are purported to have been first served in a restaurant setting at Boise, IdahoBoise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
’s “Milo’s Torch Lounge” (aka The Torch) in 1957. Milo Bybee claimed to have invented finger steaks while wondering what to do with leftover tenderloin
Beef tenderloin
A beef tenderloin, known as an eye fillet in New Zealand and Australia, filet in France and Germany and fillet in the United Kingdom, is cut from the loin of beef. As with all quadrupeds, the tenderloin refers to the psoas major muscle ventral to the transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae,...
scraps when he was working as a butcher for the U.S. Forest Service in McCall. Bybee went to work as a chef at the Torch in 1946. Others claim that Milo himself did not invent the recipe but that it was passed onto him by the original owners of The Torch. Either way, Finger Steaks are somewhat of a local specialty in Boise with many different homemade varieties.
Their legendary origin is so closely tied to Idaho that one suggestion for the Idaho state quarter design was to “do something with the fact that Idaho is the home of finger steaks,” submitted to the state arts commission on a napkin.
Finger steaks were produced as a frozen food
Frozen food
Freezing food preserves it from the time it is prepared to the time it is eaten. Since early times, farmers, fishermen, and trappers have preserved their game and produce in unheated buildings during the winter season. Freezing food slows down decomposition by turning water to ice, making it...
by B and D Foods, which was founded in 1972 to supply its Signature Finger steak to a chain of fast food restaurants, the Red Steer, a now defunct chain of fast food burger joints in Idaho.