Swiss Steak
Flavorful and juicy, Swiss Steak, is the ultimate comfort food dinner that gets so tender by simmering in a tomato based gravy!
A TENDER BEEF DINNER RECIPE
Swiss Steak is an old fashioned, classic dinner recipe that’s been on dinner tables for many years (and for good reason – it’s delicious!) It’s a great way to use up more affordable cuts of beef (if any meat can be considered affordable these days, right?) Plus, it’s cooked low and slow so it just melts in your mouth!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ’S)
Swiss steak is a classic dish that is often associated with Swiss cuisine. However, despite its name, Swiss steak does not actually originate from Switzerland. The name “Swiss” in Swiss steak refers to the technique used to tenderize the meat (called swissing) rather than its country of origin.
Swiss Steak is typically made from a cut of beef such as round steak or chuck steak. These cuts are usually tougher and require a slow cooking method to tenderize the meat. The steak pounded with a meat tenderizer and coated in flour before being browned and simmered in a flavorful tomato-based sauce. The long, slow cooking process helps to break down the tough fibers in the meat, resulting in a tender and delicious dish.
They are completely different. A Swiss Steak is made with actual steak and is simmered in a tomato based sauce. Salisbury Steak is made into a shape of a steak using ground beef and is simmered in brown gravy.
Cube steak and Swiss steak are two different cuts of beef, but they can be used interchangeably in certain recipes. Cube steak is typically a cut from the top or bottom round roast that has been tenderized to make it more tender. It gets its name from the cube-shaped indentations that are created during the tenderizing process. Swiss steak, on the other hand, refers to a cooking method rather than a specific cut of beef. It involves pounding tougher cuts of beef, such as round steak or chuck steak, and then braising them in a flavorful tomato-based sauce. The pounding helps to tenderize the meat, making it more tender and easier to eat. So while cube steak and Swiss steak are not exactly the same thing, you can use cube steak as a substitute for Swiss steak in recipes that call for braising and tenderizing the meat.
You can use a mallet or something called a ‘Swissing’ tool to tenderize the meat. Also, cooking it low and slow helps break down the tough fibers and will make the meat more tender.
If you don’t have a meat mallet you can place your meat in a ziptop plastic bag and beat it with a rolling pin, cast iron skillet, or the bottom flat part of a saucepan (anything heavy will do.) If those options aren’t available, you can go old school and grab a heavy book like an old cookbook or dictionary, or grab a heavy, solid cutting board. Just a few whacks should flatten out your steaks to help get them a bit more tender (just don’t get overly aggressive on a bad day – ha!)
I think this Swiss steak is best served over something to soak up that sauce, like noodles, mashed potatoes, rice, etc.
Yes. Pound and brown the steaks like it calls for below. Then add the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker and cover and cook on low for about 7-8 hours.
Leftovers should cool down before storing. once cooled, store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Keep any extra sauce since it’s great for reheating the steak in and will help keep it moist. I’d recommend to reheat in the sauce on the stove.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- top round steak– you can use London broil, top sirloin, or even cubed steak. They are all similar in that they are generally considered tougher cuts of meat and need to be cooked low and slow.
- all-purpose flour – you could use cornstarch instead of flour.
- salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika – this is my preferred seasoning blend for the steaks. You can use whatever you prefer like a cajun seasoning or even steak seasoning.
- carrots and sweet onion – some folks also like to add celery.
- cloves garlic – try to use freshly minced garlic is possible.
- beef broth– you can use a can of beef consommé as a substitute. Also, if you need low or no sodium options, make sure you substitute those in this recipe where possible.
- diced tomatoes in tomato juice– You can use a can of whole tomatoes and crush them up by hand instead of petite diced.
- Worcestershire sauce – this is not a strong flavor in this recipe. It is just adding another layer of flavor.
HOW TO MAKE SWISS STEAK
Preheat the oven to 350°F. The steaks need to be pounded out to about ¼ inch thick. If your steaks are too thick to pound out thin enough, you will need to cut them down first. Add the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika to a gallon zip-top bag.
Add the steaks to the bag, seal it, and toss it with the flour mixture.
In a Dutch oven over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Working in batches, sear the steaks on both sides until golden brown. Set on a plate. You may need to add more oil if the pan gets dry.
Wipe out any excess oil and add the butter. Once melted, add the onions and carrots, stirring occasionally and cook until the onions have softened, 8-10 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Deglaze the pan with the beef broth, scrape off any browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
Add the tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper. Stir to combine. Add the steaks and any juices back to the pot and cover in the sauce. Cover and place in the oven. Cook for 2- 2 ½ hours until the steaks are very tender.
Taste the sauce and add salt if needed. Serve immediately.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Best Ever Swiss Steak
Ingredients
For the steak:
- 1.5 pounds top round steak
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
For the sauce:
- 2-4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 small sweet onions, thinly sliced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and 1/2 inch sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups beef broth
- 28 ounce can diced tomatoes in tomato juice, undrained
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. The steaks need to be pounded out to about ¼ inch thick. If your steaks are too thick to pound out thin enough, you will need to cut them down first.
- Add the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika to a gallon zip-top bag.
- Add the steaks to the bag, seal it, and toss it with the flour mixture.
- In a Dutch oven over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Working in batches, sear the steaks on both sides until golden brown. You aren't cooking them through – just browning. Set on a plate. You may need to add more oil if the pan gets dry.
- Wipe out any excess oil and add the butter.
- Once melted, add the onions and carrots, stirring occasionally and cook until the onions have softened, 8-10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
- Deglaze the pan with the beef broth, scrape off any browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Add the tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Add the steaks and any juices back to the pot and cover in the sauce.
- Cover and place in the oven. Cook for 2- 2 ½ hours until the steaks are very tender.
- When ready, taste the sauce and add salt if needed then serve!
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- Pounding the steaks is also going to tenderize them. You could use cubed steaks but make sure they are not too thick.
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.
How long would you cook this in a crockpot on low?
Hi Becky! I answer that above in the frequently asked question section 🙂
Can I use chuck for this?
Could question – that is one cut I have not tried yet. It should work but chuck roast is likely to shred instead of being able to cut (like a cube steak) so just keep that in mind.