Halal steaks are meat steaks, such as beef or lamb, that meet the specifications of Islamic dietary laws. An animal must be slaughtered in accordance with these laws for it to be halal meat and for a Muslim person to be able to eat it. The term "halal" refers to anything that is permitted or allowed for Muslims, so a halal steak is a meat steak that a Muslim is permitted to eat.
One principal of halal meat is that it minimizes the pain and suffering endured by an animal at the time of slaughter, which means that a quick and clean kill is needed. The butcher uses a sharp knife to deliver a cut to the throat that severs the windpipe, artery and vein in the neck. At the same time, the butcher must verbally dedicate the animal to Allah. The meat can then be declared as halal meat by a Muslim person who is an expert in the laws of the Islamic dietary culture. It can then be sliced into appropriate cuts, such as rib-eye, rump, fillet or sirloin steaks, all of which can be referred to as halal steaks.
Another principal of halal is that the meat must be pure and good. A Muslim cannot consume an animal that has been beaten to death, tortured or found. The halal method of slaughtering provides what Muslims consider to be a morally pure and clean way of obtaining fresh meat to eat.
Halal steaks cannot be made of pork, because as part of halal, pork cannot be consumed. Consumption of blood is also prohibited, so when a halal slaughter takes place, all of the animal's blood is drained before further action is taken. Alcohol also is forbidden, as is the consumption of birds of prey, animal carcasses, animals not slaughtered in the proper way and animals that do not have visible ears. Carnivorous animals are forbidden as well.
Muslim people need halal meats, such as halal steaks, because without them, they cannot eat meat. Halal steaks are found in restaurants and supermarkets all over the world, and they are in great demand. There is debate in some countries about whether the halal method of slaughter is actually more humane to animals than other methods. Many butchers prefer to stun animals before they are slaughtered, because they believe that this minimizes suffering. Issues such as these are a matter of opinion and involve religious and cultural views and questions over the actual levels of suffering from different methods of slaughter.