Country Style Smothered Cube Steak (Printable version)
Tender beef steaks slow-simmered in savory onion and mushroom gravy for 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
→ 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
13 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
→ Garnish
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
# How To:
01 - In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt, black pepper, and paprika. Mix thoroughly until evenly incorporated. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the seasoned flour mixture for the gravy and set aside.
02 - Pat the cube steaks dry with paper towels. Dredge each steak through the seasoned flour, pressing gently to coat both sides evenly. 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 is foaming. Carefully add the cube steaks and sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side until a deep golden crust forms. Transfer the browned steaks to a plate and set aside.
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 seasoned flour to the skillet. Stir continuously for about 1 minute to cook off the raw flour taste and bloom the garlic.
06 - Slowly pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, stirring constantly while scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the milk and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
07 - Return the seared cube steaks to the skillet, nestling them down into the gravy. Cover 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 silky consistency.
08 - Taste the gravy and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Transfer the steaks to serving plates, spoon the generous onion-mushroom gravy over the top, and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve immediately alongside mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The gravy thickens right in the pan so you never have to make a separate sauce.
- Cube steak turns fork tender with a low simmer, no fancy technique required.
- It tastes like it took all day but you can have it on the table in under an hour.
02 -
- Do not skip scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan because that fond is where half the gravy flavor comes from.
- Keep the simmer low and gentle after you return the steaks or the gravy can break and the meat can toughen.
- Reserve that flour before dredging or you will end up scrambling to thicken the sauce at the end.
03 -
- Pat the cube steaks dry before dredging so the flour sticks evenly and you get a better crust.
- Use a skillet with a tight fitting lid because the steam trapped inside is what makes the meat so tender.