Crock Pot Cubed Steak (+Video)
Crock Pot Cubed Steak with Gravy is the ultimate no-fuss weeknight dinner recipe. They are so tender, they literally melt in your mouth!
A BUDGET-FRIENDLY, FAMILY-FRIENDLY DINNER
This meal is not only inexpensive but it is one of those “set-it and forget-it” type meals. You can toss everything into your slow cooker and dinner will be ready when you are! With only a handful of ingredients, you can have the most delicious, comfort food ready and waiting for you by the time you get home! It’s a meal the whole family will love and you won’t even need a knife to cut it!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
If you are sensitive to salt, don’t enjoy salted food or need lower sodium for dietary restrictions, you will need to purchase lower sodium or no sodium options where possible. You can always season with salt after it has finished cooking.
You could substitute with Beef Consommé or beef broth. Again, if you need lower sodium options, purchase those instead.
It helps to have a digital crock pot. That way you can cook it for a certain amount of time so and then set it to automatically go to a keep-warm setting. That would be ideal for this recipe.
This is where the crock pot comes in. Using a slow cooker so the meat can slowly cook in gravy will produce cubed steak that you can cut with a fork.
No. If you want the most tender cubed steak, it needs to only be cooked on low.
I serve this cubed steak and gravy with my Million Dollar Mashed Potatoes and smother it in the gravy. You could also serve with rice or egg noodles. For vegetable options, try Italian Green Beans, Bacon Garlic Green Beans or Maple Glazed Carrots.
Cubed steaks come from the cow’s shoulder which is a tough cut of meat since the cow is constantly using its shoulder. The more a cow uses a certain area of its body, the more that area will become tough. Cubed steak is run through a meat tenderizer (which gives it all those tiny little holes) to help make it just a bit more tender.
Yes but make sure you have a large enough crock pot.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- au jus gravy mix – if you can’t find this in a lower sodium option, substitute it for some low sodium brown gravy mix.
- cream of chicken soup – as I stated above, please be aware of your own sensitivities or aversion to salt/sodium. Use low or no sodium options where possible. Cream of mushroom can also be used.
- French onion soup – the same applies for this soup. If necessary, use low or no sodium options.
- cubed steaks – This recipe works for 4 cubed steaks. Anything more and you will want to use a larger crock pot and also double the recipe.
- cornstarch and water – this is to make a cornstarch slurry to thicken up the gravy. If you don’t want a thicker gravy, then just skip this step.
HOW TO MAKE CROCK POT CUBE STEAK
In the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker, combine cream of chicken soup, French Onion soup, packet of au jus and water. Stir well. Put cubed steak in slow cooker with gravy mixture.
Move the steaks around to coat them with the gravy. Cover slow cooker and cook steak on low.
After cooking, it’s time to thicken gravy. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and cold water. Stir mixture into crock pot. You do not need to remove the cubed steaks to do this unless you find it easier to whisk it in. I would put the cubed steaks back in the pot as soon as you’ve mixed it in. Turn the setting to high and cook until gravy is thickened.
Then serve with your favorite sides.
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Originally published: January 2012
Updated photos & republished: March 2024
Crock Pot Cubed Steak (+Video)
Ingredients
- 10.75 ounce can cream of chicken soup (see notes below about low or no sodium)
- 10.5 ounce can French onion soup (see notes below about low or no sodium)
- 1 packet au jus gravy mix (see notes below)
- ½ cup water
- 4 cubed steaks
To thicken gravy:
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 Tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- In the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker, combine 10.75 ounce can cream of chicken soup, 10.5 ounce can French onion soup, 1 packet au jus gravy mix and 1/2 cup water. Stir well.
- Put 4 cubed steaks into gravy mixture and make sure it is coated well.
- Cover slow cooker and cook steak on low for 6-8 hours.
- After cooking, it's time to thicken gravy. In a small bowl, whisk together 3 Tablespoons cornstarch and 3 Tablespoons cold water. Stir mixture into crock pot. You do not need to remove the cubed steaks to do this unless you find it easier to whisk it in. I would put the cubed steaks back in the pot as soon as you've mixed it in.
- Turn the setting to high and cook for 30 minutes (until gravy is thickened.) Then serve!
Video
Notes
- NOTE: If you are sensitive to salt, don’t enjoy salted food or need lower sodium for dietary restrictions, you will need to purchase lower sodium or no sodium options where possible. You can always season with additional salt yourself if you prefer.
- If you don’t want to use French Onion Soup you could substitute with low sodium Beef Consommé or Beef Broth.
- Serve with mashed potatoes, rice or egg noodles.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
No matter how hard I tried to make tender cube steak I failed. This cube steak did the trick. Oh so tender and my family said it was the BEST !
This is one of my family’s very favorites… excellent comfort food on a busy day. We have it at least once a month. Very easy to interchange ingredients if your family doesn’t care for a particular flavor. Cooking the meat in the crockpot makes it fork tender. Lots of delicious gravy… sometimes we can’t wait to eat and I dont thicken it. Great either way! Thank you for sharing such a delicious and easy recipe!
I used some boneless beef shortribs that I had and this was soooo good….super easy and flavorful…a perfect weeknight meal!
Hi. My wife still works and so this is perfect for me. Very tender and tastes excellent and not a whole lot of preparation. Perfect. Question: Should I take the beef out when stirring in slurry and then put back in?
The gravy that this makes is sooo good!!!
I use pot roast instead and add
Mushrooms and onions. Family favorite!!
When and where do you add those mushrooms and onions? Thank you in advance!
I make this at least 3 times a month it’s one of my family favorite meals it’s absolutely delicious. And i always have people asking for the recipe. Love making it…. super easy.
Just got up from the table after trying this recipe. I’m ready to go back for more! Seriously, make this and you will not be disappointed! I browned the steaks first in a little olive oil because I can’t bring myself to put unbrowned meat in the crock pot. Since the pan was so hot and ready I browned some mushrooms and onions to go into the pot as well. I also added an extra 1/2 cup of water and halfway through the cooking time, 1/2 cup of beef broth because things were looking a bit thick. Needless to say, the gravy needed no thickening and came out just great. This is cube steak Nirvana. Or Valhalla. Or Heaven. Just bliss!
Delicious!! My family loved it!
This turned out AMAZING!!!!! We are so impressed. Question, would this recipe double well? This would be great when we have guests because it’s so good!
So delicious! Going into my favorite board. The only thing I did differently was strain the gravy before adding the cornstarch mixture.
Love this recipe. Very tender beef and very flavorful. Will make it again.
Can I use something else in place of onion soup .My family does not like the onion soup. Thank you
Debra, I used a can of beef broth instead when I realized I’d forgotten the French Onion Soup and it came out WONDERFUL–very flavorful and cubed steak was tender. I’ve made it both ways–though when I did use the French Onion soup I admit I used a colander to strain out the onions themselves as my husband is not a big fan of onion soup either. 🙂
My family enjoyed this dish very well! Followed recipe as stated using 1 1/2 pounds cub steak which was so tender and the gravy was fantastic with mashed potatoes and cooked carrots on the side.Thank you for sharing,it’s hard to find good crock pot meals!
This was absolutely divine. I followed it to the letter with the exception of salt. I use “No Salt” salt substitute. I hardly ever eat red meat, but I had to try this recipe. It is actually better than what my mother use to make (sorry mum). Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It is definitely a keeper for me.
Excellent recipe!!!! The cube steaks were so tender. will definitely be making this again.
This was beyond delicious. The meat came out soooo tender. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I forgot to add…the gravy was divine.
I’ve made it both ways, still delicious! I actually have frozen cubed steak in there right now since I’m making it again tonight.
Do you leave the cube steaks in the crock pot when you add the corn starch and water to thicken it? I’m in the process of making this now and I guess I’m confused about that final step. I don’t want to break the steaks up by stirring in the cornstarch and water.
I made this and my family loves it!! Its a regular on my supper rotation! So easy to make and delicious!!
I made this yesterday and my husband loved it! He came back for seconds and he’s watching his weight so I call that a win. 🙂 I made it just as directed, except I did take the French Onion soup and strained it over a bowl, as my husband doesn’t like to chew/taste the actual onion, LOL. There is no need to add any seasonings or salt as the soups and au jus are just right for flavor. Made with mashed potatoes and it was so tasty! Will DEFINTELY make again, thank you!!
I’m in the process of making the cube steak!! This is my 3rd time making it, and let me tell you, it is AWESOME!! My youngest son(he’s 11) is SO picky on what he eats, he loves this!! With the gravy part I add cream of mushrooms, and beef broth instead of water. And is use rice with it. But no matter what it is so good!!
*Update….did a quick brown on each side and proceeded w the recipe as described. They turned out FABULOUS! Thank you!!!!!
Made this with cube steak. Didnt have au jus gravy and walmart was out, so I bought onion gravy. Was not disappointed! Very delicious
This is one of my husband’s favorite meals that I make in the crock-pot now. We had it just two weeks ago and it is in the crock-pot once again for tonight.
Delicious & super easy to make!