Chipped Steak Is The Versatile Ground Beef Substitute You Need

There are many varieties of beef and cuts of steak available at the butcher and grocery store, but perhaps one kind that you're less familiar with is chipped steak. In case you haven't heard of it, chipped steak is made with different cuts of beef, such as from the rump, that's cut into thin slices. It's commonly used in Philly cheesesteaks because it's so thin and therefore works well on the sandwich for creating balanced bites, but it's versatile and also works as a substitute for ground beef in many other recipes.

You can find chipped steak in its freshest form with other meat products in the fridge or frozen in the freezer section at your local grocery store. It might come in a package labeled as shaved steak or beef chip steak, and those frozen Steak-umms are also similar. At some butchers, you can order chipped steak directly at the counter. Simply let them know how thin you want it sliced, similar to how you'd order fresh cold cuts. And in case you're wondering, it's not quite the same as chipped or dried beef, because that's brined, cured, packaged, and frequently used in gravies for breakfast.

The biggest difference between chipped steak and ground beef is that the former is thinly sliced while the latter is finely chopped. To swap the ground beef with chipped steak, you'll need to adjust the cooking time because the thinly sliced chipped beef cooks rather fast. For balanced bites, chop up the steak into smaller pieces before it goes in the pan or while it cooks off. 

We think it works well as an ingredient swap for ground beef in an array of dishes including tacos, burrito bowls, salads, cheesesteak-inspired stuffed peppers, and stir-fry. Really, you can use this ingredient in any recipe that calls for any type of ground meat. There are also many other recipes that use chipped steak in its original form if you don't have a need to substitute ground beef. 

Sure, it's great on cheesesteaks, but use it on any other form of steak sandwich, like with eggs for a deluxe breakfast sando or with balsamic glaze and crumbled blue cheese for an elevated take. Chipped steak can also be paired with eggs and potatoes for a hearty breakfast, served with steamed rice and vegetables for a healthy dinner, and cooked in a gravy with onions and mushrooms and served with creamy mashed potatoes similar to hamburger steaks.