Crock pot Cube Steak and Gravy Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you cook cube steak so it's not tough? ›

The best way to cook cube steak for tenderness is slowly and evenly, so a slow cooker can do the trick when you have ample time to spare. However, braising, pan-frying, and sauteing also work. Just be sure to cook with enough liquid to keep the steak moist.

In your slow cooker, add in the white wine, rosemary, salt and pepper. Heat on high for about 1 1/2 hours, to cook off the alcohol. Add cornstarch into the bowl of turkey drippings and whisk together. Add that mixture to your slow cooker, cover and heat on high for another half-hour until gravy thickens.

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.

Yes, you can add raw steak to a slow cooker to cook it to your desired doneness level. Slow cooking steak is a convenient way to cook steak over several hours, tenderizing it and adding exceptional flavor along the way.

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.

Tenderize Cube Steak With a Mallet

Using a meat mallet, pound the cube steak evenly to break down the tough fibers and connective tissues. This process also conveniently thins the meat, allowing it to cook more quickly and evenly.

This moist environment allows you to leave food to cook for hours without risking it drying out. But because there is no evaporation, the liquid isn't able to reduce and thicken naturally in a slow cooker, often resulting in watery sauces and loose gravies. The common solution? Using a thickener.

Browning adds more flavor to the gravy and gets rid of the raw flour taste. You're basically making a roux. We find that a flour-based gravy holds up better and reheats better later, which is why we tend to prefer using flour over cornstarch to make gravy unless we have a guest who is eating gluten-free.

#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.

What is the best liquid to tenderize meat? ›

According to the USDA, it's not recommended to wash any raw meat before cooking. Not only does it not remove all bacteria, it also causes the bacteria on the meat to get on the sink or other surfaces that get splashed in the process of washing.

If you cook meat at too high of a temperature in your slow cooker, you're likely to overcook it. When you cook your food slowly at a lower temperature, you unlock the magic of slow cooking.

A beef joint in a crock-pot also needs about a ½ cup of liquid – beef broth is usually an excellent choice – to keep it tender and flavorful as it cooks. Place it on the lowest setting and only open it to add a small amount of liquid, if needed, and to stir your veggies.

Most recipes use the two-stage browning approach: Brown meat cubes first, and then simmer them until tender. But what happens when you rush the process by adding all the meat to the pot at once and crowding the pan? Moisture is exuded faster than it can be evaporated.

Two options really, either it is really a poor cut of beef, or more likely it hasn't been cooked for long enough. Usually 3 hours in the oven in a casserole dish at 180C/350F should make any cut of beef tender.

Simmering in a little bit of liquid or broth is a great way to tenderize. Acidity can also be your friend here. A little bit of vinegar and lemon juice in the liquid can help you tenderize the meat.