Cube Steak and Gravy

Name: Cube Steak and Gravy
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 4 beef cube steaks (about 1 ½ pounds total); 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; ½ cup all-purpose flour (for dredging); 2 tablespoons oil (for searing); 2 tablespoons butter; 1 large yellow onion (sliced); 2 cups beef broth; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

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This cube steak and gravy is such a simple yet delicious main dish. Cooking cube steak low and slow with a savory brown gravy gives it the perfect tender bite and loads of flavor!

Cube steak and gravy on a white plate with a fork.

I’m a big believer in branching out from the traditional steaks. I’m talking hamburger steak, Salisbury steak, even ham steak! You really can’t go wrong with steak, no matter the type (as long as it’s cooked properly!).

Of course, a T-bone steak or cast iron tri tip is such a great meal for date nights and special occasions. But it’s not practical to eat every day (as much as I’d like to!) and there are so many other delicious protein options to indulge in.

So when I saw these beef cube steaks at the butcher last week, I knew that was going on our dinner menu.

They have all of the rich, beefy flavor of a round steak, but with a wonderful tenderness that isn’t naturally there with leaner steak cuts. That’s due to how they’re tenderized before cooking, plus a searing and simmering method that brings out a nice, tender texture.

This cube steak and gravy recipe will certainly make it into our regular rotation. It’s deliciously savory and flavorful; it’s also easy to make!

Grab a cube steak or any lean, boneless steak and give this yummy main dish a try!

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Variations
How to Make Cube Steak and Gravy
Tips + Notes
What to Serve with Cube Steak and Gravy
How to Turn Round Steak into Cube Steak
Recipe FAQs
Related Recipes
Cube Steak and Gravy

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy recipe: This steak has a short ingredients list for how divinely flavorful it is! It’s so simple to make and difficult to mess up!
Budget-friendly: Dreaming of a steak but on a tight grocery budget? This cube steak recipe will satisfy the craving without breaking the bank!
Juicy and delicious: Cooking and smothering this cube steak in a mouthwatering gravy ensures every bite is moist and flavorful.

Ingredients

Cube steak: You can purchase this from a butcher shop or grocery store, or make your own with a boneless steak. I go into how to make your own later on in this post.
Flour: We’ll use this to dredge the meat and give it a nice crust, as well as to thicken the gravy. Regular all purpose flour works just fine.
Broth: Beef broth makes a rich and savory brown gravy with a deep flavor. You can use homemade oxtail bone broth if you have it!

Find the full list of ingredients and their measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this post!

Variations

Feel free to use a wild game cube steak instead! You can use venison, moose, or elk cube steak for a fun twist that is no less tasty. You may also love my venison cube steak recipe.
You can make a white gravy instead of a brown gravy by substituting some of the broth for cream or milk.
If you’re feeling creative, try adding different seasonings to your flour. Garlic powder, smoked paprika, or dried rosemary can add a unique flavor.

How to Make Cube Steak and Gravy

Step 1. Pat the cube steaks dry and season both sides with the salt and pepper.

Step 2. Put the flour in a shallow dish. Dredge each steak in the flour, pressing lightly and shaking off the excess. Save the leftover flour.

Searing cube steaks in a cast iron skillet.

Step 3. Heat the oil in your cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sear the steaks 2 minutes per side, just until browned. Do not crowd the pan; work in batches if needed. Move the steaks to a plate.

Cooking onions in butter in a cast iron skillet.

Step 4. Lower the heat to medium. Add the butter and the sliced onion to the same skillet and cook 5 to 6 minutes, until soft and golden, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom.

Stirring gravy with onions in a cast iron skillet.

Step 5. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the leftover dredging flour over the onions and stir constantly for 1 minute.

Step 6. Slowly whisk in the beef broth and the Worcestershire. Bring to a gentle simmer and let it start to thicken, about 5 minutes.

Adding steaks to a cast iron skillet of gravy.

Step 7. Nestle the steaks back into the gravy along with any juices from the plate. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes or until the steaks are fork-tender and cooked through.

Step 8. Taste the gravy, adjust the salt, and serve over mashed potatoes or rice.

A cube steaks smothered in gravy in a cast iron skillet with a spoon.

Tips + Notes

Keep the flour you dredged in. It is already seasoned, and it thickens the gravy without an extra step.
Cooking low and slow is the most important tenderizer. Cube steak turns tough if you rush it, and the quiet 30-minute simmer is what makes it cut with a fork.
Every browned bit stuck to the pan after searing is flavor. Scrape it into the onions, and it becomes the gravy.

What to Serve with Cube Steak and Gravy

I usually serve this tasty main dish with a bed of Dutch oven rice or Dutch oven mashed potatoes. That alone makes a beautiful and filling meal!

Adding a vegetable side is always a good idea, too. Savory boiled asparagus, cast iron skillet green beans, or a fresh green salad with homemade ranch dressing all add a little color and balance out the richness of the steak.

And if you want to take it a step further, I’m a huge fan of adding bread to as many meals as I can! Homemade, freshly milled bread preferably! Try my whole grain dinner rolls, garden herb focaccia, or freshly milled baguettes with a side of softened butter.

Sliced cube steak with gravy on a white plate with a fork.

How to Turn Round Steak into Cube Steak

Cube steak is a general term for a steak that has been mechanically tenderized, creating a distinctive cube-shaped pattern in the meat. You can make a similar steak at home by tenderizing it by hand.

Cube steak can be made out of any boneless steak cut. They are most commonly made from top round or top sirloin, but any lean steak that would benefit from being tenderized is a great option.

Don’t use your good cuts, like ribeye steak or flat iron steak — they are already tender, and are best cooked fast and hot.

To turn a round steak into a cube steak, lay it on a cutting board and gently but deliberately strike it with the pointed side of a meat mallet. Continue to tenderize it until the entire surface has been hit and the fibers have been broken. Then, flip it over and tenderize the other side. You now have a cube steak that is ready to cook up!

Recipe FAQs

How do I store and reheat leftovers?

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat the steak in the microwave or on the stove with a splash of broth to thin out the gravy and prevent burning.

Where do I buy cube steak?

It’s easy to find at a local butcher shop, and I’ve often found it in grocery stores as well. You can also make your own using round steak or sirloin!

Is there a way to make this recipe gluten-free?

You can absolutely make this recipe without gluten by using your favorite gluten-free all purpose flour for the dredging and gravy.

If you tried this Cube Steak and Gravy or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!