Cubed Steak with Brown Gravy is THE Sunday dinner favorite at my house. I season the steak and brown it on both sides. Then I make the gravy and pour it over the steak. The smothered cube steak is baked in the oven until tender and delicious.
The steaks go into the oven on low for 2-3 hours (or the slow cooker on low for 4-5 hours). It cooks while we’re at church and once I’m home, I cook the rice, vegetables, and rolls and Sunday dinner is served.
Do you say cube steak or cubed steak? Either way, this baked cube (or cubed) steak is tender and delicious!
This recipe serves eight. I have to double it when the entire family comes over for dinner. You can easily cut this recipe in half to serve four. But, I’d go ahead and make the full recipe. Cubed Steak is delicious warmed over.
When I recently made this for Sunday dinner, the grandkids called dibs on leftovers. The oldest two grandkids wanted the leftovers to take for their school lunch on Monday.
What is cubed steak?
The term cubed steak (or cube steak) simply refers to a steak (usually top round or top sirloin) that has been tenderized and flattened by pounding with an electric meat tenderizer or a meat mallet. The name refers to the indentions left in the meat.
I prefer to buy the steaks already tenderized.
Ingredients You’ll Need To Make Cubed Steak
- 8 cubed steaks (about 4 lbs.) (You can easily divide this recipe in half!)
- Flour for dredging steak (about 3/4 cup)
- Salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
Gravy
- 4 Tablespoons flour
- 2 cups water
- Salt and pepper to taste
How To Make Cubed Steak with Brown Gravy
Add flour to a flat dish. I use a plate and I never measure the four. I just eyeball it.
Season the flour with garlic powder. If you don’t care for garlic, just leave it out.
Sprinkle both sides of each piece of steak with pepper and salt. I tend to go heavier on the pepper.
Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. While the oil is heating, dredge four pieces of cubed steak in the flour.
Add steaks to the skillet and brown on both sides.
Once the steaks are browned, I place them on a paper towel-lined platter until all the steaks are done.
Repeat with the remaining four pieces of cubed steak. Transfer the steaks to a 13×9 baking pan.
Pour gravy over the steaks and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 2-3 hours at 250ยบF.
The steaks always turn out tender and delicious.
How to Make Brown Gravy
I grew up eating brown gravy so it’s my favorite kind. Gravy is not hard to make once you get the hang of it.
Turn the heat to medium and add 4 tablespoons of flour to the pan drippings. Whisk the flour continually until browned.
Gradually stir in the water. Increase the heat to medium-high and whisk constantly until gravy thickens. It doesn’t take long for the gravy to thicken. Taste the gravy and add salt and pepper if needed.
I usually make rice to go with the cubed steak and gravy. This gravy is so good served over rice! It’s good over mashed potatoes, too.
Country Fried Steak In A Hurry
If you don’t want to simmer the cubed steak for a couple of hours, you can make country-fried steak in just a few minutes.
Dredge the steaks according to the recipe. Add the oil to a skillet and heat it on medium-high heat. Cook steaks for about 3 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. (Internal temp should be 155ยบ-165ยบ)
Place the steaks on a baking sheet and place them in a 250ยบ oven while you make the gravy according to the recipe directions below. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.
Can I Add Onions To The Gravy?
Yes, you can!
To add onions:
- Heat two tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
- Add one medium sliced onion. I love to use Vidalia onions when I can get them.
- Cook the onions, stirring often, until transparent. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon.
- Follow the directions below to brown the cubed steak.
- After placing the cubed steaks in a 13×9 dish, top evenly with the sliced onions before adding the gravy.
Cubed Steak with Brown Gravy
Cubed steak is browned on both sides, covered with homemade gravy and cooked on low for 2-3 hours. It's so tender and delicious.
Ingredients
- 8 cubed steaks (about 4 lbs.)
- Flour for dredging steak (about 3/4 cup)
- Salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
Gravy
- 4 Tablespoons flour
- 2 cups water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet on medium-high.
- Place flour in a shallow plate and season with garlic powder.
- Season each piece of steak with a sprinkle of salt and pepper on both sides.
- Dredge steaks in flour and brown on both sides in oil. Don't crowd the steaks and work in batches.
- Once all the steaks are browned, reduce the heat to medium and whisk in 4 Tablespoons of flour to the steak drippings. Stir constantly until flour is browned.
- Add water slowly. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, until gravy has thickened.
- Place the steaks in a large baking pan. Pour the gravy over the steaks. Cover tightly with foil.
- Bake at 250º F. for 2-3 hours.
Notes
Want to add onions to your gravy?
- Heat two tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
- Add one medium sliced onion. I love to use Vidalia onions when I can get them.
- Cook the onions, stirring often, until transparent. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon.ย
- Follow the directions above to brown the cubed steak.
- After placing the cubed steaks in a 13x9 dish, top evenly with the sliced onions before adding the gravy.
Need to make Cubed Steak in a hurry?
If you don't want to simmer the cubed steaks for a couple of hours, you can make country-fried steak in just a few minutes.
Dredge the steaks in the flour mixture according to the recipe. Add the oil to a skillet and heat it on medium-high heat. Cook steaks for 3 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. (Internal temp should be 155ยบ-165ยบ)
Place the steaks on a baking sheet and place them in a 250ยบ oven while you make the gravy according to the recipe directions. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.
Cubed Steak in the slow cooker!
After browning the cube steak and making the gravy, add the steaks to a slow cooker and pour the gravy over. Cook on low for 4-5 hours. (If you're adding onions, place the onions over the steaks before adding the gravy.)
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 438Total Fat 27gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 16gCholesterol 105mgSodium 175mgCarbohydrates 15gFiber 1gSugar 0gProtein 32g