Country Style Smothered Cube Steak (Printable)
Tender cube steak simmered in onion and mushroom gravy, perfect over mashed potatoes or rice.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meat
01 - 4 cube steaks, approximately 1.1 lb total
→ Coating
02 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (about 2 oz)
03 - 1 tsp salt
04 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
05 - 1/2 tsp paprika
→ Vegetables
06 - 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
07 - 1 cup sliced mushrooms (about 3.5 oz)
→ Gravy
08 - 2 cups beef broth (about 16 fl oz)
09 - 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
10 - 1/4 cup heavy cream, optional (about 2 fl oz)
→ Frying
11 - 3 tbsp vegetable oil
12 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
# Directions:
01 - Combine flour, salt, pepper, and paprika in a shallow dish. Dredge each cube steak through the seasoned flour, coating both sides evenly and shaking off any excess.
02 - Heat vegetable oil and 1 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the coated steaks and sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deeply browned, working in batches if needed. Transfer the steaks to a plate and set aside.
03 - Add the remaining butter to the same skillet. Sauté the sliced onions for about 5 minutes until softened and translucent, then stir in the mushrooms and cook for an additional 3 minutes until lightly browned.
04 - Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the liquid to a simmer.
05 - Nestle the seared cube steaks back into the skillet, submerging them in the onion-mushroom mixture. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer gently for 30 to 35 minutes until the beef is fork-tender.
06 - For a richer, creamier gravy, stir in the heavy cream during the final 5 minutes of cooking and let it gently bubble.
07 - Taste the gravy and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot, spooning generous amounts of gravy over each steak alongside mashed potatoes, rice, or buttered egg noodles.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The gravy practically makes itself while the steaks braise, so you get deep flavor without standing over the stove.
- Cube steak is one of the most budget friendly cuts at the grocery store, but nobody would guess that from how tender it becomes.
02 -
- Do not skip scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan because that fond is the difference between good gravy and unforgettable gravy.
- Resist the urge to crank the heat during the braise, since a gentle low simmer is what transforms tough cube steak into something knife tender.
03 -
- Work in batches when searing so the steaks brown instead of steam, because overcrowding the pan is the fastest way to a soggy crust.
- Pat the cube steaks dry with paper towels before dredging them in flour and you will get a much better sear that actually holds up to the braise.