Country Style Smothered Cube Steak (Printable)
Tender beef steaks slowly cooked in savory onion mushroom gravy for ultimate comfort food.
# 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
→ Garnish
14 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
# Directions:
01 - In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt, black pepper, and paprika. Dredge each cube steak through the seasoned flour, coating both sides evenly and shaking off any excess. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the seasoned flour for later use.
02 - Heat the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted and bubbling, carefully add the cube steaks. Brown for 2 to 3 minutes per side until a deep golden crust forms. Transfer the 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 for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and the mushrooms are deeply browned.
04 - Add the minced garlic and the reserved 2 tablespoons of 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 browned 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 rich consistency.
07 - Taste the gravy and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Plate the steaks with a generous ladle of gravy and garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The gravy practically makes itself while the steaks simmer, so you get maximum flavor with surprisingly little hands on work.
- That fork tender texture comes from low and slow simmering, not fancy technique, meaning anyone can pull this off on a weeknight.
02 -
- Do not rush the browning step because those crusty bits on the bottom of the pan are the foundation of the entire gravy flavor.
- If the gravy seems too thin after simmering, let it cook uncovered for a few more minutes until it reaches your preferred consistency.
03 -
- Pat the cube steaks completely dry before dredging them, as any moisture will prevent a good crust from forming.
- Use a lid that fits tightly on your skillet because the steam is what breaks down the tough fibers and makes the meat fork tender.