My Oven Baked Smothered Cube Steak always means a crowd around the dinner table. I make it just exactly the way Mom did.
Making a meal like this requires some time investment in the kitchen. There are multiple steps to the process but the results are rewarding!
We are making the gravy from scratch which is a big part of why these Smothered Cube Steaks are so delicious. The most important thing to know when making gravy is how to prevent the lumps!
Updated to include a step by step video. In the video, I made it in an Iron Skillet which goes straight into the oven. Scroll down for printable recipe.
ALSO SEE My Crockpot Cube Steak and Mushroom Gravy Recipe
Let’s start cooking!
Printable recipe at the end. I begin by searing the onions. Onions are always optional. You can adjust this recipe to skip the onions if you need to.
Place about 2 Tbsp. of Olive oil in the skillet and add sliced onions.
Cook on medium high until onions are clear, stirring often. Take the onions up leaving the oil in the skillet.
After coating the cubed steak front and back with seasoned flour, fry on both sides just until lightly browned.
You are not trying to cook through. You only want brown the outside of the meat and take up. Drain on paper toweling. Leave the oil and the meat renderings in the skillet for making the gravy.
Sprinkle a couple Tablespoons of sifted flour across the surface of the skillet into the oil. There shouldn’t be much gravy base at this point.
Don’t worry, that little bit of gravy base will make a skillet full of gravy! Using a fork, stir and break up any lumps at this time. You will need to work quickly.
Also try my recipe for Crockpot Cube Steak with Mushroom Gravy
Add your liquid, slowly stirring as you pour. To make the gravy brown, I use about 1 cup of black coffee which adds that special flavor to homemade brown gravy. Then add hot water until you have the desired amount of gravy. Continue stirring until the gravy comes to a boil. Allow to simmer, stirring occasionally until desired thickness is achieved.
Place the cubed steak into an appropriate sized baking dish which you have sprayed with non-stick spray. Add the seared onions now before adding the gravy.
Pour the gravy over the meat and onions. Cover with foil.
The secret to fork tender Oven Baked Smothered Cube Steak is to cook it slow on low. Print or download recipe below.
Serve over a bed of rice and enjoy your husbands smile! This meal is what we call ‘fork tender’, no knife required!
- 4 cube steaks
- 1 small onion (optional)
- Salt & Pepper
- 1 cup prepared decaf coffee
- 1 Cup flour for battering the steak
- 2 Tbsp. flour for the gravy
- 2-4 Tbsp. olive oil
- Place about 2 Tbsp. of Olive oil in the skillet and add sliced onions.
- Cook on medium high until onions are clear.
- Take the onions up leaving the oil in the skillet.
- BROWN THE MEAT
- Coat the cubed steak front and back with seasoned flour
- Fry on both sides just until lightly browned. (You are not trying to cook through, only brown the outside of the meat and take up.)
- Drain on paper toweling.
- MAKE THE GRAVY
- You will need medium high heat for this process. Do not walk away!!
- Leave the oil and the meat renderings in the skillet for making the gravy.
- Sprinkle a couple Tablespoons of sifted flour across the surface of the skillet into the hot oil.
- (There shouldn’t be much gravy base at this point. Don’t worry, that little bit of gravy base will make a skillet full of gravy!)
- Using a fork, stir and break up any lumps at this time. You will need to work quickly.
- Add your liquid, slowly stirring as you pour. (To make the gravy brown, I use about 1 cup of decaf coffee which adds that special flavor to homemade brown gravy.) Then add HOT water until you have the desired amount of gravy, stirring constantly.
- Sprinkle with desired amount of salt and pepper.
- Continue stirring until the gravy comes to a boil. Allow to simmer, stirring occasionally until desired thickness is achieved.
- BAKE IT!
- While gravy is simmering, place the browned meat into a prepared baking dish.
- Place the onions on top of the meat.
- Pour the gravy over the top of the meat.
- Cover with foil.
- Bake at 300° for about 3 hours.
- Serve and enjoy
Shirley Wood
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Megan says
Now that I’ve started expanding my culinary skills, I am REALLY enjoying cooking sauces and meals from scratch! I can see why your husband gets so excited for this dish!
Erlene says
Ooo…this looks delicious. Can you believe that I’ve only recently started using cubed steak?! I can’t believe it took me so long to use this type of meat. It’s so yummy breaded with gravy.
Victoria Stewart says
What can you use instead of coffee? I don’t drink it, thanks
Amberjane says
Looks very tasty – thank you for sharing with Pin Worthy Wednesday
JESS44903 says
This looks so easy and sounds so delicious! 🙂
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
Johnny says
This looks like an interesting and easy recipe. I will try this tonight. However, I’m adding some low sodium beef broth (with 1 tsp instant coffee), and sea salt for flavoring. I’ll let you know how this comes out. Thanks for your time and effort on this website.
Sandy Sandmeyer says
This recipe makes me want to try cubed steak again. Yum! Thanks for sharing at #AnythingGoes.
Lyn swain says
Your recipe sounded so good ,I made it today ,the gravey had no flavour ( I must have made a boohoo somewhere so i added 2oxo cubes ,a good slog of wostershire sauce and 1/2cup BBQ sauce it went well with all in the end
Beverly Roderick says
I just saw your post on google+ . So glad you shared it there. Coffee in the gravy has me intrigued! Pinning.
Vicki Pierce says
Only one word is needed. AWESOME!
Thanks for sharing.
Judy says
I’m drooling–this looks wonderful!
Shirley Wood says
Thank you Judy, it sure was good.
Chrystal @ YUM eating says
My mother made a lot of cube steak recipes when I was younger. My guess because there was so much you could do with it and it was a cheaper cut of meat. Thanks for linking at the Yuck Stops Here!
Shirley Wood says
My Mother cooked cube steak a lot when I was growing up also. It sure costs more now than back then. Thanks for stopping by, Chrystal. I’ve enjoyed hosting with you ladies at #StopTheYuck.
Lorelai @ Life With Lorelai says
These hearty flavors just scream Fall to me… I am getting more ready for the Fall Season to arrive every day. Thanks for sharing this recipe. PINNED!
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
Shirley Wood says
Thanks for the Pin! I am so ready for Fall to be here, I’m sneaking in those dinners already 🙂
Kristen from The Road to Domestication says
Oh, I do not have a recipe like this one, thank you, Shirley! Adding to my collection 🙂
Shirley Wood says
I am honored to be added to your recipe collection! I want to hear about it when you make gravy!
Zan says
This looks great – I refuse to buy cubed steak in the stores because I never seem to know how to cook it. Thanks for an awesome recipe!
Shirley Wood says
You’re welcome Zan. I hope you will tell me how your family enjoys it when you make it.
Alli says
The first time my youngest daughter had crackling cornbread at my mom’s house (she was about 2) she said, “Grandma, your cornbread has bones in it.” Crackling cornbread can’t be beat!
And, by the way, brown gravy is so much better than white gravy (in my opinion). And every good southern cook better know how to make cubed steak. Great tutorial!
Shirley Wood says
That is funny Alli. Children and be so funny sometimes. It is for certain that white gravy and brown gravy both have their place at the table. We tend to prefer white gravy for biscuit type meals and brown gravy for meat and potato type meals.