Texas Woman Says Her Texas Roadhouse Steak Was So Mushy It Felt Like “Mashed Potatoes”: “I Almost Threw Up”
HOUSTON, TEXAS — A Texas woman says her takeout meal from Texas Roadhouse left her disgusted after she bit into a steak so soft and mushy it “felt like mashed potatoes.” The bizarre experience quickly went viral on TikTok, where thousands of viewers weighed in with theories on what might have gone wrong.
Texas Woman Shares “Pure Mush” Steak Experience
In a TikTok video now viewed more than 1.8 million times, user Kim (@kimmyk561) shared footage of her dinner, pressing a spoon into a piece of cooked steak that flattened like soft dough. “What would you do if somebody fed you a steak that was pure mush?” she asked, visibly disturbed. Kim said she ordered a family meal from Texas Roadhouse for her nephew, but one bite made her feel sick. “I put that in my mouth, and I thought I was gonna hurl all over the place,” she said, describing the texture as “Play-Doh-like” and “nothing like normal steak.”
She noted that parts of the meat seemed unevenly cooked and lacked the usual firmness or grain of real beef. “It’s like there’s no sinew,” she explained. “When I went to bite into it, it was like mashed potatoes or pâté.”
Possible Reasons for the Mushy Steak Texture
Food experts say overly mushy steak usually points to too much meat tenderizer or an overlong marination time. According to Butcher Magazine, commercial tenderizers contain enzymes from papaya or pineapple that break down proteins. When used correctly, they soften tough cuts — but too much can destroy the meat’s structure entirely. Tasting Table recommends leaving tenderizer on steak for only 15 to 30 minutes, while longer exposure can make the fibers collapse into a paste-like texture. Similarly, the USDA warns against marinating meat for more than 24 hours, as extended soaking causes the muscle tissue to disintegrate.
Some restaurants also rely on mechanical tenderizers, machines that pierce the meat with tiny blades. When combined with chemical tenderizers, the result can be disastrous — a steak that loses all texture and integrity.
Social Media Reacts to Viral “Mushy Meat” Video
Viewers flooded Kim’s comment section with shock and disgust. “OMG I thought that was refried beans,” one user wrote. Another added, “Looks like canned pet food.” Others urged her to contact the restaurant or local health department, suggesting that something went wrong during prep or storage. “Never ever have received meat like that from Texas Roadhouse,” one person commented. “Maybe it’s that specific location.”
@kimmyk561 @Texas Roadhouse For the record we absolutely love Texas roadhouse, I’ve never had one of their steaks. I always get chicken and salad, I’m just needing clarification because this is not normal.
Despite the ordeal, Kim clarified that she’s a loyal customer and wasn’t trying to bash the brand. “We absolutely love Texas Roadhouse,” she wrote in her caption. “I’ve never had one of their steaks before — I always get chicken and salad. I just need clarification because this is not normal.”
Texas Roadhouse Yet to Comment on the Incident
As of Tuesday evening, Texas Roadhouse had not issued an official statement. BroBible, which first reported the story, confirmed it reached out to both Kim and the restaurant chain for comment. In the meantime, viewers continue to debate what could cause steak to take on such an unsettling texture. Many agreed that Kim’s reaction — “I almost threw up” — was completely justified.
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