Country Style Smothered Cube Steak (Print)
Tender cube steaks in savory onion and mushroom gravy, perfect over creamy mashed potatoes or rice.
# What You Need:
→ Meat
01 - 4 cube steaks, about 1.1 lb total
→ Coating
02 - ½ cup all-purpose flour (about 2 oz)
03 - 1 tsp salt
04 - ½ tsp black pepper
05 - ½ 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 - ¼ cup heavy cream, optional (about 2 fl oz)
→ Frying
11 - 3 tbsp vegetable oil
12 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
# How To Make It:
01 - Combine the 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 the vegetable oil and 1 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if needed, sear the coated steaks for 2 to 3 minutes per side until a golden-brown crust forms. Transfer the steaks to a plate and set aside.
03 - Add the remaining tbsp of butter to the same skillet. Sauté the sliced onions for about 5 minutes until softened and translucent, then add 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 gentle simmer.
05 - Nestle the seared cube steaks back into the skillet, submerging them in the onion and mushroom mixture. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and let simmer for 30 to 35 minutes until the beef is fork-tender.
06 - For a richer, creamier gravy, stir in the heavy cream during the last 5 minutes of cooking and let it gently thicken.
07 - Taste the gravy and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve the steaks hot, ladling generous spoonfuls of gravy and vegetables over the top. Pairs beautifully with mashed potatoes, steamed rice, or buttered egg noodles.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The gravy practically builds itself from the browned bits left in the pan, so you get deep flavor without any fuss.
- Cube steak is one of the most affordable cuts at the grocery store, but dressed up like this nobody would ever guess.
02 -
- Do not rush the simmering step, because the steaks need that full thirty minutes to break down and become truly fork tender.
- Scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan before adding the broth is what separates a watery sauce from a gravy that tastes like it simmered all day.
03 -
- Work in batches when searing so the steaks get a proper crust instead of steaming in a crowded pan.
- Use a gluten free flour blend in place of all purpose flour if you need to, and the texture holds up remarkably well.