Cubed Steak with Peppers and Olives Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you cook cube steak so it's not tough? ›

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.

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.

Here's why: A steak that marinates in an acidic or enzymatic liquid too long, such as citrus juice or cola, becomes tough or mushy. 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.

Tenderize Cube Steak With a Mallet

This is one of the most popular and traditional ways of tenderizing meat. Using a meat mallet, pound the cube steak evenly to break down the tough fibers and connective tissues. This process also conveniently thins the meat, allowing it to cook more quickly and evenly.

Cooking Cube steak in the crockpot with plenty of flavorful liquid turns out a tender and juicy cut of beef. As long as you don't leave the meat cooking all day long, you won't have to worry about it getting too soft and falling apart.

Sear for about 3-4 minutes on each side. Use a meat thermometer to check if they have reached your desired level of doneness. Once cooked, transfer the cube steaks to a plate and let them rest for a few minutes before slicing. Serve with your favorite side dishes.

Place a lid on top, turn heat down to low, then simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove lid then gently simmer for another 1-1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender and stew has thickened, stirring occasionally.

Also known as minute steak, cube steak is an inexpensive, flavorful cut of beef that's pre-tenderized by a process of pounding and cutting. It comes from the top or bottom round, a tough portion near the rump of the cow usually used as stew meat.

Do you rinse cube steak before cooking? ›

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.

Cube steak is a budget-friendly cut of meat and has the added plus of already being tenderized. This ingredient can be a time saver on a busy night — country-fried steaks, ground beef patties, slow-cooker recipes and burgers.

Because the cola is sugary, it adds some sweetness to the marinade. Acidity. “Cola is acidic, and marinating in acidic ingredients helps make meat, such as our steak, nice and tender," Ken says.

Simply season milk with nonacidic ingredients, preparing enough marinade to completely submerge the meat. Cover and place the meat and milk marinade in the refrigerator between 4 to 12 hours—whatever you deem as the perfect wait—before rinsing and patting the meat dry.

The key to tender beef cubes is letting them cook and simmer on the stove for over an hour. On the other hand, if you want to take it one step further, you can always let it cook inside the slow cooker. So, if you choose this method, you must leave the beef for six to eight hours.

Usually the cause is either overcooking or undercooking. It might also be because the 'stew meat' you buy prepackaged comes from various parts and they often need to be cooked at different times and temps.