Crock pot Cube Steak and Gravy Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to make gravy from liquid in crock pot? ›

In your slow cooker, add in the white wine, rosemary, salt and pepper. Heat on high for about 1 1/2 hours, to cook off the alcohol. Add cornstarch into the bowl of turkey drippings and whisk together. Add that mixture to your slow cooker, cover and heat on high for another half-hour until gravy thickens.

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.

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.

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.

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.

It's milk.

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. The calcium-rich properties of milk react with enzymes in the meat to gently soften the proteins.

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. Rushing the cube steak with higher heat will only toughen it.

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.

Cube steak is also famously breaded or battered and pan-fried for the comfort-food favorites chicken-fried steak or country-fried steak. Saucy accompaniments like brown or white gravy, mushrooms and caramelized onions are traditionally paired with cube steak to complement its firm texture.

How long do you tenderize 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.

The acetic acid in vinegar breaks down meat fibres and makes them more tender and flavoursome. Method: Add a tablespoon of white vinegar to your cooking liquids or soak your meat in vinegar before you cook it.

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.

As well as acid, enzymes found in fruits like pineapple, kiwi, mangoes, and papaya disrupt the molecular structure of meat's connective tissue. Adding puréed fruit to your marinade turns tough and chewy meat tender and juicy. Again, you want to soften the steak, not reduce it to an unappetizing mush.

A cornstarch slurry is a mixture of a cold liquid with cornstarch. It is used as a thickening agent, and is particularly common in Asian sauces. As a rule of thumb, dissolve 2 parts cold water and 1 part cornstarch. Add the slurry to your sauce as it simmers in the slow cooker.

To finish:

In a small dish mix the cornflour paste into a 'slurry' – add a little gravy liquid at a time to the flour and mix well until smooth and no lumps. Add the cornflour mix to the gravy and stir until it's combined. Cook on HIGH for about 15 minutes or until thickened.

If your gravy is on the skimpy side, you can thicken it quickly with flour or cornstarch. But don't add your thickener directly to the gravy, which will create lumps. Instead, try stirring in three or four tablespoons of flour or cornstarch into a small amount of cold water until you have a smooth paste.

Reduce liquid when using a slow cooker

Because your slow cooker will have a tightly sealed lid, the liquid won't evaporate so if you're adapting a standard recipe, it's best to reduce the liquid by roughly a third. It should just cover the meat and vegetables.