If you’re looking for an easy meal with great flavor, you’ll love this cube steak recipe with a savory balsamic gravy!
Cube steaks are cooked low and slow with onions in a rich savory gravy and they come out fork tender.
It’s an easy way to turn an inexpensve cut of beef into a five-star favorite.
What is Cube Steak?
Cube steak, also known as minute steak or cubed steak, is a popular and affordable cut of beef. This meat comes from the top or bottom round and is tenderized and flattened by a machine, creating a texture that resembles little cubes.
You can cook cube steak in a crock pot, quickly pan-fry, or bake in the oven as in this recipe. Minute steak can even be battered to make the famous “chicken fried steak.” It’s a flavorful cut of meat that can become very tender when cooked low and slow.
Ingredients
Steak – Use cube steak for this recipe; it is flavorful and becomes incredibly tender. If you don’t have cube steaks, round steak is a good alternative.
Onions – Onions add lots of flavor to the savory gravy that smothers the steak. Be sure to cook them until they’re softened but not too browned.
Balsamic Gravy – The balsamic gravy in this recipe is what really sets this dish apart from others. Made with red wine, beef broth, and a blend of herbs and spices, it’s easy to make. If you prefer not to use wine, you can substitute extra beef broth instead.
How to Cook Cube Steak with Gravy
It’s so easy to pull this delicious meal together in just a few easy steps:
- Lightly dust steaks in flour (known as dredging) and brown on both sides.
- Cook onions in butter, add wine, & reduce.
- Add steaks back to the pan & add remaining ingredients except for the cornstarch.
- Slow cook in the oven (per recipe below).
- Once cooked, the broth that can be thickened into gravy with a cornstarch slurry.
This dish is great spooned over mashed potatoes (or garlic mashed potatoes) or egg noodles.
Tips for Tender Cube Steak
- Cook the steak low and slow for the best results. A higher temperature won’t work with this recipe.
- If the cube steaks are not tender, they likely need more cooking time to continue to cook and break down tough tissues. Cover them back up and cook for another 20-30 minutes.
- No dutch oven? Brown the steaks & make the sauce on the stovetop, then transfer to a casserole dish (with a lid!) to bake.
- Leftovers can be kept in the fridge in a covered container for up to 3-4 days.
Side Dishes for Cube Steak
Did your family love this Cube Steak with Gravy recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Cube Steaks with Balsamic Onion Gravy
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cube steaks
- ⅓ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 large onions sliced into ¼" rings
- ½ cup red wine or beef broth
- 3-4 cups beef broth + 1 cup, not low sodium
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon rosemary chopped
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- On a shallow plate, combine flour, kosher salt, and pepper. Coat each cube steak with the seasoned flour mixture, shaking off any excess.
- In a 4qt dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Brown the cube steaks for 2 minutes on each side (adding additional olive oil if needed) or until lightly browned. Remove from the dutch oven and set aside.
- Melt the butter in the dutch oven and cook the onions over medium heat until they are tender. Add the wine and simmer over medium heat until it reduces by half. Add the browned steaks.
- Add remaining ingredients except for cornstarch. Cover and place in the oven. Cook for 2 ½-3 hours or until fork-tender. Halfway through cooking, add 1 more cup of broth so the meat is covered with liquid.
- Remove the dutch oven from oven and remove the steaks from the pot and place on a plate covered with foil.
- Combine cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water. Bring liquid in the pot to a boil. Stir in cornstarch slurry and stir until thickened.
- Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
Notes
- Cook the steak low and slow for the best results. A higher temperature won’t work with this recipe.
- If the cube steaks are not tender, they likely need more cooking time to continue to cook and break down tough tissues. Cover them back up and cook another 20-30 minutes.
- No dutch oven? Brown the steaks & make the sauce on the stovetop, then transfer to a casserole dish (with a lid!) to bake.
- Keep leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, Dinner, Entree, Main Course
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Can I cook them in a crockpot
Hi Donna, we have a delicious crockpot steak and gravy recipe that you could follow the cooking instructions for.