Country Style Smothered Cube Steak (Print Version)
Tender beef steaks simmered in rich onion mushroom gravy for classic Southern comfort.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meat
01 - 4 beef cube steaks, about 5 to 6 ounces each
→ Seasoning and Coating
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
→ Oil and Butter
06 - 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Vegetables
08 - 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
09 - 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
10 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Liquids
11 - 2 cups beef broth
12 - 1/2 cup whole milk, or heavy cream for a richer sauce
13 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
→ Fresh Herbs
14 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
# How to Make It:
01 - In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt, black pepper, and paprika. Dredge each cube steak through the seasoned flour mixture, coating evenly, and shake off any excess. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the seasoned flour for later use in the gravy.
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 place the dredged cube steaks in the skillet. Sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side until a deep golden crust forms. Transfer the browned steaks to a plate and set aside.
03 - Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the skillet along with the sliced onions and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and the mushrooms are nicely browned, about 6 to 8 minutes.
04 - Add the minced garlic and the reserved 2 tablespoons of seasoned flour to the skillet. Stir thoroughly to combine and cook for 1 minute to toast the flour and bloom the garlic.
05 - Slowly pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, stirring constantly and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the milk and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
06 - Return the seared cube steaks to the skillet, nestling them down into the gravy. Cover the skillet with a 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.
07 - Taste the gravy and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Transfer the steaks to serving plates, spoon the onion-mushroom gravy generously over the top, and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The gravy thickens right in the pan so there is no extra saucepan to wash and that alone is worth celebrating.
- Cube steak is budget friendly but after forty minutes in that simmering liquid it eats like something twice the price.
02 -
- Do not rush the browning step because that golden crust is carrying most of the deep flavor into the finished gravy.
- Simmer on the lowest heat you can manage because a hard boil will toughen the meat and break the sauce.
03 -
- Let the steaks sit at room temperature for fifteen minutes before dredging so the flour adheres better and they brown more evenly.
- Pat the cube steaks dry with a paper towel before dredging because moisture is the enemy of a good crust.