Because New York strips, filet mignons and delmonicos are so “last century,” and skirt steaks, hanger steaks and tri-tips are so “last decade,” researchers just had to take our old friend the cow and find a new steak for the here-and-now.

Oklahoma State University’s Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center (FAPC), agricultural consultant and “meat geek” Antonio Mata of North Richland, Texas-based Mata & Associates, and Richard Gresh, executive chef at Chicago’s David Burke’s Primehouse have teamed to discover a new cut of beef and are seeking to patent the product.

The “Vegas Strip Steak,” which is comparable to a New York strip steak, was named after the rising culinary capitol of Las Vegas due to its up-and-coming status. The steak itself has “little connective tissue or visible fat” and comes from a section of the cattle carcass that previously ended up as hamburger.

“Initially, the cut was labeled as undervalued,” Mata said in a release. “This muscle produces a steak that is on par with or better than today’s most popular steaks.”

Mata, who has been researching beef carcasses for more than 30 years, approached the FAPC with the possibility of a new steak. The FAPC then helped Mata with everything that needed to be done to make the new steak “discovery” possible, providing coolers, freezers, cutting rooms, staff, facilities and access to U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors.

“Given the history of the beef industry, the discovery of a new beef steak that has never before been fabricated and marketed could appear to be an impossibility,” said Jacob Nelson, FAPC value-added meat processing specialist. “The Vegas Strip Steak is the latest and perhaps last steak to be found on the beef carcass.”

Once Mata and the FAPC team discovered the muscle capable of delivering the steak, they decided to undertake steps to protect their find. The team enlisted Steven Price, associate vice president for technology development at OSU’s Technology Development Center, who is in charge of licensing the strip steak.

“Dr. Price and the Technology Development Center provided initial patent guidance and still assists with the varying aspects of intellectual property,” Nelson said.

For his part, Gresh arranged the first tasting of the new cut at Trump Tower in Las Vegas earlier this month. He also has made David Burke’s Primehouse the first restaurant to put the new Vegas Strip Steak on its menu. The week of June 18-22 will be 777 Vegas Strip Steak Week at Primehouse, and will feature four plates with the new cut for $7.

For more on the Vegas Strip Steak, click here.