SOUTHERN COUNTRY STYLE STEAK

This is total comfort food at it's best.  I grew up eating this meal and I cooked it for my children.  For the longest time, it was one of my son's favorite meals. This is also a Southern thing.  I did not realize that it was until I fixed this a few weeks back for my husband.  He ate it and instantly told me how good my Salisbury steak was.  Hmm, no, it is not Salisbury steak.  Do not get me wrong I love a good Salisbury steak and I happen to have a tasty recipe for it but this is an entirely different meal.  

I actually had no clue that this was a regional entree until Scott said that.  It was kind of funny because so proceeded to tell several of our friends about me making this great dish with cubed steak and gravy.  He was all excited about telling people but no one quite got it because, like me, they grew up with this being cooked at home.

Today I decided to cook it in the instant pot but under no circumstances do you have to do this.  You can cook it on the stove top but I do have to admit that cooking it in the IP the meat turned out so incredibly tender.  

Start with 2 pounds of cubed steak.

Make a seasoned flour.  I used plain flour with salt, pepper and Tony's Chachere.  I put the flour mixture into a Ziploc bag.

Put the cubed steak in the bag and shake it really good until the piece of steak is covered with the flour mixture.

Put your IP on the saute mode.  Allow to warm then put in some olive oil.  Put in the pieces of cubed steak and lightly brown.  Do not cook it all the way through.  I had to do this in batches.  If you are cooking this on the stove top, it is the same way.  Just warm your skillet and put in the oil.  

Here is a picture of how it should look.

Once all is cooked keep it on a plate so you can make the gravy.

The gravy is easy to make.  Just put equal parts oil and flour into your IP inner pot or your skillet.  I use homemade beef or venison broth for my liquid.  You can use water if you wish.  I would add a bouillon cube for a beef flavored gravy.

Add the broth to the roux.  I always strain my homemade stock once more.  You do not have to do this.

Once the gravy has blended, add the cubed steak into the inner pot or skillet.  If you are using the IP, put on the lid and close the seal.  Set on high manual for 10 minutes.  Allow a 5-minute natural release.  If you are cooking it on the stove top, put a lid on your skillet and put the heat on low-medium.  Allow it to cook slowly for 30 minutes.  Since each stove is different make sure you do not allow this to come to a full boil.  Cooking this slow and low will ensure the meat becomes tender. 

COUNTRY STYLE STEAK

Ingredients

• 2 pounds cube steak
• 1/2 cup plain flour plus 3 tablespoon
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Tony's Chachere optional 
• 6 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 2 cups beef or venison broth

Directions

• Combine flour, salt, pepper, and Tony's in a zip lock bag and mix together.
• Add steak to the bag and coat.
• Place pieces of steak into a heated skillet or the inner pot of your IP.
• Cook cubed steak until brown but not totally done.
• Take out steak and make gravy by adding 3 tablespoons oil and 3 tablespoons of flour to make a roux.  Add broth slowly and salt and pepper to taste.  
• Add back in steak once gravy has been made.
• If using IP close and seal.  Cook on manual for 10 minutes and allow to naturally release 5 minutes.  If you are cooking on your stove top, thicken gravy then add in steak.  Put a lid on the skillet and cook on low heat for 30 to 45 minutes.  

On the stove top, it is extremely important to cook it low and slow to ensure the cubed steak to become tender.  Cube steak is a tougher piece of meat and needs to either be cooked in the IP or low and slow for it to become tender.  

I normally serve this with potatoes but it is great with rice as well.  I love green peas with this dish but I know a lot of people do not care for peas.  

Some people like to add onions but to me, that is making it more into Salisbury steak and again this is not meant to be Salisbury steak. 

Happy Sunday and ENJOY!