10 Ways on How To Cook Round Steak [2022] (Budget and Family-Friendly)

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Round steak does not hold its own in posh, fine-dining establishments alongside its more refined cousins, filet mignon and NY strip.

In the home kitchen, round steak is more convenient.

Top round steaks are leaner and less expensive than well-marbled steaks. Because they aren’t as tender as fine steaks, they respond well to tenderizing marinades and flavor-building slow braises.

WHAT IS ROUND STEAK?

Round Steak is derived from the hind legs of a cow. It’s a lean cut of meat that can be tough if not properly cooked.

Tony’s Meats and Market has a photo of a classic round steak along with a good explanation of the various parts that make up a classic round steak.

WHAT TO DO WITH ROUND STEAK?

For roast beef sandwiches, round steak is frequently purchased at the deli. It’s only cooked until it’s medium rare, then sliced paper-thin.

It can become tough if overcooked, so if you’re not serving round steak for sandwiches, braise it as directed in this recipe.

WHY TENDERIZE STEAK?

Tenderizing the meat before cooking helps to break down the tough connective fibers. This, along with low and slow cooking, will contribute to the tenderness of this low-cost cut of meat.

Pounding round steak with a meat mallet or tenderizer is one of the simplest ways to tenderize it. Make use of the textured side (the smooth side is used for flattening).

The small spikes help to break down the meat’s fibers and connective tissues, making it more tender.

BARBARIAN BEEF

If you’ve ever wanted to channel your inner barbarian and cook a large hunk of meat directly on the coals, without using a grill, this is the recipe for you.

This beef has a flavor that falls somewhere between grilled and smoked, and I’ve got a fantastic garlicky, acidic pepper sauce to go with it. Try it with your favorite sauce, from chimichurri to barbeque. You can’t go wrong with this! Slice it thin and use it to make sandwiches!

ROUND STEAK AND GRAVY

This recipe calls for baking in the oven, but a pressure cooker can make a delicious dinner in half the time.

The meat is tender and moist, and the gravy is delicious. I use my pressure cooker instead of baking it in the oven. It goes well with mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.

CHINESE PEPPER ROUND STEAK

This quick stir-fry is ready in an hour! Round steak strips sizzle with green peppers and are served with a savory tomato sauce. A simple meal that differs from the other pepper steak recipes I’ve found.

It tastes even better the next day! I’ve also poured the rice directly into the pot and allowed it to simmer. It absorbs the tomato mixture and tastes especially good this way.

SLOW COOKER TENDER AND YUMMY ROUND STEAK

Boneless round steak will be cut into serving-size pieces and cooked with carrots, potatoes, and onions in a mushroom-and-dry-onion-soup-based sauce. Tender and flavorful top round or bottom round steak cooked in a rich gravy with vegetables.

ROUND STEAK SAUERBRATEN

This is a streamlined version of sauerbraten. Browned top round steak strips are simmered in a flavorful vinegar, brown-gravy mixture, and spices. This isn’t traditional Sauerbraten, but it’s a tasty, quick substitute made with round steak.

Serve with buttered noodles. If your crew is particularly hungry, double the recipe. A single recipe is never enough for my four-person family. Finish with a dollop of sour cream.

SWISS STEAK

Tomatoes, green bell peppers, and onions are simmered with round steak. An old family favorite rescued from our 30-year-old cookbook.

This goes well with egg noodles. I use a full green pepper and a teaspoon of paprika, and I increase the tomatoes to a 15 12-ounce can.

SESAME BEEF

Round steak strips and chopped scallions are marinated in soy sauce and garlic before being quickly stir-fried with sesame seeds. If you like the flavor of sesame oil, add it to the marinade. Serve over rice.

CHICKEN FRIED STEAK II

Pound round steaks to tenderize them before pan-frying them in evaporated milk and flour. This chicken fried steak has a hint of spice thanks to the addition of green hot pepper sauce. Best with mashed potatoes, gravy, and biscuits.

BAKED ROUND STEAK IN BARBEQUE SAUCE

Thick cut round steak strips baked in a tangy, mouthwatering barbeque sauce. This recipe was handed down to me from my grandmother and is absolutely delicious! It goes great with parmesan potatoes.

RESTAURANT STYLE BEEF AND BROCCOLI

This is my go-to recipe for Chinese food when I don’t want to go out. Very simple and delicious. Substituting chicken for the beef also works well. Serve with rice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is round steak good for?

Despite being slightly tougher, round steak is still very versatile. You can make jerky, ground beef, roasts, steaks, deli meat, stir-fry, and a variety of other dishes.

Is Round Steak good for grilling?

Top round steak is tender but flavorful, unlike some lean cuts. It’s also inexpensive, making it an appealing choice for the grill. When cut into thick slabs, it’s referred to as London broil, but thinner slices are referred to as Swiss steak.

How long does a steak round take to cook?

Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and roast for about 3 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender, in a preheated 350o oven. It may take longer than 3 hours to reach fork-tenderness, depending on how thick the roasts are to begin with.

What does round steak taste like?

Beef round is a large primal cut made up of well-exercise muscles from the cow’s leg and rump. If braised or roasted slowly and thinly sliced to enhance tenderness, it tastes very similar to top sirloin.

10 Ways on How To Cook Round Steak [2022] (Budget and Family-Friendly)

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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5 from 1 reviews

Author: Jamasine J
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x

Print Recipe

Description

The Ultimate Chicken Fried Steak is deep-fried to golden perfection and topped with the creamiest gravy you’ve ever tasted. It’s difficult to imagine a more traditional Southern meal. The hard part is deciding whether you want to make it for breakfast or dinner. My family can’t get enough of these tender steaks with a delicious crispy, crunchy coating. What about the gravy? Heaven!

Ingredients

Scale

4 cube steaks (about 1/3 lb each)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp fresh ground black pepper, divided
2 tsp kosher salt or sea salt, divided
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 tsps TABASCO® Sauce (original)
2 eggs1 cup vegetable oil

Chicken Fried Steak Gravy

4 tbsp grease
4 tbsp flour
2 to 3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping creamsalt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a shallow mixing bowl, combine flour, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Place aside.
Whisk together buttermilk, TABASCO® Sauce, and eggs in a separate shallow bowl. Place aside.
Using a paper towel, pat dry the cube steaks to remove as much moisture as possible. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow for 5 minutes before patting dry with a paper towel.
Dredge the cube steaks in the flour mixture, shaking off excess, then in the buttermilk-egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off, and then in the flour mixture again, shaking off excess.
Place the breaded cube steaks on a sheet pan or metal rack and press any remaining flour mixture into the cube steaks, making sure to coat the entire steak. Allow for a 10-minute resting period.
Preheat the oven to 225 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet or heavy skillet over medium high heat. The amount of oil required is determined by the size of your skillet. It should be about 1/4-inch deep. We’re not deep frying the steaks, but rather shallow frying them.
Drop a small amount of breading into the oil to test it. Around the breading, the oil should sizzle and bubble. About 320-340 degrees F, the oil should be glistening but not smoking. We’re now ready to fry.
Fry two steaks at a time in the pan for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. If you flip the breading more than once, it will fall off. Fry no more than two steaks at a time, or the pan will become too crowded and the breading will fall off.
Remove the steaks from the pan and place them on paper towels to drain. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Reduce the heat to medium in the skillet.

Gravy for Chicken Fried Steak

Fill a heat-safe bowl or glass measuring cup halfway with the remaining grease (I used my Pyrex). Scrape the skillet clean, but don’t empty it. We want all of those delicious bits to stay in the skillet so they can flavor the gravy.
Return 4 tablespoons of the hot skillet’s grease.
Whisk in the flour and continue to whisk for two to three minutes, or until the mixture is nice and golden brown.
Slowly drizzle in about 2 1/2 cups of the cream and milk into the skillet, whisking constantly. It may appear a little crazy at first, but it will all come together.
Continue to whisk while bringing the gravy to a simmer. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the gravy is smooth and creamy. If the gravy becomes too thick, add a splash more milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Mine didn’t require any salt, but it did require a LOT of pepper!)
Serve with chicken fried steak. Enjoy!

Category: Beef
Method: Steak
Cuisine: American