Cubed Steak with Peppers and Olives Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to cook cube steak so it's tender? ›

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.

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.

Flank steak is our cut of choice for pepper steak—it's marbled with fat, full of beefy flavor, and easy to cut into thin, tender slices. That being said, flank isn't your only option. Skirt steak will give you a very similar result, or if you're looking for a cheaper choice, sirloin is another great option.

Tenderize Cube Steak With a Marinade

Marinades containing acidic ingredients (like vinegar, lemon juice, or wine) can help break down the tough fibers in cube steak. Soak the meat in the marinade for several hours or overnight for maximum effectiveness.

Cook the cube steak in oil for about 1 or 2 minutes on each side. After you've browned the meat: Move it into the slow cooker. Let it cook on low for 6 to 8 hours to end up with perfectly tender cube steak.

Place the cube steaks in the milk and turn them to coat them in the mixture. The soaking time depends according to how tough the steaks are and how tender you would like them to be. Like a marinade, however, you will get best results by soaking the steaks for four hours or overnight.

#2 – Place the steak and seasoned milk in a resealable plastic bag or covered container, and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 12 hours. #3 – Rinse the meat in cool running water, pat it dry, and discard the milk.

Marinate with Acid

Not only does a tenderizing steak marinade imbue aromatic flavour, but the acidic ingredients in it also denature connective proteins in the meat. Regular or apple cider vinegar, wine or beer, lemon or lime juice, buttermilk or yogurt contain tenderizing acids.

Steak au poivre is often served with pan peppercorn sauce consisting of reduced cognac, heavy cream, and the fond from the bottom of the pan, often including other ingredients such as butter, shallots, and/or Dijon mustard.

Should you put pepper on a steak before searing? ›

So should you pepper your steaks before you sear them? Well, the answer isn't a definitive "no," but it does really depend on what you're going for. Searing pepper is going to release a lot of bitterness, meaning that taste is going to impart itself on your steak -- but maybe that's exactly what you're looking for.

That's up to you and your palate. If you want a slightly bitter, pungent, and contrasting crust, go ahead and season it beforehand, and maybe turn the heat down a little. If you want to taste pepper's more floral, citrusy, woody notes, grind it on after the steak is finished cooking.

Use hot oil.

If your oil isn't hot enough before you add the steaks, the breading can fall off of the steaks because the eggs (the “glue”) don't cook instantly.

Transfer the dish to the middle oven rack and cook for 30-45 minutes until a meat thermometer reads 120 degrees for medium rare. Let rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. If desired, place cube steaks atop rice or mashed potatoes, and drizzle beef or mushroom gravy over the top just before serving.

Most recipes use the two-stage browning approach: Brown meat cubes first, and then simmer them until tender. But what happens when you rush the process by adding all the meat to the pot at once and crowding the pan? Moisture is exuded faster than it can be evaporated.

Physically tenderize the meat

For tough cuts like chuck steak, a meat mallet can be a surprisingly effective way to break down those tough muscle fibers. You don't want to pound it into oblivion and turn the meat into mush, but a light pounding with the rough edge of a meat mallet will do the trick.

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.

Cube steak is a budget-friendly meat item that delivers on flavor for recipes. The meat has been pre-tenderized which makes it a great choice for a get-dinner-on-the-table meal. You want to be careful to cook the cube steak correctly to keep the tenderized character and not have it become unpleasantly tough in texture.

Rest the meat

If you cut into those tight muscle fibers as soon as it's off the heat, all the juices pour out. That's why resting meat for 5-10 minutes is the secret for preparing a juicy and tender steak. This resting time allows the muscles to relax and release their juices evenly into the meat.