There’s nothing quite like a hearty, home-cooked meal that practically makes itself. Our recipe for tender slow cooker cube steak, generously smothered in a rich, savory mushroom gravy and tender onions, promises exactly that. This classic comfort food is not only incredibly delicious but also wonderfully easy to prepare, making it an ideal choice for busy weeknights or a relaxed Sunday dinner. Serve it alongside fluffy rice, buttery egg noodles, or creamy mashed potatoes for a truly satisfying and family-friendly feast. Once you experience the unparalleled tenderness and flavor of this Crockpot favorite, you might also enjoy our speedy air fryer cube steak for those times when you need dinner on the table even faster.
Are you searching for an exciting new meal to add to your family’s rotation? Look no further than our incredible slow cooker cube steak with mushroom gravy! This dish is a true testament to the magic of slow cooking, transforming a humble cut of beef into a fork-tender masterpiece. It’s quickly become one of our most popular Crockpot recipes here on The Typical Mom blog, and we can’t wait to hear what you think of this ultimate comfort food. Prepare for rave reviews!
Slow Cooker Cube Steak: The Ultimate Comfort Food
For many of us, Crockpot steak brings back cherished childhood memories. Perhaps your mom made it often because it was an economical choice, or simply because it was undeniably delicious. Regardless of the reason, this dish has a timeless appeal, offering pure comfort in every bite. The beauty of slow-cooked cube steak lies in its incredible tenderness – so succulent you can literally cut it with a fork!
When it comes to easy and satisfying slow cooker beef recipes, this mushroom gravy cube steak is consistently at the top of our list. This guide focuses on preparing cube steak from a thawed state, but if you’re starting with frozen meat, don’t worry! We have a dedicated frozen cube steak recipe that will ensure equally delicious results.
Table of Contents
- Slow Cooker Cube Steak: The Ultimate Comfort Food
- Understanding Cube Steak and Slow Cooking Magic
- What is cube steak and why is it tender?
- How long to cook cube steak in a Crock Pot for maximum tenderness?
- Should you wash cube steak before cooking?
- Essential Ingredients for Your Savory Cube Steak
- Slow Cooker Cube Steak with Cream of Mushroom Soup: The Recipe
- Alternative Cooking Methods: Stove Top or Pressure Cooker
- Perfect Pairings: What to Serve with Cube Steak
Let’s talk a moment about the wonder of slow cooking. A good slow cooker is an invaluable tool in any kitchen, making meal prep effortless and filling your home with enticing aromas. I personally own a few different varieties, each serving a unique purpose. For instance, my favorite 6-quart programmable model comes with a locking lid, making it perfect for transporting delicious dishes to potlucks and gatherings.
While many people use slow cooker liners for convenience, I find that a light spray of olive oil inside the pot before adding ingredients works wonders for an easy cleanup without the need for disposable liners. It’s a simple trick that keeps things smooth and non-stick.
And speaking of slow cookers, I recently acquired this beautiful floral-designed slow cooker that perfectly complements my kitchen decor. It’s so pretty, I often leave it out on the countertop even when not in use! A functional appliance can also be a stylish addition to your space. It’s ideal for whipping up a classic recipe like 5-ingredient Crockpot chili.
Understanding Cube Steak and Slow Cooking Magic
What is cube steak and why is it tender?
Cube steak is a fascinating cut of beef, typically sourced from the top round or top sirloin. Its distinctive name comes from the unique cubelike indentations left on its surface during a process called “cubing.” This isn’t just for aesthetics; the meat is tenderized and flattened by pounding it with a mechanical tenderizer or a traditional meat mallet. This process breaks down tough muscle fibers, ensuring a tender bite. While you can often find pre-cubed steak at your local grocery store, it’s also a simple task to do yourself at home with a few minutes and a mallet.
Regardless of whether you buy it pre-tenderized or do it yourself, cube steak truly shines when cooked low and slow in a slow cooker. The prolonged cooking time in a rich, flavorful gravy ensures that every fiber becomes incredibly tender, creating a melt-in-your-mouth experience that’s hard to beat. Many who try this method find themselves never wanting to prepare it any other way!
How long to cook cube steak in a Crock Pot for maximum tenderness?
The ideal cooking time for cube steak in a slow cooker can vary slightly depending on the thickness of your specific cuts. However, generally, when nestled in a thick, savory gravy, you’re looking at approximately 6 hours on the low setting. One of the greatest advantages of this recipe is the minimal effort required. After a quick initial prep in the morning, your Crockpot takes over, leaving you free to go about your day. At the very end, you have the option to thicken the sauce further to achieve your desired consistency, a quick step that pulls the entire dish together beautifully.
To tenderize cube steak at home, you’ll need a metal meat tenderizer mallet. Lay your cut of beef on a sturdy cutting board. Firmly pound the meat to both flatten it and create small indentations or “cubes.” This process physically breaks down the muscle fibers, making the steak much easier to chew once cooked. If you don’t have a mallet, you can use the back of a heavy cast iron pan to flatten the meat, then pierce it thoroughly on both sides with a fork to achieve a similar tenderizing effect.
While cube steak is sometimes loosely referred to as minute steak due to its quick cooking potential (when pan-fried), they are technically distinct cuts of meat. Cube steak is typically cut from the round or chuck and then physically tenderized by pounding. Minute steak, on the other hand, is usually a very thinly sliced cut from the sirloin or round steak, often pounded as well, but primarily thin by nature. Although they share similarities in texture and preparation, their origin cuts differ. Our cube steak and gravy recipe in the Crockpot highlights the unique benefits of this particular cut.
Should you wash cube steak before cooking?
A common kitchen myth suggests rinsing raw meat, but the answer is a firm no! Do not rinse raw beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, or veal before cooking. Rinsing can actually spread bacteria around your sink and kitchen surfaces, increasing the risk of cross-contamination. Proper cooking temperatures will eliminate any harmful bacteria. This versatile slow cooker method isn’t limited to beef; you can achieve similar delicious results with other meats. For example, we’ve successfully adapted this approach to create Pork Cube Steak using pounded, boneless pork chops.
Essential Ingredients for Your Savory Cube Steak
Crafting this tender cube steak with mushroom gravy relies on a harmonious blend of simple yet flavorful ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to create this comforting masterpiece:
- Cube steak – Approximately 1.5 lbs, ideally from top round or top sirloin, already pounded for tenderness.
- Cream of mushroom soup – One can, providing a rich, earthy base for your gravy.
- Cream of chicken soup – One can, or you can use an additional can of cream of mushroom soup for extra mushroom flavor. This adds a layer of creamy savory goodness.
- Onion – One large onion, thinly sliced, which will soften and caramelize beautifully during the slow cooking process, infusing the gravy with sweet and pungent notes.
- French onion soup mix packet – One packet. This is my secret weapon for adding an incredible depth of savory, umami flavor. While some recipes suggest a gravy packet, I find the onion soup mix delivers a far more robust and complex taste.
- Beef broth – 1 ¼ cups, divided. This provides the liquid base for the gravy. For convenience, you can also mix beef bouillon with water to make your own broth.
- Cornstarch – 3 tablespoons, used at the end to thicken the sauce to your desired consistency.
- Optional addition: You could slice fresh mushrooms in half and add them to the slow cooker during the last hour of cooking for a fresh texture and intensified mushroom flavor.
- Salt and Pepper – To taste, for seasoning the meat and gravy.
Unlike pan-seared cuts like steak in the Instant Pot, this slow-cooked beef emerges so incredibly tender that it practically falls apart – no knife required! When it comes to seasonings, feel free to adjust to your personal preference. I generally prefer to under-season during the cooking process and then allow individuals to add more salt and pepper to their plate once the dish is served. The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity and the way the flavors meld together over hours, requiring no complex steps or advanced culinary skills.
The magic truly happens in the layering and the “set it and forget it” nature of the slow cooker. There’s absolutely no need to brown or sear your meat beforehand; simply layer your ingredients, and let the Crockpot do the work. While browning would give the meat a slightly different color, it won’t significantly impact the tenderness when cooked for hours in this rich gravy.
Slow Cooker Cube Steak with Cream of Mushroom Soup: The Recipe
This foolproof recipe ensures tender, flavorful cube steak with a decadent mushroom gravy every time. Follow these simple steps for a truly satisfying meal:
- In your slow cooker (or a large mixing bowl), combine the cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, onion soup mix, and 1 cup of beef broth. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and well combined, forming the rich base for your gravy.
- Carefully place the cube steak pieces into the slow cooker, gently submerging them in the gravy mixture. Arrange the sliced onions over the top of the meat. Season generously with salt and pepper to your taste.
- Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on the low setting for 6 hours. This extended cooking time is key to achieving that desirable fork-tender texture.
- Approximately 30 minutes before you plan to serve, prepare your thickening agent. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ¼ cup of beef broth with the cornstarch, whisking until a smooth, lump-free slurry is formed.
- Lift the lid from the slow cooker and pour the cornstarch slurry into the simmering gravy. Stir gently to incorporate it. Recover the slow cooker and continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes, or until the mushroom gravy has thickened to your desired consistency.
- Serve this delectable cube steak hot over creamy mashed potatoes, fluffy rice, or wide egg noodles. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley for a touch of color and freshness.
Alternative Cooking Methods: Stove Top or Pressure Cooker
While the slow cooker is our preferred method for achieving unparalleled tenderness, you do have alternative options if time is a factor or if you don’t own a slow cooker:
On the Stove: You could prepare this dish in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. The meat will cook faster, but you’ll need to pay much closer attention to prevent it from becoming tough. Stirring and monitoring the liquid levels frequently will be essential to ensure the meat remains tender and the gravy doesn’t scorch. In my experience, stove-top preparation, while quicker, rarely yields the same melt-in-your-mouth tenderness as the low-and-slow approach of a Crockpot.
In a Pressure Cooker: For a significantly faster cooking time, a pressure cooker (like an Instant Pot) is an excellent option. For a cut that is naturally tenderized like cube steak, I often skip the initial browning step that I might typically do for other beef cuts when using a pressure cooker, as seen in our Instant Pot cube steak recipe. The pressure cooker will still deliver tender results in a fraction of the time, though the slow cooker’s extended simmer often develops a deeper, more nuanced flavor in the gravy.
There’s a noticeable difference in the tenderness you can achieve with beef cooked low and slow versus rapidly on the stove. For larger cuts or those with more connective tissue, such as our slow cooker flank steak, the extended cooking time truly has no substitute. It allows the collagen to break down completely, resulting in incredibly succulent and tender meat.
Perfect Pairings: What to Serve with Cube Steak
The versatility of slow cooker cube steak means the serving options are practically endless! However, some classic pairings truly elevate the meal:
- Starches: My personal favorites include fluffy mashed potatoes, wide egg noodles, or creamy polenta. These provide the perfect canvas for soaking up every last drop of that incredible mushroom gravy.
- Vegetables: A side of vibrant air fryer mixed vegetables or simple steamed green beans with a knob of butter adds freshness and balance to the rich dish.
- Bread: Don’t forget some crusty bread or dinner rolls to sop up any remaining gravy!
If you’ve enjoyed this slow cooker recipe, you’ll find plenty more to explore on our blog. Consider trying our Crockpot beef barley soup for a healthier, hearty option, or delve into these other family favorites:
- Our Crockpot French onion soup, served with a warm, crusty baguette, makes a fantastic appetizer or light meal.
- For a fun and customizable dinner, stuff slow cooker baked potatoes with our famous 5-ingredient chili – it’s always a hit!
- Create delicious sliders with our easy Crockpot BBQ beef recipe, perfect for parties or a casual meal.
Looking to explore other ways to cook steak? We’ve got you covered! Check out our recipes for bacon-wrapped air fryer steak, succulent ribeye in air fryer, and even a flavorful teriyaki air fryer cube steak for a different twist.
Slow Cooker Cube Steak
Justine
10 mins
6 hrs
4
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Print Recipe
Equipment
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1 slow cooker
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs cube steak
- 1 can cream of chicken, or use another can of cream of mushroom
- 1 can cream of mushroom
- 1 pkg onion soup mix
- 1 1/4 c beef broth, divided
- 1 onion, sliced
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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In Crockpot whisk together cream of mushroom and chicken soup, onion soup mix and 1 cup of beef broth.
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Place cube steak inside and gently submerge inside, then add onions on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
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Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until tender to your liking.
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In a bowl combine 1/4 c remaining broth with cornstarch until smooth. 30 minutes before serving lift lid and pour this into slow cooker for an additional 30 minutes or until gravy thickens to your liking.
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Serve over mashed potatoes garnished with fresh parsley.
Video
Watch the video for a visual guide on preparing this delicious slow cooker cube steak.
Nutrition
Serving: 3oz, Calories: 473kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 42g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 132mg, Sodium: 1479mg, Potassium: 784mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 139IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 64mg, Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
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