Country Style Smothered Cube Steak (Printable Version)

Tender cube steak simmered in onion and mushroom gravy, ideal over creamy mashed potatoes or fluffy rice.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meat

01 - 4 cube steaks, about 1.1 lb total

→ Coating

02 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (about 2 oz)
03 - 1 tsp salt
04 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
05 - 1/2 tsp paprika

→ Vegetables

06 - 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
07 - 1 cup sliced mushrooms (about 3.5 oz)

→ Gravy

08 - 2 cups beef broth (about 16 fl oz)
09 - 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
10 - 1/4 cup heavy cream, optional for creamier gravy (about 2 fl oz)

→ For Frying

11 - 3 tbsp vegetable oil
12 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter

# Directions:

01 - In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt, black pepper, and paprika. Dredge each cube steak through the seasoned flour, coating evenly, and shake off any excess.
02 - Heat the vegetable oil and 1 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the coated steaks in the skillet and sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side until a golden-brown crust forms, working in batches if needed. Remove and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tbsp of butter. Sauté the sliced onions for 5 minutes until softened and translucent, then add the mushrooms and cook for an additional 3 minutes until lightly browned.
04 - Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
05 - Return the seared cube steaks to the skillet, nestling them into the onion and mushroom mixture. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes until the beef is fork-tender.
06 - If using, stir in the heavy cream during the final 5 minutes of cooking for a richer, creamier gravy.
07 - Taste the gravy and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot, spooning generous amounts of gravy over each steak. Pairs well with mashed potatoes, rice, or buttered egg noodles.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The gravy practically builds itself from the browned bits left in the pan, so you get deep flavor without any extra work.
  • Cube steak is budget friendly but tastes like you spent three times as much when it finishes simmering in that onion mushroom sauce.
02 -
  • Do not rush the searing step because that golden crust is where half the gravy flavor comes from, and once it is gone you cannot get it back.
  • Covering the skillet during simmering is non negotiable since the trapped steam is what breaks down the tough fibers in cube steak and makes them fork tender.
03 -
  • Let the coated steaks rest on a wire rack for five minutes before searing so the flour really adheres to the meat and you do not lose your crust in the pan.
  • If your gravy does not thicken enough during simmering, mash a few of the onion pieces against the side of the pan and stir them back in, which is a natural thickening trick that works every time.

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