Tender Cube Steak Recipe with Gravy | Brown Sugar Food Blog (2024)

FAQs

How to cook cube steaks so that they are tender? ›

Pour enough water into the skillet to almost cover steaks. Stir in beef bouillon and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until very tender, about 2 hours.

Cook the cube steak in oil for about 1 or 2 minutes on each side. After you've browned the meat: Move it into the slow cooker. Let it cook on low for 6 to 8 hours to end up with perfectly tender cube steak.

Soaking meat in milk helps to break down the collagen and protein and helps to make a nice tender cut out of a tough cut of meat. Because it is bland, it does not alter the flavor of the meat and allows for an additional marinade of more flavorful ingredients.

According to the USDA, it's not recommended to wash any raw meat before cooking.

Tenderizing The Steaks

The first method, and arguably the fastest, is using a fork. Just go over the entire steak, puncturing holes all over. Then flip and repeat. The idea is that opening lots of holes helps moisture escape during cooking.

Cooking Cube steak in the crockpot with plenty of flavorful liquid turns out a tender and juicy cut of beef. As long as you don't leave the meat cooking all day long, you won't have to worry about it getting too soft and falling apart.

Place a lid on top, turn heat down to low, then simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove lid then gently simmer for another 1-1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender and stew has thickened, stirring occasionally.

Place the cube steaks in the milk and turn them to coat them in the mixture. The soaking time depends according to how tough the steaks are and how tender you would like them to be. Like a marinade, however, you will get best results by soaking the steaks for four hours or overnight.

Do you rinse meat after soaking in milk? ›

#3 – Rinse the meat in cool running water, pat it dry, and discard the milk. #4 – Pro tip: Because marinades only impart mild flavoring, re-season the surface of the steak with herbs and spices prior to cooking.

Transfer the dish to the middle oven rack and cook for 30-45 minutes until a meat thermometer reads 120 degrees for medium rare. Let rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. If desired, place cube steaks atop rice or mashed potatoes, and drizzle beef or mushroom gravy over the top just before serving.

This darkening is due to oxidation, the chemical changes in myoglobin due to the oxygen content. This is a normal change during refrigerator storage. Beef that has turned brown during extended storage may be spoiled, have an off-odor, and be tacky to the touch and should not be used.

There are many spices available for seasoning a steak, with salt and pepper topping the list. However, other spices, like thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, and minced onion, are also good options to enhance your steak's flavor. Or, use a one-and-done approach with Chicago Steak Seasoning.

You can velvet meat and make it melt-in-your-mouth tender by quickly tossing chunks of beef or chicken in about ¾ tsp of baking soda for about 15 minutes before your next stir fry, then rinse and pat the meat dry before putting in the pan.

Slow cooking methods, such as braising or stewing, are ideal for cooking beef cubes tender. These methods allow the connective tissues in the beef to break down slowly, resulting in a tender and flavorful dish. You can use a slow cooker, Dutch oven, or pressure cooker for these cooking techniques.