Country Style Smothered Cube Steak (Print)

Tender beef steaks in savory onion mushroom gravy

# What You Need:

→ Beef

01 - 4 beef cube steaks, approximately 5 to 6 ounces each

→ Seasoned Flour 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 & Aromatics

08 - 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
09 - 8 ounces fresh cremini mushrooms, sliced
10 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids & Pan Sauce

11 - 2 cups beef broth
12 - 1/2 cup whole milk
13 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

→ Garnish

14 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped

# How To Make It:

01 - In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, salt, black pepper, and paprika until evenly combined. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the seasoned flour mixture and set aside for thickening the gravy later.
02 - Pat the cube steaks dry with paper towels. Dredge each steak through the seasoned flour, pressing gently to coat both sides thoroughly. Shake off any excess flour and transfer to a clean surface.
03 - Heat the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter foams and subsides. Working in batches if necessary, sear the dredged cube steaks for 2 to 3 minutes per side until a deep golden crust forms. Transfer the browned steaks to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
04 - Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the skillet along with the sliced onions and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes until the onions are softened and the mushrooms are deeply caramelized.
05 - Add the minced garlic and the reserved 2 tablespoons of seasoned flour to the skillet. Stir continuously for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste and bloom the garlic.
06 - Slowly pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, stirring constantly while scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Pour in the milk and stir to combine. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
07 - 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 simmer for 20 minutes until the steaks are fork-tender and the gravy has thickened to a rich, coating consistency.
08 - Taste the gravy and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Transfer the steaks to serving plates, ladle the onion-mushroom gravy generously over each portion, and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve immediately alongside mashed potatoes, steamed rice, or buttered egg noodles.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The gravy practically builds itself from the fond left behind after browning, so you get deep flavor without any fancy technique.
  • Everything cooks in one skillet, which means cleanup is almost nonexistent on a weeknight.
02 -
  • If you skip reserving that flour and try to thicken the gravy later, you will end up with either lumps or a thin watery sauce that never comes together.
  • Do not rush the mushroom and onion step because those browned edges are where the gravy gets its color and concentrated savory flavor.
03 -
  • Pat the cube steaks dry with paper towels before dredging or the flour coating will slide right off in the pan.
  • Let the gravy rest for five minutes off the heat before serving because it thickens as it sits and reaches the perfect consistency.

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