I’m sharing a surprisingly simple Cube Steak and Gravy that you can pan fry or finish in the Crock Pot and that’s ideal for make-ahead, freezer-friendly weeknight meals.
I can’t stop tinkering with my Cube Steak And Gravy because it’s sneaky simple yet somehow always feels like a treat. Made with tender cube steak and a sweet yellow onion, it’s just as at home on the stove top as it is in the Crock Pot, and it freezes great for nights when you don’t feel like cooking.
If you’ve ever scrolled past Cubed Steak Recipes Easy thinking they were dull, this one’ll surprise you, I swear. It isn’t fancy, but it keeps getting better the next day so you’ll wanna make extra.
Ingredients
- Cube steak: Protein rich quick-cooking beef that soaks up gravy and seasoning
- All purpose flour: Adds body and carbs to breading and gravy, makes sauce silky
- Yellow onion: Sweet, aromatic, adds depth and browns to give flavor
- Beef broth: Rich umami base that adds salt and savory depth
- Whole milk or cream: Adds creaminess and richness to the gravy
- Worcestershire sauce: Small tangy kick, deepens savory flavors without sweetness
- Vegetable oil and butter: Oil browns, butter adds flavor and a silky finish
- Cream of mushroom: Optional shortcut for creamy mushroom notes, but higher sodium
Ingredient Quantities
- 1.5 to 2 pounds cube steak (about 4 steaks)
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour divided
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika optional
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
- 2 tablespoons butter optional
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 cups beef broth or stock
- 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 can 10.5 ounce condensed cream of mushroom soup optional for crock pot
- 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch optional
- Fresh parsley for garnish optional
How to Make this
1. Pat the cube steaks dry and set aside; in a shallow dish combine 1 cup of the all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder and 1/2 teaspoon paprika (optional). Dredge each steak in the seasoned flour, shake off excess.
2. Heat 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil and 2 tablespoons butter (optional) in a large skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Fry steaks in batches 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown, don’t overcrowd the pan or they will steam. Transfer browned steaks to a plate.
3. Lower heat to medium and add the thinly sliced medium yellow onion to the same pan. Cook until soft and starting to brown, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan for flavor.
4. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup flour over the onions, stir and cook 1 minute to remove raw flour taste. Slowly whisk in 2 cups beef broth to deglaze the pan, then add 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer, whisking until smooth.
5. Taste the gravy and adjust salt and pepper. If gravy seems too thin, mix 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water until smooth, then whisk into the simmering gravy and cook a minute or two until thickened.
6. Return the steaks to the skillet, spoon gravy and onions over them, cover and simmer on low 10 to 15 minutes until steaks are tender and flavors meld. Rest a few minutes before serving.
7. Crock Pot option: after browning steaks and sautéing onions (or skip browning to save time), place steaks and onions in the slow cooker, add 2 cups beef broth, 1 cup milk or cream, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire and 1 can (
10.5 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup if using. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours or high 3 to 4 hours. Thicken at the end with a cornstarch slurry if needed.
8. Final taste check and adjust seasoning. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley (optional). Serve over mashed potatoes, rice or egg noodles.
9. Make ahead and freezer tip: cool completely, portion into airtight containers and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of broth or milk if the gravy has thickened too much.
Equipment Needed
1. Large heavy skillet or cast iron pan (12 inch). You’ll want good heat retention for a crisp crust.
2. Shallow dish or pie plate for dredging the steaks in flour.
3. Tongs and a slotted spatula or turner to flip and lift steaks without tearing them.
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons for flour, broth, milk and seasonings.
5. Whisk for smoothing the gravy and for the cornstarch slurry.
6. Chef’s knife and cutting board to slice the onion fine.
7. Small mixing bowl or cup for the cornstarch slurry and for mixing seasonings.
8. Plate or tray lined with paper towels to rest browned steaks and catch excess oil.
9. Slow cooker (optional) if you want the crock pot method, saves time but changes texture a bit.
FAQ
Cube Steak And Gravy Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Cube steak: use thin-sliced top round, sirloin tip, or chuck steak instead — pound them thin to tenderize, they wont be quite the same but still tasty.
- All purpose flour: swap with a 1:1 gluten free flour blend for a straight substitute, or use cornstarch for dredging to get a crispier crust (use about the same amount for coating; for gravy thicken with a slurry: 1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp cold water per cup of liquid).
- Vegetable oil: replace with avocado oil or peanut oil for high-heat frying, or use clarified butter/ghee if you want more flavor but watch the temp since butter burns sooner.
- Beef broth: use low-sodium chicken broth plus a teaspoon of beef bouillon or Worcestershire for beefier flavor, or use mushroom/vegetable broth for a lighter, earthy gravy.
Pro Tips
– Pat and chill the steaks before dredging so the flour sticks better; after coating let them sit a few minutes on a rack so the crust sets and won’t just fall off in the pan.
– Control the fat temp: get the oil shimmering but not smoking, and add butter only near the end of browning so it flavors without burning. Test heat with a tiny pinch of flour first to see if it sizzles.
– Let the onions brown low and slow to build real depth in the gravy, and always scrape the pan bits when you deglaze. When adding flour to the pan, cook it briefly to remove the raw taste, then whisk in the liquid gradually to avoid lumps.
– For crock pot or make-ahead: browning adds big flavor so do it if you can, but if you skip it, concentrate flavors with a splash of Worcestershire or a reduced broth. Reheat gently and add a little hot broth or milk if the gravy tightens up after cooling.
Cube Steak And Gravy Recipe
I’m sharing a surprisingly simple Cube Steak and Gravy that you can pan fry or finish in the Crock Pot and that’s ideal for make-ahead, freezer-friendly weeknight meals.
4
servings
880
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large heavy skillet or cast iron pan (12 inch). You’ll want good heat retention for a crisp crust.
2. Shallow dish or pie plate for dredging the steaks in flour.
3. Tongs and a slotted spatula or turner to flip and lift steaks without tearing them.
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons for flour, broth, milk and seasonings.
5. Whisk for smoothing the gravy and for the cornstarch slurry.
6. Chef’s knife and cutting board to slice the onion fine.
7. Small mixing bowl or cup for the cornstarch slurry and for mixing seasonings.
8. Plate or tray lined with paper towels to rest browned steaks and catch excess oil.
9. Slow cooker (optional) if you want the crock pot method, saves time but changes texture a bit.
Ingredients
-
1.5 to 2 pounds cube steak (about 4 steaks)
-
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour divided
-
1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
-
1/2 teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
-
1 teaspoon garlic powder
-
1 teaspoon onion powder
-
1/2 teaspoon paprika optional
-
1/2 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
-
2 tablespoons butter optional
-
1 medium yellow onion
-
2 cups beef broth or stock
-
1 cup whole milk or heavy cream
-
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
-
1 can 10.5 ounce condensed cream of mushroom soup optional for crock pot
-
1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch optional
-
Fresh parsley for garnish optional
Directions
- Pat the cube steaks dry and set aside; in a shallow dish combine 1 cup of the all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder and 1/2 teaspoon paprika (optional). Dredge each steak in the seasoned flour, shake off excess.
- Heat 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil and 2 tablespoons butter (optional) in a large skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Fry steaks in batches 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown, don’t overcrowd the pan or they will steam. Transfer browned steaks to a plate.
- Lower heat to medium and add the thinly sliced medium yellow onion to the same pan. Cook until soft and starting to brown, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan for flavor.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup flour over the onions, stir and cook 1 minute to remove raw flour taste. Slowly whisk in 2 cups beef broth to deglaze the pan, then add 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer, whisking until smooth.
- Taste the gravy and adjust salt and pepper. If gravy seems too thin, mix 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water until smooth, then whisk into the simmering gravy and cook a minute or two until thickened.
- Return the steaks to the skillet, spoon gravy and onions over them, cover and simmer on low 10 to 15 minutes until steaks are tender and flavors meld. Rest a few minutes before serving.
- Crock Pot option: after browning steaks and sautéing onions (or skip browning to save time), place steaks and onions in the slow cooker, add 2 cups beef broth, 1 cup milk or cream, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire and 1 can (
- 5 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup if using. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours or high 3 to 4 hours. Thicken at the end with a cornstarch slurry if needed.
- Final taste check and adjust seasoning. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley (optional). Serve over mashed potatoes, rice or egg noodles.
- Make ahead and freezer tip: cool completely, portion into airtight containers and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of broth or milk if the gravy has thickened too much.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 300g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 880kcal
- Fat: 52.5g
- Saturated Fat: 12.8g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Polyunsaturated: 7.8g
- Monounsaturated: 25.3g
- Cholesterol: 174mg
- Sodium: 1198mg
- Potassium: 720mg
- Carbohydrates: 50.5g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Sugar: 4.3g
- Protein: 44.8g
- Vitamin A: 150IU
- Vitamin C: 2mg
- Calcium: 85mg
- Iron: 5.7mg