Smothered Round Steak
User Reviews
4.7
Smothered Round Steak
Description
This recipe calls for tenderizing boneless top round steak to half-inch thickness, then browning it in olive oil to develop flavor. After removing the meat, mushrooms and sliced sweet onions sautéed with butter build a savory base. Garlic adds aromatic depth before deglazing the pan with beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, lifting any browned bits to flavor the gravy. The browned steaks, broth, and dry onion soup mix are returned to the pan along with sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary to infuse herbal scents during the low-temperature oven braise.
The meat bakes covered for several hours until fork-tender and easy to slice against the grain. A cornstarch slurry is added at the end to thicken the cooking liquid into a smooth gravy that coats the meat. The resulting texture is tender beef with succulent mushroom-onion gravy, ideal for serving alongside mashed potatoes or vegetables that can soak up the sauce.
The recipe also suggests a slow cooker method for convenience, with instructions to brown meat and vegetables first, then cook on low or high for several hours, finishing with thickening the gravy as desired.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ - 2 lbs. beef round steak use top round steak if possible, since it's the most tender part of the round, boneless
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 8 ounces mushrooms sliced, sliced fresh
- 1 medium onion sliced, sweet
- 1 clove garlic minced or pressed
- 2 ½ cups beef broth plus more as needed, low sodium
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon dry onion soup mix such as Lipton brand, from a 1-ounce packet
- 2 prigs thyme about 3-4 inches long each, fresh
- 1 prig rosemary about 5-6 inches long, fresh
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water
- kosher salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- parsley or thyme; chopped; optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Use a meat mallet to tenderize the meat by pounding to ½-inch thickness.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven or deep braising skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, if necessary, add the steak and cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium; add the butter to the drippings in the pan. When the butter melts, stir in the mushrooms and onion; cook until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the broth and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
- Return the steaks and any juices to the pan. Sprinkle dry onion soup mix over all. Tuck thyme and rosemary sprigs into the broth.
- Cover and bake for 2 ½ - 3 hours, or until the meat is tender. Check the steaks once or twice during the cooking process, adding more broth to the pan if necessary. You want about ½ - ⅓ of the steaks submerged in the liquid for proper braising. If the steaks are still tough at the end of the cooking time, return the pan to the oven and continue baking.
- Remove the meat from the pan and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Discard the herb sprigs.
- To thicken the gravy, bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. If you’d like even more gravy in your pan, you can add more beef broth at this time. Add about half of the cornstarch slurry, whisking until the mixture thickens. If you’d like a thicker gravy, add the remaining cornstarch slurry (I find that I don’t usually need all of the cornstarch). To thin the gravy, add extra broth. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Slice the steaks thinly against the grain. Spoon the gravy over top and serve with mashed potatoes, noodles or rice. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs.
Notes
- Add extra broth during cooking if the pan liquid reduces too much to keep meat partly submerged and maintain moisture.
- If meat is not tender after recommended time, continue cooking as tougher fibers need longer to break down.
- Slice the steak thinly against the grain for maximum tenderness and easier eating.
- For a hands-off option, use the slow cooker method, browning meat and vegetables before transferring to slow cooker.
- Thicken gravy at the end by adding the cornstarch slurry in a skillet after braising if more sauce is desired.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 318 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1/4 of the recipe | |
| Calories | 318kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 7g | 2% |
| Protein | 44g | 88% |
| Fat | 12g | 18% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 111mg | 37% |
| Sodium | 605mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 1206mg | 26% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 92IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 4mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 55mg | 6% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
You'll Also Love
