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.
Fantastic recipe! So fork tender and delicious! The key here is to definitely cook for 8 hours in crockpot. My family loved this. Thanks for finally allowing me to feel confident about making cube steaks!
Could I substitute cream of mushroom soup for the cream of chicken? Wondering if it would throw the taste off with the other ingredients. I’m just out of the cream of chicken and really don’t want to run to the store!
Hi there! I actually talk about that above in the ingredient section. You can use cream of mushroom no problem.
Nutrition information would be of great help.
It’s right there on the recipe card just above the nutritional disclaimer. If you need this information for health purposes, you should use your own trusted nutritional calculators. This is for general information purposes only.
This was so tender and we loved the gravy! My husband couldn’t stop raving (and that is hard to come by because he is very picky LOL) Thank you so much – this is a new favorite. I did take your advice and went with low or no sodium options because of my husband’s blood pressure. So for those complaining about salt, you need to read the instructions. She mentions it several times, in bold letters in the post and in the recipe card. She specifically states to be careful if you need a lower salt option or don’t like things to be very salty. It is very easy to add it if you want it. Sometimes people just don’t read then want to complain when they don’t like it. That’s their problem, not yours Brandie. Always love all of your recipes!
Thank you so very much Carol! Yes, I do try to mention it ALL over this post and in the recipe card. I understand that not everyone can tolerate certain levels of sodium so that is why I mention it. However, some people love it (as you can see from the comments here.) I really don’t know how else to call attention to it. I even put it in bold letters LOL
This was so good – my whole family really loved it
Absolutely Delicious! This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Thanks so very much Kelly!
Delicious – my husband couldn’t get enough. I am making it again tonight
Very delicious! I did not add the cornstarch at the end! It was great as was! Will make again!
3 thumbs up at my house !
So good and tender! Cut it with a fork!
So Easy! Only a few ingredients.
I am going to make this again and again.
Makes me want to look at other recipes on your site 🙂
Thanks so very much Naomi!
My husband and daughter love this recipe! Thank you so much for sharing it! I’ve made this several times but never with frozen cubed steaks. Can I use frozen or should they be thawed completely before making?
If I could give this recipe a 1,000 stars I would. Made it yesterday (1/20/24) for the first time. I couldn’t believe how tender those cube steaks were and the gravy, I can’t say enough about it. My husband is a country farm boy, who said this reminded him of country food and he can’t wait to have it again. Kudos to you! I have a couple swiss steaks and I’m plan to cook one of them using this recipe. I think will be awesome as well.
Love this recipe! So does my picky-eater daughter! The only substitution I make is that I use “Cream of Bacon” soup instead of Cream of Chicken, everything else stays the same. We love it so much it’s now basically the go-to choice whenever someone gets to pick for special occasions and such. Thanks again so much!
I had gotten cube steaks from my mother-in-law and had no idea what to do when them so I googled and found this recipe. This is now a staple in our house. It’s a good hardy winter recipe- love it with mashed potatoes and green beans. The gravy is just awesome! Thank you for posting this recipe!
Could you cook this in a 4 quart slow Cooker? . It look delicious!
As long as the cubed steaks aren’t too large
Brandie, I have been making this recipe for about two or three years now. It’s my absolute favorite easy go to recipe ever. This is the ultimate comfort food for me!!! Thank you soooo much for the delicious recipe!!!!!!
Thanks so very much Greta!! It really means so much when someone takes the time to leave a comment!!
my husband loved it. Great receipe.
This was delicious! I don’t think I’ll make cubed steak any other way again. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
This turned out perfectly. I added fresh chopped celery and red onions.
The MOST tender cubed steak ever and that gravy is AMAZING! I did have to use low sodium options because I have high blood pressure but it still tasted fabulous – thank you!!
quick question… do I take the cube steaks out when I thicken the gravy (won’t they get cold ?) or leave them in when I thicken the gravy? Thank you so much !
You don’t have to. Or take them out just for a minute while you mix the slurry in then pop them back in.
Husband loves cubed steak above all This slow cooker recipe with make sasy clean up and less time hanging over a hot stove
Just made this yesterday and it is outstanding! My crockpot must run hot or my cubed steaks thin as it was done in 5 hrs, meat so tender i could cut with a fork. Such delicious flavor and with adding cornstart, the gravy perfect on my mashed potatoes. Next time I want to try using cream of mushroom soup and adding mushrooms. Super easy, Super delicious!
This recipe is amazing especially now with football season. I make sure to have cube steaks on hand for an easy crock pot dinner. If anyone is looking for an easy and warming dinner this is the one….Enjoy!!!
Could I cook on high to shorten the cook time?
No I don’t recommend it. Cubed steak is a tougher cut of meat and if you want it super tender, it needs the longer cook time.
Very good!! No knife required! Tysm!