Easy Crock Pot Cubed Steak With Mushroom Gravy Recipe

Recipe developer Patterson Watkins says she doesn't always remember to use her slow cooker, but when she does, she tells us, "I am always reminded of how much I enjoy this 'set it and forget it' comfort food cooking method." This saucy cube steak recipe, she tells us, is "100% slow cooking magic: no pre-searing, no pre-simmering. Just put the ingredients in your cooker gadget and go!" While she used an Instant Pot on the simmer setting, any kind of crock pot will work.

One thing that really sets this recipe apart, aside from ease of preparation, is the gravy, something Watkins calls "the stuff of legends." The gravy is made right in the crock pot along with the steak, and it's basically foolproof. It combines the best of convenience foods — canned cream of mushroom and French onion soup — plus the meat drippings and fresh vegetables. Patterson says, "The canned soup combo boosts the flavor of the onions and mushrooms while also creating this savory, umami richness in conjunction with the rendered cube steak drippings (and all their well-seasoned tastiness) and tomato paste." Best of all, you should have plenty of leftover gravy. You can serve it with your sides (more on those later), but you may also want to use some to make a next-day dish such as IKEA-style meatballs in gravy, Appalachian-style gravy bread, or even poutine.

The fresh ingredients you'll need for this dish include cube steaks, a yellow onion, button mushrooms, and parsley. Raid the pantry for salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cream of mushroom soup, French onion soup, beef broth, tomato paste, and cornstarch.

Pat the cube steaks dry with paper towels.

Season the steaks with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.

Place 2 steaks in the bottom of your slow cooker.

Top the steaks with half of the sliced onions and mushrooms.

Place the remaining steaks on top of the vegetables.

Top with the remaining onions and mushrooms.

Place the mushroom soup, onion soup, beef broth, and tomato paste in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.

Pour the liquid mixture over the steak and veggies.

Cover and slow cook on low for 8 hours (or, cook on high for 4 to 5 hours).

When there is 1 hour remaining on the cook time, combine the cornstarch and cold water, whisking until the cornstarch has dissolved, creating a slurry.

Pour the slurry into the slow cooker, gently stir to combine, cover, and continue cooking for that final hour or until the sauce has thickened and the steaks are tender.

To serve, divide the steaks between plates, and generously top with the mushroom-onion gravy. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

While you can purchase cube steaks in most meat departments, you can also take the DIY approach. Cube steak is basically a cheap, tough cut that's been tenderized by beating. Patterson Watkins tells us, "The 'cube' comes from a tenderizing technique butchers use to make these inexpensive and, often, tough meat cuts fork-tender. You can find packs of these cube steaks in your meat section or behind the butcher counter. If you are struggling to find them, making your own is pretty simple, you'll just need a meat mallet that has a pokey, pointy end." It's a different texture than a standard steak, but not quite a hamburger or Salisbury steak. One common recipe calling for cube steak is chicken or country-fried steak.

To make cube steak, start with a top round steak (or a sirloin, if you're feeling fancy or got a really good deal on these). Use the pointy end of the meat mallet to beat the steaks, but don't use so much force that you puncture them. Watkins advises, "You don't want to puncture the steaks all the way through, just firm taps to make hearty divots." Once the steaks are waffle-y looking, sprinkle them with seasoning as per the recipe, then allow them to sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. This will allow the seasoning to help tenderize the meat.

As the gravy is such a selling point with this steak, you'll want to up the comfort factor by picking the perfect side as a go-with. Mashed potatoes are excellent since they're such a perfect pairing with gravy, but a baked potato could also work, as could a side of french fries for dipping. Other gravy-catching sides besides potatoes could include plain white rice or egg noodles. Watkins says, "I could even see how a mashed sweet potato would work well, balancing the savory elements with a nice earthy sweetness." You could even whip up a batch of baking powder biscuits, because biscuits and gravy is another classic combination.

Because the steaks and gravy are quite rich, you may also want to balance the meal out with a vegetable side or two. (Your mom asked us to say this.) Sauteed garlicky spinach would be good, and a bright green salad with a zesty dressing never goes amiss. Green beans, broccoli, and asparagus could all add a little bitter contrast to the savory gravy, while baked beans could bring a sweet element to the meal. If you think you'll still have room for dessert, we'd suggest balancing out such a rich meal with something light like our tart and salty Atlantic Beach lemon pie.