This easy Cube Steak Recipe is lightly seasoned breaded cube steaks pan-fried and smothered with a mouthwatering mushroom and onion gravy. This is the ultimate comfort food meal made in less than thirty minutes. Serve over fluffy mashed potatoes, Amish egg noodles, or jasmine rice.
What is Cube Steak?
It is beef steak, usually top round or top sirloin, that has been flattened and tenderized by beating with a meat mallet or a mechanical tenderizer. This process creates what looks like little cubes on the outside of the steak, giving it its unique name. This cut of beef is often breaded and fried for chicken fried steak. The store I shop at sells them mechanically tenderized, which I find to be slightly better. However, the process is quickly done at home using a cutting board, plastic wrap, and a meat mallet.
How to Cook Cube Steak and Gravy
Combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a pie plate. Dredge the cube steaks in the flour mixture. Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Cook the breaded cube steaks until browned on both sides.
Then, using the same skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and onions and cook until the mushrooms brown and the onions soften. Now reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, cooking for a minute while stirring constantly. Remove the vegetables from the skillet and plate. Pour in the beef broth (reserve 1/4 cup), stirring the liquid to loosen any brown bits on the bottom of the skillet. Add the Worcestershire Sauce and fresh thyme. Whisk together the reserved broth and cornstarch and whisk it into the skillet. Simmer the gravy until thickened, whisking several times.
Add the mushrooms, onions, and cooked cube steaks to the skillet. Cover and simmer for a few minutes. Finally, season with salt, pepper, and more thyme if desired.
Recipe Tips
- Use cremini or white button mushrooms. Both are equally delicious.
- Season your gravy with a little (1/4 teaspoon) onion powder and garlic powder if desired.
- Don’t forget to scrape those delicious brown bits off the bottom of the skillet. They are flavor-packed and always welcome in gravy.
- Slice those mushrooms at least 1/4 inch thick as the moisture will cook out, and they will shrink.
- Fresh thyme is always delicious with this recipe, but you could substitute 1 teaspoon of dried thyme or parsley.
Why is My Cube Steak Tough?
Cube steak is made from a less expensive cut of beef, so following a few basic cooking concepts will help create a delectable experience.
- Ensure the steaks are well pounded with a meat mallet or mechanically tenderized with a meat tenderizer.
- Don’t overcook the steaks when browning. It only takes a few minutes to brown the steaks and cook them. To avoid overcooking, cook to an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
- A good gravy base helps to tenderize the steak. Sometimes, I let the steaks simmer in the gravy on the stovetop a little longer than the recipe calls for. Or make them in an ovenproof skillet and let them bake in the oven in the gravy for an extra hour or until fork tender.
- Use a slow cooker and let them cook low and slow.
Best Side Dishes for Cube Steak
I love to serve this with garlic mashed potatoes, egg noodles, cauliflower mash, white rice, scalloped potatoes, roasted corn, sauteed green beans, or French baguettes with sweet cream butter.
Store and Reheat
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at 60% power until warmed.
- Once cooled, freeze in a sturdy freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat in a skillet on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at 60% power until warmed.
Cube Steak and Gravy
Ingredients
Cube Steak
- 4 cube steaks
- ¼ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
Mushroom Gravy
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 8 ounces mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth reserve ¼ cup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or parsley
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Stir together the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper on a deep plate. Dredge the cube steaks through the flour mixture. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the breaded cube steaks until browned on both sides and until they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Plate the cube steaks.
- Using the same skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and onions and cook until the mushrooms brown and the onions soften about 8-10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, cooking for a minute while stirring constantly. Remove the vegetables from the skillet and plate.
- Pour in the beef broth (reserve 1/4 cup). Use a spoon to loosen any brown bits on the bottom of the skillet. Add the Worcestershire Sauce and fresh thyme. Then whisk together the reserved beef broth and cornstarch and whisk it into the skillet. Bring it to a low boil. Then simmer the gravy until thickened, whisking several times.
- Add the mushrooms, onions, and cooked cube steaks back to the skillet. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and more thyme if desired.
Notes
- Use cremini or white button mushrooms. Both are equally delicious.
- If desired, season your gravy with a little (1/4 teaspoon) onion powder and/or garlic powder.
- Don’t forget to scrape those delicious brown bits off the bottom of the skillet. They are flavor packed and always welcome in gravy.
- Slice those mushrooms at least 1/4 inch thick as the moisture will cook out, and they will shrink.
- Fresh thyme is always delicious with this recipe, but you could substitute 1 teaspoon of dried thyme or parsley.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at 60% power until warmed.
- Once cooled, freeze in a sturdy freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat in a skillet on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at 60% power until warmed.
Nutrition
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Samantha Donnelly
This is perfect for meals at this time of year, and perfect home comfort type food we love to eat.
Yaya
Such great comfort food. One of my favorite recipes. Thanks for sharing!
Ella English
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. It looks so delicious and I know my kids will love it too. It is such a great idea to make this stew on cold evenings. Thanks for the inspiration.
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine Ella! Enjoy!
Laura
This is one of my favourite meals to make. It is the ultimate comfort food for me 🙂
Tammy
We loved it! Such a perfectly comforting meal for the colder days ahead. I am going to make it again for my Mom!
Indrani
Though I don’t consume beef, I found your tips really helpful Button mushrooms indeed enhance taste and flavour to dishes. And dried thymes are a must have ingredient in my kitchen shelves. I will try this process for goat meat. The pictures are really good, the gravy consistency seems very right.
Samantha Donnelly
Such a great recipe. The ultimate in comfort food. We enjoy this about once a month.
Interior Design Styles
Such great comfort food. The whole family really enjoyed these tender flavorful cube steaks. My mother used to make these and I had forgotten how delicious they really are.
Sophia
I tried another cube steak recipe a while back but this one is the keeper. I included green peppers along with onions and mushrooms. Turned out great!
Beth Pierce
Thanks! So glad that you enjoyed them!
jean
haven’t tried it yet! can i use flour instead of cornstarch? will this be tender or do i have to something more?
Beth Pierce
You can use flour and make a slurry. The tenderness depends on how they were mechanically tenderized or were tenderized with a mallet. You can always prepare them in an ovenproof skillet and cover them and cook them in there for a while on about 325 degrees.
Marysa
That looks absolutely delicious. So rich and hearty. My husband will love making this. Your recipe photos are amazing as well!
Beth Pierce
Thank you Marysa!
laura
This looks like a simple meal to make. It sounds so yummy, I must give it a try.
Lynndee
I love this dish. Comfort food at it’s best.
Catalina
Oh my goodness! This steak was perfect. The hubby and I really loved it. Thanks for the great recipe.
Jenn @ EngineerMommy
This recipe was be a big hit in our household. I will make this again soon. Thanks for sharing.
IceCreamnStickyFingers
We make steak occasionally. I’ve used steak in beef tips (steak, mushrooms, and beef gravy). I’ll have to try this cubed steak recipe. The only way my mom made cubed steak was with breading to make steak fingers. I’m not a fan.