The best way to tenderize cube steak before you start cooking is with a meat tenderizing mallet. Pour beef broth over all and also add the worcheshire sauce . I feel you have to tenderize it further after purchase. When its time to slice the meat, make sure to do it against the grain. Cube steak should be cooked to 120F in a cast iron skillet. Another great way to cook cube steak is to thaw the meat just until you can cut it with a sharp knife. Sprinkle both sides of each steak with the mixture. STEP 3: Using a big knife, pound each piece of steak to a thin . Acids break down proteins and tough connective tissue which tenderizes the meat. Whisk together 2 eggs and the can of evaporated milk in a bowl. Cube steak should be seared before braising. Add your cube steaks to the skillet, but no more than two at a time. Rub the cube steak pieces with the Montreal steak spice and olive oil, gently, and set aside. How to tenderize cube steak without a mallet STEP 1: Lay meat on a cutting board. In addition to seasoning the steaks, salt helps break down proteins and make the meat more tender. For a simple cube steak recipe, season your meat with salt and pepper. Step 1: Choose a thin, boneless cut of a steak. Place 2 cups of flour in a shallow bowl. Season steak with paper and salt and then dredge in flour mixture, taking care, not to overcoat. You can call it whatever you want! Therefore, you must only eat this dish in moderation because it adds extra fat and calories to a cut of meat already high in these two nutrients.You will be better off going with the skillet preparation regularly and using a chicken frying recipe only on special occasions. Even among tough cuts of beef, some steaks are more tender than others. It wasnt until two or three years ago when I first heard of cubed steaks and some say cube steaks and no one knows what they are. Dont be worried, this is normal and harmless. Simply rub the meat with kosher salt or sea salt to break down these cells and enhance the flavor and texture of the steak. Made from various tough cuts of beef, cube steak is processed in a way that helps create a more tender piece of meat. Tenderize with knife or mallet like described here. Follow up with a marinade, enzymes, salt baking soda. Score the steak across the top and underside of the meat very lightly. Tenderizing beef before you cook it breaks down and weakens these fibers which makes the meat softer and more tender. Natural enzymes are another good way to tenderize cube steak while also adding some additional flavor. Tenderizing is the process of making meat more tender by breaking down the connective tissue. Cuts of meat that come from the shoulder or leg of the cow tend to be the toughest because they are worked the most, but they also tend to be more flavorful. Theyre less expensive than prime cuts of meat because they dont have a great ration of marbling and cant be thrown on the grill like some cuts. Add liquid as needed. Place about two cups of flour in a pie plate and add some Tony's seasoning or just salt and pepper. Minute steaks are usually rib eye meat, set up for cheesesteak. Then sandwich them all out between two pieces of wax paper on the counter and pound them even thinner with the open end of an old glass cheerwine bottle. When you are ready to enjoy the rest of your delicious meal, there are a few ways to go about reheating it. . Juicy results every time. When enzyme tenderizers are used too long the steak can get mushy on the outside. Once you have done that, your steak is good to go. In this Strip Steak with Spiced Salt recipe, a spiced salt mixture has plenty of time to penetrate NY strips while the grill heats up. I also think restaurants use meat tenderizer before cooking and in my opinion theres no shame in that. When youre done marinading, you can either pat dry the meat with a paper towel or sear it wet. . Thanks for sharing! This makes the meat softer, more tender and easier to chew. What is Cube Steak? Cube steaks can also be made with beef from the chuck, or shoulder, portion of the cow. Allow the steak to cook for 3 minutes on one side, then gently flip and cook the other side until golden brown. Theyre deliciousthe end of the story! Alternatively, you can reheat steak bites in the oven. Lets start with the basics. The soaking time depends according to how tough the steaks are and how tender you would like them to be. Mix flour, salt & pepper (I prefer fresh ground) in pie plate. There are several cuts of steak with lots of connective tissue that benefit from tenderizing. Cook cube steaks for 4-5 minutes on each side on medium-high heat until cooked through. Once the slow cooker finishes cooking it, top it off with some delicious gravy to take your dish to the next level. Make sure that you do not crowd the cube steaks in the skillet. Slow cook cube meat long enough and the meat will literally fall apart. Spare Ribs vs Baby Back Ribs: What's The Difference? Soak the beef in water and baking soda for a cheap solution. Try making Slow Cooker Brisket, Slow Cooker Pot Roast or Texas BBQ Braised Beef Brisket, which also benefits from an overnight dry brine. Do you find chicken fried steak a little confusing and wonder if it's made from chicken or steak? Be careful not to overheat your cube steak. . In a medium sized bowl, stir together flour and seasonings. Once youre done pounding, soak the meat in a marinade or use enzymes, salt or baking soda to further tenderize the meat. If you have a slow cooker, you don't even need to slave over the stove all day to make your tender cube steak. Cube steaks are a little on the tougher side. Lay on a plate to rest for 5 minutes. The tenderizing process makes them have a rough texture that has little indentions in it. Close up. This may be difficult to see, as most cube steaks are tenderized in this fashion at the supermarket before they are packaged for sale. In a large skillet, preferably cast iron, heat over medium-high heat. Dredge each steak first in the flour, then in the batter, and again in the flour. Braising is a cooking technique that involves covering your meat with a liquid and slow cooking it until tender. 2023 Warner Bros. Breaking them up makes meat more tender. Theyll tenderize the meat making it softer and less chewy. If you plan on braising or cooking cube meat as a stew, always braise it first. Make sure not to overcook the steak since it will become tough. STEP 3: Pound each piece of steak with a large knife. If you dont sear meat before braising, it can turn an unattractive grey color. 3. Then heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Pound both sides of the meat until dimples appear. Be careful to not cut it all the way through. Over medium heat, sear your cube steaks in a pan with olive oil for around three minutes on each side. Pounding meat with a mallet breaks up tough muscle fibers and creates small dimples on the surface. Stir together baking powder, baking soda, pepper, and salt in a separate bowl; stir in the buttermilk, egg, Tabasco Sauce, and garlic. Use a roasting pan with a lid or a Dutch oven. You should always sear a cube steak before braising or cooking a stew. First, you'll need to season the steak cubes with salt and pepper. Then you can choose to put it in the refrigerator if you plan to eat it in the next few days, or you can put it in the freezer if you think you might not get to it for a bit longer. Next, start rubbing them with your seasoning mix before flouring. This shortens tough muscle fibers which makes the meat easier to break down and chew. 7 Ways to Tenderize Steak. As pH levels rise toward the outside of the meat, proteins on the inside loosen their bonds. Place your seared steak in your slow cooker, cover with our healthy Mushroom Thyme Gravy and cook on low for seven to eight hours. Then season and sear the meat and start slow cooking. When you slow cook steak, the collagen surrounding tough muscle fibers melts which breaks apart and loosens the muscle. With a couple of commonly used kitchen and pantry items, tenderizing cube steak is a quick and easy process. Americans love meat.According to research, the only country in the world that eats more meat than America is Luxembourg. Heat 2 inches of canola oil in a frying pan to 350F and preheat the oven to 200F. Its all about simply delicious food around here! Im sorry to hear you havent been able to find good ones. If you want to cook a cube steak, you may have to first tenderize it. This will help to save time and prevent the meat from sticking to the pan. Its good to know Im not crazy! It is best to heat it in short increments and test the steak after each one. STEP 4: Flip the meat over and repeat steps 1-3 on the other side. Make a marinade with acidic componentssuch as citrus juice, buttermilk, yogurt, wine, vinegar or sodato help break down tough connective tissue and muscle fibers. If you dont have a meat mallet, you can also use a heavy kitchen tool such as a skillet, saucepan or rolling pin. Its easy to over salt a steak thats already been tenderized in salt. A 300 to 325 degree Fahrenheit oven will accomplish a braise. STEP 3: Pound each piece of steak with a large knife. You want to make the cubes about the same size so that they cook at the same time. Always slice meat against the grain. Pro Tip: When marinating with enzymes, always use a non-reactive container like glass or Ziploc bags. Once it is hot, place the cube steaks in the pan. Try to select the freshest steak you can with some amount marbling. STEP 4: Flip the meat over and repeat steps 1-3 on the other side. (Add a splash more olive oil if needed and adjust heat up or down slightly as needed as the steaks cook.) The enzymes found in certain fruits do an excellent job of breaking down tough muscle fibers and connective tissue. The cornstarch mixture is typically made with equal parts cornstarch, soy sauce and sesame oil (or vegetable or peanut oil), along with flavor components such as rice vinegar, Shaoxing wine or oyster sauce. Consider serving it with some hearty vegetables to round out your simple cube steak meal. Braising is a slow cooking process both in the oven or on a stovetop. This cube steak recipe is always a hit with my family so well keep making it and calling it whatever we want! Preheat the oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. . . Tenderize cube steak by cutting is properly. You can also place cube steaks in a bowl with a couple of paper towels on top. Best cube steak recipe Ive come across . Low & slow might work for something like Swiss Steak, but we LOVE Chicken Fried Steak, when its good & its the only reason we buy it. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and spread the steak bites out in . For a simple cube steak recipe, season your meat with salt and pepper. Since cube steak was already mechanically tenderized by the butcher, you don;t have to pound the entire steak. Use multiple tenderizing methods together. Serve the steaks topped with a generous helping of gravy. Its not worth sniping over. Copy space. This involves tenderizing the steaks, coating them in the batter, and setting them aside until ready to be fried. A simple and delicious meal made in less than 30 minutes! Start by tenderizing your cube steaks until you get them to about 1/2 thick. Place your steak in a zip lock bag, or cover your tenderizing hammer in plastic wrap to avoid covering it in raw meat. 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