Country Style Smothered Cube Steak (Printer-friendly)
Tender beef steaks slow-simmered in savory onion and mushroom gravy. Classic Southern comfort food.
# What You Need:
→ Meat
01 - 4 beef cube steaks, approximately 5 to 6 ounces each
→ Seasoning and Coating
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
→ Fats
06 - 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Vegetables
08 - 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
09 - 8 ounces fresh cremini mushrooms, sliced
10 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Liquids
11 - 2 cups beef broth
12 - 1/2 cup whole milk
13 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
→ Garnish
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, roughly chopped
# How to Make It:
01 - In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt, black pepper, and paprika. Mix thoroughly and set aside 2 tablespoons of the seasoned flour for the gravy. Dredge each cube steak in the remaining flour, coating both sides evenly, and shake off any excess.
02 - Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil along with 1 tablespoon of butter. Once the fat is hot and shimmering, carefully lay the dredged cube steaks in the pan. Sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side until a deep golden crust forms. Transfer the steaks to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
03 - Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the same skillet. Toss in the sliced onions and mushrooms, stirring occasionally. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms have released their moisture and turned golden brown.
04 - Add the minced garlic and the reserved seasoned flour to the skillet. Stir continuously for about 1 minute to cook off the raw flour taste and bloom the garlic.
05 - Slowly pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce while scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the milk and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, allowing it to slightly thicken.
06 - Nestle the seared cube steaks back into the skillet, spooning some of the gravy over the top. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to low, and let them braise for 20 minutes until fork-tender and the gravy has reached a rich, coats-the-back-of-a-spoon consistency.
07 - Taste the gravy and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Plate each steak with a generous ladle of onion-mushroom gravy and finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The gravy practically builds itself from the browned bits left in the pan and thats where all the real flavor lives
- Cube steak is one of the most affordable cuts you can buy yet it eats like a celebration when treated right
02 -
- Do not rush the browning step because that crust is where the gravys deepest flavor comes from and once it is gone you cannot get it back
- Simmering on too high a heat will toughen the meat instead of gently coaxing it to tenderness so keep it low and patient
03 -
- Pat the cube steaks dry with paper towels before dredging and the flour will adhere better giving you a cleaner crispier crust
- A cast iron skillet holds heat more evenly than nonstick and those fond bits on the bottom are pure concentrated flavor for your gravy