These tender and meaty cubed steaks are perfectly seasoned and seared, and they're smothered in a rich and flavorful onion gravy. And, honestly, as far as quick and easy steak recipes go, this one has got to be one of the most indulgent, and delicious. I mean, every bite is just flavor on top of flavor, and, best of all, just one skillet and some simple ingredients are all you need to put this meal together.
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My Take On Cube Steak
If you've never had cube steak smothered in onion gravy before, you're in for a real treat. This recipe is not only super simple, but it's also super inexpensive, and I think it tastes like something you would get from a restaurant!
Seriously, this perfectly seared seasoned chicken fried steak is nice and tender with an incredibly flavor-packed onion gravy. It's so good I could lick it off the plate!
I mean, what more could you want from one of the best cube steak recipes out there? Well, besides maybe some tasty sides to go along with the steak, of course.
Speaking of sides, if you're looking for what to serve with cube steak, I love serving this cube steak with gravy along with these red skin mashed potatoes, this Longhorn Steakhouse bread, or these crack green beans. Honestly, they're all perfect sides to pair with this tender cube steak recipe.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
It makes perfectly cooked cube steaks. Seriously, this is the best recipe I've tried that makes cube steaks tender and still juicy every time.
It's simple to make. Everything in this recipe is made from scratch in just 30 minutes, and you only need one pan. Preparing cube steak has never been easier!
Restaurant quality steak. I truly think this cube steak tastes like a $50 steak you'd get from a restaurant. It's that good!
Ingredients
Another reason I love this cube steak is it's made with simple ingredients. The list may look long, but you'll see that practically everything here is a common pantry staple. Also, anything you don't already have at home should be available in your nearest grocery store.
Anyway, here's everything you'll need to cook cube steak with onion gravy:
- 2 Cubed Steaks
- 1 tbsp. Brown Sugar
- ½ tsp. Black Pepper
- ½ tsp. Salt
- ½ tsp. Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp. Onion Powder
- 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp. Butter
- ½ Onion, sliced
- 1 cup Beef Broth
- 2 tbsp. Cornstarch
- 1 tbsp. Fresh Parsley
Not too shabby, right?!
By the way, if you love steak, you can use some of these same ingredients to make this flat iron steak next! And if you're looking for another one of the best cube steak recipes, you can use almost all of these ingredients to make this crock pot cube steak.
My Ingredient Substitution Recommendations
So, you can find cube steak at most grocery stores, sometimes under the name minute steak.
If you can't find it, you can use top round or top sirloin steak and tenderize it with a meat mallet. I'll get into more detail on that below.
As for the onion gravy, I've seen people use onion soup mix to cut down on time. And while you can definitely do that in a pinch, I highly recommend starting from scratch since it'll taste so much better.
Oh, and you can use most of the ingredients here to make this classic brown gravy too. So you might want to bookmark that recipe for later! It's a really, really tasty one to make, especially with some twice baked mashed potatoes.
How To Make Cube Steaks with Gravy
As far as cube steak recipes go, this is by far one of the quickest and tastiest.
As I mentioned, it only takes about 30 minutes to make this recipe from start to finish. And, honestly, most of that time is allocated to making the gravy from scratch. So, to make it even faster, just use some onion soup mix instead.
With all that said, let's dive into the steps for this recipe!
Step 1: Prepare The Cube Steaks
First things first, pound each steak liberally with a meat mallet to tenderize. However, if your cube steaks are already tenderized, you can skip this step.
Then, in a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Rub this seasoning mix all over the beef cube steaks and make sure both sides are evenly covered.
Step 2: Cook The Cube Steaks
Next, preheat a cast iron skillet or large skillet to medium high heat and add some olive oil.
Now you can add in the cube steaks and sear them on both sides. It should take about 2-3 minutes per side.
Once your pan fried cube steak are cooked, transfer the steaks to a plate or cutting board to rest.
Step 3: Make The Gravy
Next, pour out the grease from the pan and then add a tablespoon of butter to it to make the gravy recipe.
Now, let the butter melt over medium heat, and add in the sliced onions. Fry the onions for around 10 minutes, or until they turn golden brown.
Now, dissolve the cornstarch in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons of the beef broth to make a slurry. Pour the rest of the beef broth into the pan, stir, bring to almost a bowl, and add in the cornstarch slurry.
Let it cook for another 10 minutes, stirring constantly until the gravy has thickened to your desired consistency.
Then, taste the gravy and season with salt and pepper as necessary.
Step 4: Plate and Serve
Finally, transfer your cube steaks to a plate and pour the gravy on top.
Then you'll want to garnish the chicken fried steak with fresh parsley and serve with mashed potatoes or your choice of sides for a hearty meal.
Enjoy!
How I Recommend Storing Cube Steak
Now, recipes for cube steak are best enjoyed fresh. And, honestly, it's so good that you aren't likely to have leftovers anyway!
But, if you do, you can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
You can also transfer them to a freezer bag with the air squeezed out and freeze it for up to 3 months.
I highly recommend storing your cube steak and onion gravy separately so the steak doesn't get oversaturated in the gravy. And you can follow the same steps for storing your onion gravy as you did the steak.
How I Reheat Cube Steak with Gravy
When it comes to reheating cube steak, you should expect that it won't be as juicy as freshly seared steak. That said, there are some steps you can take for the best reheating results.
I think the best way to reheat cube steak is to cook it in a cast iron skillet with olive oil over medium heat. And it should only take about 2-3 minutes to warm up your steak without drying it out too much. Then, take out your country fried steak and warm up the beef gravy in the same pan.
By the way, if you're starting with the frozen cube steak and gravy, make sure to thaw them in the fridge overnight first.
FAQs About This Cube Steak Recipe
Why is cube steak cheap?
Cube steaks come from top sirloin, which is one of the cheapest cuts of meat due to its low ratio of fat in the muscle (marbling). It's not as cheap as ground beef, but it's still inexpensive compared to premium cuts of steak.
With that said, if you know how to cook it properly, it's just as delicious as the pricy steaks that you can get. So, cube steak recipes are an excellent option if you're craving some hearty steak.
What is cube steak used for?
Cube steak can be cooked like stew beef or like steak. It's added to slow-cooked soups and stews, and it can even be used in most crockpot recipes that call for steak.
With that said, pan-frying cube steak on the stove produces some really tasty results, and that's how we like to cook it at our house. However, you can even cook cube steak on the grill just like a normal steak.
What is the difference between steak and cube steak?
Cube steak is mainly made with a tough cut of meat with less marbling, like top round or top sirloin. It's tenderized with a meat tenderizer to break some of its fibers and make it easier to cut and chew. Regular steak, meanwhile, is made with fattier cuts of meat with good marbling. This means the steaks don't have to be pounded for tender results.
What is cube steak also called?
It's normally called cube steak, but it's not uncommon to see it labeled as "cubed steak". Other names for cube steak are "minute steak" or "swiss steak." However, no matter what you call it, it'll taste delicious.
My Final Thoughts
Well, that's how to make cube steak covered in the best gravy you'll ever taste!
This cube steak with gravy is a great way to turn a budget-friendly cut into a 5-star dinner! Best of all, it doesn't require a lot of effort or fancy ingredients either.
With just a few ingredients - and one pan - you can make this delicious beef cube steak for dinner to spoil your date, your family, or even yourself.
As always, if you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment below and let us know how it went. We'd love to know your thoughts!
More Recipes
If you're looking for some more delicious recipes like this easy cube steak recipe, we have a bunch on the blog that I think you'll enjoy!
Give one of these a try next:
- Ham loaf
- Great Northern beans
- Braised beef shank
- Bavette steak
- Beijing beef
- Steak kabobs in the oven
- Lamb lollipops
And for more easy dinner recipes, don't forget to check out our Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube. We post new ones on them daily.
The Best Cube Steak Recipe With Gravy Made In 30 Minutes
These tender and meaty cubed steaks are perfectly seasoned and seared, and they're smothered in a rich and flavorful onion gravy. And, honestly, as far as quick and easy steak recipes go, this one has got to be one of the most indulgent, and delicious. I mean, every bite is just flavor on top of flavor, and, best of all, just one skillet and some simple ingredients are all you need to put this meal together.
Ingredients
- 2 Cubed Steaks
- 1 tbsp. Brown Sugar
- ½ tsp. Black Pepper
- ½ tsp. Salt
- ½ tsp. Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp. Onion Powder
- 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp. Butter
- ½ Onion, sliced
- 1 cup Beef Broth
- 2 tbsp. Cornstarch
- 1 tbsp. Fresh Parsley
Instructions
- Pound steaks with a meat tenderizer.
- Mix the brown sugar, balck pepper, salt, garlic powder and onion powder and rub over the steaks.
- Add olive oil to a non-stick skillet and sear steaks on both sides - around 2-3 minutes per side. Reserve.
- In that same skillet, add 1 tbsp. butter, remove the grease from the bottom of the pan and add the onions.
- Fry the onions for around 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Separate around 2 tbsp. of beef broth to mix with the cornstarch until it dissolves, and add the rest to the pan. Stir it and add the cornstarch mixture.
- Cook for 10 minutes, or until it thickens, season with salt and pepper to your like.
- Serve steaks with the onion gravy and top with fresh parsley.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 232Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 25g
Andy
The gravy in this recipe is terrific.
Ed
Gravy is great and the steak is incredible.