Country Style Smothered Cube Steak (Printable)
Tender cube steak in a savory onion-mushroom gravy, ideal over mashed potatoes or rice.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meat
01 - 4 cube steaks, about 1.1 lb total
→ Seasoned Coating
02 - ½ cup all-purpose flour (about 2 oz)
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
→ Vegetables
06 - 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
07 - 1 cup sliced mushrooms (about 3.5 oz)
→ Gravy
08 - 2 cups beef broth (16 fl oz)
09 - 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
10 - ¼ cup heavy cream (2 fl oz), optional
→ Frying
11 - 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
# How To Make:
01 - In a shallow dish, whisk together the all-purpose flour, kosher salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika until evenly combined.
02 - Pat the cube steaks dry with paper towels. Dredge each steak through the seasoned flour mixture, coating both sides thoroughly, then shake off any excess.
03 - Heat the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the fat is shimmering, add the coated steaks and sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side until a golden-brown crust forms. Work in batches to avoid crowding the pan. Transfer the seared steaks to a plate and set aside.
04 - Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the same skillet. Add the sliced onions and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the sliced mushrooms and continue cooking for 3 additional minutes until lightly caramelized.
05 - Pour the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce into the skillet, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
06 - Return the seared cube steaks to the skillet, nestling them down into 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 and the gravy has thickened.
07 - If using, stir in the heavy cream during the final 5 minutes of cooking for a richer, creamier gravy. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot, spooning generous amounts of gravy over each steak.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The gravy builds right in the same pan, so every crispy browned bit gets folded back into the sauce where it belongs.
- Cube steak turns melt in your mouth tender after a low slow braise, no fancy technique required.
02 -
- Do not skip scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan because that fond is where half the gravy flavor lives.
- Keep the simmer gentle after you cover the pan, as boiling too aggressively makes the meat tough instead of tender.
03 -
- Let the steaks rest for five minutes after the braise before serving so the juices redistribute instead of running out onto the plate.
- Pat the cube steaks completely dry with paper towels before dredging because moisture is the enemy of a good crust.