Cubed Steak with Peppers and Olives Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you cook cube steak so it's not tough? ›

The best way to cook cube steak for tenderness is slowly and evenly, so a slow cooker can do the trick when you have ample time to spare. However, braising, pan-frying, and sauteing also work. Just be sure to cook with enough liquid to keep the steak moist.

Here's why: A steak that marinates in an acidic or enzymatic liquid too long, such as citrus juice or cola, becomes tough or mushy. But the acid in milk is so mild that you can soak beef in it long enough to tenderize it effectively, without damaging the proteins on the surface.

It comes from the top or bottom round, a tough portion near the rump of the cow usually used as stew meat. But cube steak has been pounded with a textured mallet or tenderized mechanically, a process that breaks down the muscle fibers, making it tender enough to pan-fry on the stove.

You can soak the cube steak in milk for overnight or a few hours in order to soften it and add juiciness. No need to rinse it before cooking if you're not adding any batter or breading to the surface. Keep the temperature relatively low and cook the meat slowly, setting aside 1.5 to 2 hours for the entire process.

Both are smothered in thick brown gravy, but Salisbury steak is made with ground beef formed into what resembles miniature or personal-sized meat loaves. Unlike the swift cooking times required by cube steak, Salisbury steak can simmer for a longer period of time without toughening the end product.

Cover and place the meat and milk marinade in the refrigerator between 4 to 12 hours—whatever you deem as the perfect wait—before rinsing and patting the meat dry.

To cook cube steak in a skillet, rinse the steak with cool water and pat it dry with paper towels, then sprinkle each side of the steak with salt and pepper. Dip the steak in a bowl with beaten eggs, then dredge it in a mixture of flour, spices, and salt so that it's coated well on both sides.

Slow cooking methods, such as using a slow cooker or cooking the meat in a low-temperature oven for an extended period, will inevitably break down the collagen and connective tissues in cube steak. This process is one of the most convenient since you can just set the timer and let the cooker work its magic.

What seasoning tenderizes steak? ›

Salting. Most cuts of steak benefit from being salted up to an hour in advance of cooking, but especially tougher cuts. In addition to seasoning the steaks, salt helps break down proteins and make the meat more tender. Liberally salt the steaks up to an hour before cooking, then proceed according to your recipe.

Everyone loves a great marinade to add flavor to chicken, steak, or fish, but did you know it can also help tenderize the meat? Use an acid-based food, like lemon or lime juice, over meat. Only keep this marinade on for two hours because too much time can make the meat too mushy.

Cube steak is a budget-friendly cut of meat and has the added plus of already being tenderized. This ingredient can be a time saver on a busy night — country-fried steaks, ground beef patties, slow-cooker recipes and burgers.

A Nordic variation of the minute steak is called a "leaf steak" in the local languages, after its thinness. In Ireland, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and some parts of the United States, cube steak is called a minute steak, because it can be cooked quickly.

Cube steak can be a part of a healthy diet when consumed in moderation and as part of a balanced meal plan. It contains a good amount of protein and essential nutrients which can be healthy as long as they're not consumed excessively.

You can velvet meat and make it melt-in-your-mouth tender by quickly tossing chunks of beef or chicken in about ¾ tsp of baking soda for about 15 minutes before your next stir fry, then rinse and pat the meat dry before putting in the pan.

The Cube steak is already tenderized if it's roughly textured, but letting it warm to room temperature before cooking and avoiding overcooking will keep it from toughening. You can also pound it more with your own tenderizing mallet.

Two options really, either it is really a poor cut of beef, or more likely it hasn't been cooked for long enough. Usually 3 hours in the oven in a casserole dish at 180C/350F should make any cut of beef tender.