Method of producing freeze-dried, cooked beef steak and resulting product

Method of producing freeze-dried, cooked beef steaks which are rapidly rehydratable and which are tender and juicy following rehydration which comprises, mechanically tenderizing beef muscle by penetrating the beef muscle from which said beef steaks are to be prepared by inserting sharp, narrow cutting means into and through said beef muscle at least one time, withdrawing said cutting means from said beef muscle, pumping into said beef muscle at a plurality of substantially equally spaced apart points an aqueous solution containing from about 3.0 to about 5.0 percent sodium tripolyphosphate and from about 5.0 to about 10.0 percent sodium chloride until said beef muscle has absorbed from about 8 percent to about 12 percent of said aqueous solution, freezing said beef muscle containing said aqueous solution, cutting said beef muscle into slices suitable for cooking as steaks, cooking said slices to produce cooked beef steaks, freezing said cooked beef steaks, and freeze-vacuum-dehydrating said cooked beef steaks to a moisture content less than about 2.0 percent.