Country Style Smothered Cube Steak (Printable)
Tender beef steaks slow-simmered in savory 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 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
08 - 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
09 - 8 ounces fresh cremini 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
→ Garnish
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
# How To Make:
01 - In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, salt, black pepper, and paprika until evenly combined. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the seasoned flour for the gravy. Dredge each cube steak in the remaining flour mixture, coating both sides thoroughly and shaking off any excess.
02 - Heat the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter is foaming. Working in batches if necessary, sear the coated cube steaks 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, for 6 to 8 minutes until the onions are softened and the mushrooms are golden brown and fragrant.
04 - 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 lightly toast the garlic.
05 - 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.
06 - Return the seared cube steaks to the skillet, nestling them down into the gravy. 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.
07 - Taste the gravy and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Transfer the steaks to serving plates, spoon the onion-mushroom gravy generously over the top, and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The gravy practically makes itself while the steaks simmer, so you get maximum flavor with surprisingly little hands on effort.
- Those little tenderized cube steaks transform from humble and inexpensive into something that tastes like it took all day.
02 -
- Resist the urge to crank the heat during the simmer, because a gentle bubble keeps the meat tender and prevents the gravy from breaking.
- Scraping up every browned bit when you add the broth is not optional, as those stuck on pieces are concentrated flavor that transforms the entire sauce.
03 -
- Let the steaks sit in the flour coating for about five minutes before browning, which helps the crust adhere better and creates a more even golden finish.
- Using a lid that fits tightly on your skillet is the single most important detail for achieving that fall apart tenderness without drying out the meat.