Cube Steaks with Mushroom Gravy - The Recipe Critic (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.

You can soak the cube steak in milk for overnight or a few hours in order to soften it and add juiciness. No need to rinse it before cooking if you're not adding any batter or breading to the surface.

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

This is one of the most popular and traditional ways of tenderizing meat. 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.

I browned the cube steaks with less oil, used beef stock instead of water, and simmered covered for nearly an hour. They were so tender that you easily could cut them with a fork, a nice sauce developed, no need to make milk gravy.

It's milk. Here's why:

But the acid in milk is so mild that you can soak beef in it long enough to tenderize it effectively, without damaging the proteins on the surface. The calcium-rich properties of milk react with enzymes in the meat to gently soften the proteins.

Cover and place the meat and milk marinade in the refrigerator between 4 to 12 hours—whatever you deem as the perfect wait—before rinsing and patting the meat dry.

Cube steak is also famously breaded or battered and pan-fried for the comfort-food favorites chicken-fried steak or country-fried steak. Saucy accompaniments like brown or white gravy, mushrooms and caramelized onions are traditionally paired with cube steak to complement its firm texture.

What can I soak cube steak in to make it tender? ›

Whisk together 2 eggs and the can of evaporated milk in a bowl. 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.

Sear for about 3-4 minutes on each side. Use a meat thermometer to check if they have reached your desired level of doneness. Once cooked, transfer the cube steaks to a plate and let them rest for a few minutes before slicing. Serve with your favorite side dishes.

The fat in the butter can help soften the meats' protein fibers, resulting in a more tender steak. It's like giving your steak a spa day, minus the fluffy robes and cucumbers on the eyes. In a nutshell, restaurants slather butter on steaks not out of whimsy but as a calculated move in the culinary chess game.

The best marinade to tenderize a tough piece of beef is a combination of acidic ingredients such as vinegar, citrus juice, or wine, along with oil, herbs, and spices. This combination helps to break down the tough fibers in the beef, making it more tender.

However, a general guideline is to simmer the beef cubes for at least 2-3 hours on low heat. The longer you cook the beef cubes, the more tender they will become.

Those cuts of meat just don't have enough collagen in them. 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.