This Slow Cooker Cube Steak is the ultimate weekday comfort meal! The cube steak is seared and then slow-cooked with onions and garlic, creating a rich, creamy, and flavorful savory gravy with perfectly tender meat. Serve these smothered steaks with mashed potatoes and green beans for a balanced meal that will not leave you hungry!
Table of Contents
This is one of those not fancy but totally satisfying meals that everybody loves. Our crockpot cube steak recipe combines tender cube steak with a savory sauce, and is perfect for busy days, special occasions, or simply when you need some good comfort food!
The slow cooking process not only infuses the steak with flavors from ingredients like sliced onion, garlic, and beef broth but also ensures that this tough cut of meat becomes fork-tender and totally amazing.
When paired with green beans and served atop mashed potatoes, Crockpot Cubed Steak makes for a hearty, comforting, and flavorful meal that the entire family will devour.
For more comfort food recipes to try in your slow cooker, check out my Slow Cooker Crack Chicken, Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles, Sweet & Spicy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork, Creamy Crockpot Italian Chicken, and Crock Pot Mississippi Pot Roast Sandwiches!
Why We Love This Recipe
- By combining just a handful of ingredients in a crockpot, you set yourself up for a delicious outcome with minimal effort.
- This easy cube steak recipe is a great way to make a budget-friendly cut of beef shine, transformed into a delicacy that feels indulgent without breaking the bank.
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- All-Purpose Flour – Used for dredging the cube steaks, the flour helps to create a crust that will thicken the gravy as it cooks.
- Garlic Powder & Onion Powder – These spices add depth and savory notes to both the meat and the gravy.
- Smoked Paprika – Adds a subtle smokiness and color to the dish, enhancing the overall flavor.
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper – These essential seasonings enhance the natural flavors of the ingredients.
- Olive Oil – Used for searing the steaks, it adds a slight richness and helps in creating a flavorful fond on the bottom of the pan.
- Onion – Thinly sliced, it adds sweetness and texture to the dish as it cooks down and caramelizes.
- Garlic – Adds a punch of flavor, complementing the other seasonings and contributing to the savory gravy.
- Beef Broth – This forms the base of the gravy, adding moisture and depth of flavor that makes the cube steak tender and delicious.
- Worcestershire Sauce – This condiment enhances the meaty flavors and adds complexity to the gravy.
- Dried Thyme & Dried Rosemary – These herbs contribute earthy and aromatic notes to the dish, elevating the overall taste.
- Heavy Cream – Transforms the gravy into a rich, creamy sauce.
- Chopped Fresh Parsley – Used for garnish, it adds a fresh, bright finish to the dish.
How to Make Slow Cooker Cube Steak
- In a shallow, small bowl, combine the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- Dredge each cubed steak in the flour mixture, ensuring an even coating.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the cubed steaks on both sides until golden brown. Work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan which can lead to steaming rather than searing.
- Transfer the seared cubed steaks to the slow cooker.
- In the same frying pan, add sliced onions and minced garlic. Cook over medium heat or medium high heat until the onions are softened and partially caramelized. Deglaze the skillet with a bit of beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Add the sautéed onions and garlic to the slow cooker on top of the cubed steaks.
- In a bowl, mix the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, and dried rosemary. Pour this gravy mixture over the cubed steaks.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until the cubed steak is tender.
- About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the heavy cream to create a rich and creamy sauce.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, you can use a dutch oven or a covered pot in the oven at a low temperature (around 325°F) for a similar tenderizing effect. The cooking time may vary, so check for tenderness.
Absolutely! Adding vegetables like carrots, potatoes, or green beans during the last 2 hours of cooking turns this into a complete one-pot meal.
An easy way to thicken the gravy is to mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir it into the slow cooker. Let it cook for an additional 15-30 minutes, or until the gravy reaches your desired thickness.
Simply stir in a little more beef broth or water until you reach the preferred consistency.
Allow leftover cube steak to cool to room temperature then place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days (consume within 3-4 days for the best flavor). The gravy may thicken upon cooling, but gently reheating it on the stove top will bring back its creamy consistency, and you can add a little water to the gravy if it needs to thin slightly. I do not recommend freezing this dish.
Tips for Success
- Building a rich, savory gravy is all about layering flavors. After searing the steaks, use the same skillet to sauté onions and garlic, then deglaze the pan with beef broth. This step adds depth to the gravy and also incorporates the flavorful fond (the brown bits left in the pan after searing meat) into the sauce.
- The slow cooker is ideal for making cube steak tender and succulent. Cooking on low heat allows the connective tissues in the meat to break down over time without drying out the steak. Resist the urge to open the lid frequently, as this can extend the cooking time by letting heat escape.
- Before serving, check the consistency of your gravy. If it’s too thin, you can thicken it with a cornstarch slurry (a mixture of cornstarch and cold water), and if it’s too thick, thin it out with a little extra beef broth or water. This final adjustment ensures your gravy is just right, complementing the tender cube steak perfectly.
- Feel free to add some mushrooms to the onion and garlic for some extra flavor in the sauce.
- A great way to enjoy this crockpot cubed steak is to serve it with a side of mashed potatoes and greens, such as green beans or broccoli. This gravy recipe with mashed potatoes makes such a delicious combination!
Searing the Steak
One key step for achieving the perfect cube steak in gravy is to get a nice and even sear on the steaks before they go into the slow cooker. They only need 1 minute per side.
This process creates a flavorful crust on the meat and locks in juices, allowing the meat to get tender on the inside but still stay intact and not fall apart while the cube steak cooks in the slow cooker.
Ensure your skillet is hot and that the steaks are not overcrowded, as this leads to steaming rather than searing.
Substitutions and Variations
- If you need a gluten-free option, you can substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend. For a different texture, cornstarch can also be used as a thickener for the gravy.
- For a slightly different flavor profile, try using sweet paprika instead of regular, or for a bit of heat, a dash of cayenne pepper or chili powder can be added.
- Sea salt or Himalayan pink salt can be used instead of kosher salt. For black pepper, freshly ground pepper will provide the best flavor.
- If olive oil is not available, other cooking oils like vegetable oil, canola oil, or even butter can be used for searing the meat.
- Chicken or vegetable broth can be substituted for beef broth, although beef broth offers the richest flavor for this particular dish. For a more intense flavor, consider using beef stock.
- Soy sauce or tamari can be used as a substitute for Worcestershire sauce, but they will change the flavor profile slightly.
- Fresh herbs can be used instead of dried, but remember to triple the quantity since fresh herbs are less potent than dried. Other herbs like oregano or basil can also be used for variation.
- For a lighter version, half-and-half or whole milk can be substituted in place of the heavy cream. For a dairy-free version, coconut milk or a rich nut milk like cashew milk can be used, though this will change the flavor slightly.
- Fresh parsley is mainly for garnish, so it can be omitted or substituted with other fresh herbs like chives or cilantro for a different taste.
More Juicy Steak Recipes
- Steak Fajitas
- Grilled Flank Steak with Mushrooms
- Grilled Chicken and Steak Fajitas
- Beef Steak Pie
- Grilled Ribeye Steak
- Marinated Steak Kabobs
- Classic Philly Cheese Steaks
Crock Pot Cubed Steak Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cubed steaks
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup beef broth
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Dredge each cubed steak in the flour mixture, ensuring an even coating.4 cubed steaks
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Sear the cubed steaks on both sides until golden brown. Work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan. Transfer the seared cubed steaks to the slow cooker.
- In the same skillet, add sliced onions and minced garlic. Cook until the onions are softened and slightly caramelized. Deglaze the skillet with a bit of beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.1 large onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the sautéed onions and garlic to the slow cooker on top of the cubed steaks.
- In a bowl, mix the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, and dried rosemary. Pour this mixture over the cubed steaks.1 cup beef broth, ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until the cubed steak is tender.
- About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the heavy cream to create a rich and creamy sauce.½ cup heavy cream, Chopped fresh parsley
Notes
- Storage Instructions: Store and leftover cube steak in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container. I do not recommend freezing the cooked steak.
I have this recipe several times only altering the seasonings to suit my family’s tastes. It has always, without exception, more or less “dissolved” into the gravy. It does not make a “cubed steak” meal, but the resulting gravy tastes great over mashed potatoes. I have adjusted the heat (lower) and the cooking time (less), but the result has been the same. Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong? If you can help me please respond to psa1121@aol.com. I do not mind posting my email address on the web if someone will respond directly to me. I have also tried starting with thicker cuts of cubed steak