(Use an iron skillet if you have one.) Check the liquid level every 30 minutes and adding more if necessary to keep liquid in the bottom of the pan. Once the oil is hot, add the cubes and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until browned and cooked through. It contains iodine which can give the meat a strange chemical flavor. Pounding cube steaks with a spiked mallet, marinades, salt, baking soda, enzymes and slow cooking at low temperatures are all great ways to tenderize cube steak. Cube steak, also commonly known as minute steak for its short cooking time, offers both versatility and tasty flavor. In this Strip Steak with Spiced Salt recipe, a spiced salt mixture has plenty of time to penetrate NY strips while the grill heats up. That sounds amazing. I totally agree with you! Right! Cube Steak Recipe - The Cozy Cook . Use a spiked meat mallet to pound the beef in especially tough areas or anywhere missed by the butcher. Allow the meat to rest for at least 15 minutes, and wash the baking soda off before you cook the meat. It's a great way of cooking bottom round steak and getting tender meat every time! Acids break down proteins and tough connective tissue which tenderizes the meat. It just takes a few hours of marinating to get it ready for the grill. After going through this quick and easy, extra tenderizing process the steaks are ready to be used in any recipe. 2023 Warner Bros. Still looking for a way to cook cube steak in the oven *without gravy*. of oil in the pan or Dutch oven and heat over medium-high. After that, all you need to do is add the cut back for a few moments to heat it back up, and you are ready to serve. Rub the cube steak pieces with the Montreal steak spice and olive oil, gently, and set aside. Dredge cubed steaks in flour mixture. Let it sit for about 10 minutes before rinsing and cooking as usual. Get all the latest recipes straight to your inbox! Our beef was never tuff, but the beef we get today has no taste at all , I guess all good things come to and end. STEP 4: Flip the meat over and repeat steps 1-3 on the other side. Pork Butt vs. Pork Shoulder: Whats the Difference? Heat this mixture until the onion becomes translucent. Really, a butcher can make cube steaks from any meat on the animal, but theyre typically made with tougher cuts of meat. Like a marinade, however, you will get best results by soaking the steaks for four hours or overnight. 2. Whisk together 2 eggs and the can of evaporated milk in a bowl. STEP 3: Pound each piece of steak with a large knife. Since the meat has already been tenderized, you dont want to pound the entire steak. Muscle is made up of long strings of connective tissue called fibers. This will help to save time and prevent the meat from sticking to the pan. Preheat oven to 350. The soaking time depends according to how tough the steaks are and how tender you would like them to be. Simply place the meat in between pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper and pound it prior to cooking. For best cooking results ensure it is evenly pounded out. You only need a small amount of baking soda, as little as a 1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g). This turns the meat brown and adds more flavor. This makes them tougher and harder to chew. Wrap the beef in waxed paper or a plastic bag. Butchers can make it from just about any part of the cow, but these two portions are the most popular because they are tougher.Once the meat has been removed from the cow, the butcher will run it through a tenderizer. The enzyme most commonly used is papain, which comes from papayas or bromelain, which comes from pineapples. Dredge cube steak in the flour mixture. Dont over pound the beef because its already been tenderized before you bought it. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the steak bites are heated through. The brine then absorbs into the meat, adding in moisture while tenderizing. Instructions. But its very flavorful beef thats inexpensive, which makes it perfect for steak dishes like tacos, fajitas, sandwiches or a stew. Cover the frying pan and cook the steaks for three to four minutes or until they reach approximately 130 degrees F. Cooking the deer meat to higher temperatures will dry the meat out and make it tough. Then, place the cubes in a saute pan with a little bit of water. Season the steaks with salt, pepper, and paprika. We like our steaks packaged 5 to a package because thats how many are in our family. In another pie plate, stir an egg and half a tablespoon of hot sauce into about two cups of buttermilk. The butcher will have run the cut through a tenderizer before purchasing. We went straight to the butcher to find out. While your cast-iron skillet is heating, season the cube steaks with salt and pepper. To use this method, you will start much like you did when cooking the steak: Just because cube steak is inexpensive does not mean that it cannot make a tasty meal for your family. Season steak with paper and salt and then dredge in flour mixture, taking care, not to overcoat. Make sure the lid stays on tight. Pound both sides of the beef with a spiked mallet to soften up those tough muscle fibers. Marinate the cube steak in baking soda. Place your seared steak in your slow cooker, cover with our healthy Mushroom Thyme Gravy and cook on low for seven to eight hours. There should always be liquid in the bottom of the pan. One of the benefits of taking your own meat to the butcher is you get to tell them how you want the meat to be cut and wrapped. Estimating 1 teaspoon per pound of meat, cover the meat in baking soda, working into the meat with your hands. Its easy to over salt a steak thats already been tenderized in salt. Plus theyre more tender, fry faster, and go further for feeding a small crowd. Add a single layer of meat at a time, and sear in small batches. 2. STEP 2: Sprinkle meat with a little bit of all-purpose flour and a dash of salt and pepper. Score the steak with a very sharp knife. In addition to pounding the beef with a spiked mallet and cutting it into cubes against the grain, you can also try salt, enzymes, marinades and baking soda. Baking soda mixed with water creates a solution that can tenderize a tough steak in only 15 minutes. When its time to slice the meat, make sure to do it against the grain. Instructions. Steaks that benefit from tenderizing include: Using a meat mallet (or kitchen mallet) to pound steaks helps soften and tenderize the meat. Oh, thats because most people in the US had been calling them minute steaks. You want to whack the meat hard enough to leave indentions about 1/8 deep. Then put in the beef and cook with the lid on tight at around 300 F for about 2 4 hours. STEP 1: Place the meat on a chopping board and cut it into pieces. Thats because we love all kinds, even unique cuts.If you think of yourself as a meatatarian," then you need to give cube steak a try despite what you may have heard.Cube steak is a beautiful cut of meat because it is relatively inexpensive while still providing an exquisite taste. This cut of steak is just like skirt steak - only much less expensive. Braising is a cooking technique that involves covering your meat with a liquid and slow cooking it until tender. Pounding steak with a spiked mallet not only tenderizes the beef but also creates small dimples on the surface. But it still benefits from some additional tenderizing before you cook. This area is where cube steaks come from. Tenderize cube steak by cutting is properly. I cut meat in Rochester, NY and we packaged minute steaks AND cube steak! You should always sear a cube steak before braising or cooking a stew. As with other marinades, this method works best with thinner cuts such as hanger or skirt steaks. When you find a tough section pound it with your mallet. Preheat oven to 325 F. Preheat oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. I also think restaurants use meat tenderizer before cooking and in my opinion theres no shame in that. If there's not enough water, the meat will become dry. All rights reserved. Cube steak is sometimes called cubed steak, or swiss steak. But pounding is a quick and easy way to tenderize a steak. The Difference Between A Fuse Box & Electrical Panel, What I Wish I Knew Before Building My First Home, How To Install A Welded Wire Fence Like A Pro, How To Restore Your Cast Iron Grill Grates. This cut of cube steak is also a good source of iron and many of the B vitamins. The secret to braising is keeping the temperature low enough to break down collagen in the meat fibers but high enough to kill microorganisms. As pH levels rise toward the outside of the meat, proteins on the inside loosen their bonds. With mashed potatoes. Reserve the pan drippings for the cream gravy. Cube steak, typically a portion of top round beef, is an inexpensive cut of meat sold in supermarkets after being tenderized by machine or by mallet. Check out my favorite Cube Steak recipe thats made in a slow cooker! Granulated tenderizer is typically found in the spice isle of most supermarkets. One of the most popular ways to cook cube steak right is in the skillet over medium-high heat. However pounding is a fast and simple way to tenderize a steak. Copyright 2023 Gambrick Construction website by On Your Mark Design and Graphics. per side. Always slice meat against the grain. Step 1: Choose a thin, boneless cut of a steak. Working parts of a cow, like the legs, neck and lower muscles, get more exercise so the meat is tough and sinewy with more strips of fat and less marbling. Pan-frying - this is probably the most common cooking technique, such as when making chicken fried steak. A meat mallet has two sides, flat and spiky. You might have heard of them referred to as minute steaks which is actually a Canadian term for cubed steaks.. Check Price on Amazon. Soak the beef in water and baking soda for a cheap solution. Pour beef broth over all and also add the worcheshire sauce . Cube steak cut from a part of the cow that gets a lot of exercise, which makes the meat tougher and leaner. Cube steak is tenderized by a mechanical tenderizer by the butcher, but it still benefits from additional tenderizing at home. If you feel a steak with your hands you can tell where some areas are harder than others. Cube steak is mechanically tenderized by the butcher before you buy it which leaves behind lots of small holes. Always sear (brown) the meat quickly before starting to braise. Low & slow might work for something like Swiss Steak, but we LOVE Chicken Fried Steak, when its good & its the only reason we buy it. When enzyme tenderizers are used too long the steak can get mushy on the outside. Check Price on Amazon. But its not a perfect process which is why some additional tenderizing at home is recommended. Tip: Dont put too much meat in the pot when searing. Braising is a slow cooking process both in the oven or on a stovetop. Next, heat some oil in a frying pan over medium heat, and cook the steak for 6-7 minutes per side. 4. Yes, starting with a good cut of meat is typically the biggest secret to ending up with an amazing meal. Add 1/2 cup of water or beef broth to the pan along with your other ingredients, vegetables and spices. STEP 2: Sprinkle a little amount of all-purpose flour over the meat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Minute steaks were quickly cooked for sandwiches. Cut it into thin strips, let it completely thaw, and use it instead of round steak in my Sweet and Spicy Beef recipe. Our website is supported by our users. So only keep them on for a few minutes. Cattlemen's Beef Board and National Cattlemen's Beef Association, How to Cook Rib Eye Steaks on the Stove Top, Nutritional Information for New York Strip, Filet Mignon and Rib-Eye, 10 Steak Recipes That Any Carnivore Will Love, USDA: "Food Availability and Consumption", Cattlemen's Beef Board and National Cattlemen's Beef Association: "Retail Meat Case: America's Favorite Beef Cuts", USDA FoodData Central: "Beef, Round, Bottom Round, Steak, Separable Lean and Fat, Trimmed to 0" Fat, Choice, Cooked, Braised", American Heart Association: "Saturated Fat", World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute of Cancer Research: "Limit Red and Processed Meat", Cattlemen's Beef Board and National Cattlemen's Beef Association: "Cubed Steak", Cattlemen's Beef Board and National Cattlemen's Beef Association: "Country-Fried Steaks With Tomato Basil", FoodSafety.gov: "Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures Charts", USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service: "Veal From Farm to Table". Most of the time these steaks are made with beef but can be made from pork, deer, or elk too. To tenderize cube steaks, make sure to roll it in a cast iron skillet or a pan with a non-stick coating. Using the mallets flattening side helps to create a uniform thickness, so the steak cooks more evenly. My mom always called them minute because they fry fast but you want to clook slow in the gravy or in pressure cooker or crock pot. Are there any tips for finding GOOD cube steaks, by sight, at a grocery store??? Either way, theyre delicious! Cube steak is a more brutal cut of meat, but you can tenderize it quickly and easily by mixing baking soda with some water and applying the solution to the heart. Once the slow cooker finishes cooking it, top it off with some delicious gravy to take your dish to the next level. Add all your spices after the meat is removed from the baking soda and rinsed. If you use a powder, let it sit for just a minute or two before cooking. Place the meat in as soon as the oil gets hot. Start checking your meat when you hit around 80% of the total recommended cooking time, and stop cooking as soon as it reaches the stage at which the meat is tender, but not falling apartso, if a recipe says to cook the stew for two and a half hours, start checking it around the two-hour mark. Read more: How to Cook a Tender Steak on the Stove. Simply place the meat in between pieces of plastic wrap or wax . I feel you have to tenderize it further after purchase. I hope you found something to share with your family. Therefore, you must only eat this dish in moderation because it adds extra fat and calories to a cut of meat already high in these two nutrients.You will be better off going with the skillet preparation regularly and using a chicken frying recipe only on special occasions. Vegetable oil: The oil is used for frying the steak and gives it its crispy exterior. Then melt some butter in the skillet using . Thank you! This tenderizing process is how cube steak got its name. A simple and delicious meal made in less than 30 minutes! The cubed steaks are browned in a skillet before being slow-cooked with sauted garlic, onions, jalapeos, plus a mix of other delightful ingredients that includes oregano, cumin, chili powder, green chiles, and tomatoes. . Theyre typically made from a round steak or round roast, which is found on the hind end of a cow. This will help keep the juices locked inside so the steak . In a medium sized bowl, stir together flour and seasonings. Heat a small amount of oil in the pan on medium heat and add the steak bites. After that, you need to get your large skillet ready by heating a tablespoon of olive oil. Dont use regular table salt to tenderize a steak. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the pan when it is hot, evenly coating the bottom. Steaks are actually muscles cut from a cow. Minute steaks are usually rib eye meat, set up for cheesesteak. Dredge each steak first in the flour, then in the batter, and again in the flour. Slow cooking with wet heat is the best way to cook cube steak so it isnt tough. Copy space. Beef Bourguignon in a white soup bowl on black stone background, top view. 6. . Pounding. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pound the steak on both sides hard enough to create dimples in the meat. Hopefully, that helps! One way, slow cooked with garlic in sauted onions and brown gravy with mashed potatoes, mushrooms. FavoritePinShare Cube Steak is a tenderized beef steak seared in beef broth, onion and garlic powder then made with the BEST Mushroom Gravy. Next, start rubbing them with your seasoning mix before flouring. Preparing the Steaks. Live in Kentucky for 55 years, always heard these called minute steaks. Not just any marinade will tenderize a steak, it has to contain some acid like lemon, lime or kiwi. Baking soda causes the steaks pH level to increase while neutralizing acid found in the meat. Since the butcher already tenderized the cube steak, you don have to pound the entire steak. Lay on a plate to rest for 5 minutes. This will contain the meats juices as you hit it. Meat tenderizer contains a naturally derived enzyme powder. Theyve been called minute steaks all across the US for decades. They still taste the same! Butchers may also use various cuts of veal, meat from a calf or young cow, to make veal cube steak. Meat and season with salt and then dredge in flour mixture, taking,... My opinion theres no shame in that beef Bourguignon in a bowl the temperature low enough to create uniform! The surface exercise, which comes from papayas or bromelain, which makes it perfect for steak dishes tacos. You would like them to be little amount of baking soda, as little as a 1/4 teaspoon 1.5. 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After purchase steak recipe thats made in a bowl is why some additional tenderizing at home the butcher but... Ph levels rise toward the outside of the cow that gets a lot of exercise which... Process both in the skillet over medium-high heat of small holes pepper and! The US had been calling them minute steaks are and how tender you would like them be. Background, top it off with some delicious gravy to take your dish to the pan too. Simple way to cook cube steak before braising or cooking a stew the batter, and the... Meat brown and adds more flavor side until browned and cooked through a spiked mallet not tenderizes!, also commonly known as minute steaks are made with the best Mushroom gravy in baking soda before. A cheap solution is hot, evenly coating the bottom of the pan on medium heat and add the sauce... Paper and salt and pepper salt, pepper, and paprika or elk too paprika! Stir an egg and half a tablespoon of hot sauce into about two cups of buttermilk steaks from any on... Stirring occasionally, until the steak can get mushy on the surface long strings of connective tissue called.! Latest recipes straight to the pan when it is hot, evenly coating the bottom of the or! For 55 years, always heard these called minute steaks by the butcher, but still. Animal, but theyre typically made with beef but can be made from pork, deer, or too. Cover the meat brown and adds more flavor gets a lot of exercise, which comes from.... Steak before braising or cooking a stew our steaks packaged 5 to a package because how! Cooking with wet heat is the best Mushroom gravy to slice the meat your! If you use a spiked mallet to pound the entire steak strange chemical flavor the Difference add 1/2 of! Hit it, the meat in Rochester, NY and we packaged steaks! Make cube steaks, by sight, at a grocery store??. The surface butcher already tenderized the cube steak right is in the bottom the... Next level heard of them referred to as minute steak for 6-7 per! Small amount of oil in a white soup bowl on black stone background, top view four hours or.... Or swiss steak: how to cook cube steak any recipe steaks across... As pH levels rise toward the outside my opinion theres no shame in.. Pork Butt vs. pork Shoulder: Whats the Difference meat on a plate to rest for 5 minutes how. Meat to rest for 5 minutes the inside loosen their bonds inside the... Create dimples in the flour contains iodine which can give the meat hard enough to break down collagen in flour... For at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the steak on the hind of... Or swiss steak pan-frying - this is probably the most common cooking technique that involves covering meat.