Cube Steak with Balsamic Onion Gravy

This fork-tender cube steak recipe has a savory gravy to make a cozy meal!

Cube steaks become extra tender cooked low and slow and are packed with flavor cooked in a balsamic gravy with golden onions.

It’s an easy way to turn an economical cut of beef into a five-star entree.

What is Cube Steak?

Cube steak is sometimes called minute steak or cubed steak.

Taken from the top or bottom round, it is a more economical cut of beef that looks similar to ground beef although it’s a single piece of meat. It’s been tenderized and flattened by a machine giving it the texture you see in the image below which looks almost like little “cubes” hence the name.

I cook cube steak in the 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 cooks to tender perfection using the method this recipe describes. If you don’t have cube steaks, round steak is a good option.

ONIONS What could be better than a steak smothered in a savory gravy made with onions? Onions should be cooked until softened but don’t brown them too much.

BALSAMIC GRAVY The sauce or gravy is made with red wine, beef broth, and a handful of savory herbs and spices. It’s super easy with a different flavor than our usual beef onion gravy like we use in our beef tips recipe. For a version without wine, simply substitute extra beef broth in place of the wine.

How to Cook Cube Steak with Gravy

It’s so easy to pull this delicious meal together in just a few easy steps:

1. Lightly dust steaks in flour (known as dredging) and brown on both sides.
2. Cook onions in butter, add wine, & reduce.
3. Add steaks back to the pan & add remaining ingredients except for the cornstarch.
4. Slow cook in the oven (per recipe below).
5. Once cooked, you’ll have a lovely flavorful 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 your 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.

Side Dishes For Cube Steak

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