Old Fashioned Country Style Steak..

[norgeway]

This is really an ancient recipe...Very popular in the South, this makes a cheap cut of meat"Cube Steak", wonderfully tender with a rich gravy, its not a quick recipe, but its good..first you take some cube steak, however much you want to make,lightly salt it, pepper it, and flour it well..I also add pepper to the flour,heat about 1/4 inch oil in a frying pan, I used a 57 Presto electric for this, brown well on both sides, dip off all but a few tablespoons of the oil, pull the steak to one side and add about 2 tbsp of flour to the remaining oil, stir until brown, add 1 roughly chopped onion, cover with boiling water, cover pan, reduce heat to a low simmer and cook until the gravy is thick and brown, usually an hour or so, depending on how well you browned the steak..

 

[norgeway]

Well...The wierd

Computer posted the pictures twice...Also I add another grind of pepper to the pan before covering, keep the water hot so if it gets too thick you can add a little...

 

[norgeway]

Another old fashiond rule..

NEVER add cold water to anything cooking, also never add cold milk to mashed potatos, they really are better when you heat the milk!

 

[danemodsandy]

Yep!

For good mashed potatoes, you have to dry the potatoes by shaking them over the heat after they're cooked and drained, then you need to mash them over heat, and then you need to add hot milk for the final whipping.

Any shortcuts, and you'd be better off with instant.

 

[norgeway]

You are

EXACTLY RIGHT...And NO skim milk or margarine..BUTTER and WHOLE milk only!..And I use ONLY white pepper in them!

 

[perc-o-prince]

Cubed steak used to be cheap, but here, it ain't so cheap any more!

When I make this, I still pound the cubed steak to further tenderize it, then season, dredge and brown as you do (with a little granulated garlic added). But, then I make the gravy and just lay the steak back in to warm it through since it's already cooked. I like mine to still have a little crispiness when I cut through the top!

And nothing like good, home-made mashed!

Chuck

 

[dynaflow]

Hans

as u know i use my Presto pressure cooker for this Im a Southern cook with very little patience

 

[norgeway]

YEP!

Mark Harman "Lighted Control Dial" makes his that way and its good too, I just make it this way because I like the meat to be falling apart, another good way is something my Aunt Jean does, she flours and browns the steak, then slices a big onion over it and adds 2 cans Hunts tomato sauce and cooks it until done, thats good too.

 

[norgeway]

Im going to

Take it up after while and put it in a Corning Ware Dutch Oven, then tomorrow I will just take it out of the fridge and heat it in the oven a while..I have some fresh green beans, and im going to cook a pot of rice and make biscuits.....mmmm m! LOL

 

[norgeway]

RE Pounding steak!

I remember my Mother using the edge of a saucer to pound round steak when she made Beef Stroganoff.

 

[joelippard]

Good Lord my mouth's watering!  I've done it here in the crock pot but it's been a long while since I did much cooking.

 

[gansky1]

Thanks for this, Hans.   Growing up, my mother would make cube-steak in the Westinghouse fry pan with the broiler lid or put them on the grill.  I've only known them to be tough and leathery so have avoided them since leaving home.  

What time you eating tomorrow?  

 

[norgeway]

About 4.00

You have a 15 to 16 hour drive so you better get on the road...Im baking a cheesecake now!!!

 

[gansky1]

Cheesecake too??  Arrrgh!

 

[frigilux]

The country-style steaks look wonderful, Hans! Haven't made them in years.

Mashed potatoes: I cook 3 to 4 pounds of russet or yukon gold potatoes in heavily salted water. Drain well, pour in 8 tablespoons of melted butter, then add heavy cream as needed (usually only a few tablespoons) to get them to the desired consistency. I use the KitchenAid mixer for mashing: Add potatoes and melted butter to bowl, and break them down at low speed using the paddle attachment. Switch to whisk attachment, and whip at medium-high speed, adding cream and a bit more salt if needed.

 

[firedome]

Ya'll ...

are making me hungry!! LOL. It all sounds mighty tasty! For my version of smashed 'taters: about 4 medium well scrubbed Russets cut up with skin still on (for minerals), 1/2 cup ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup heavy cream, and (optional) 2 cloves finely chopped garlic, then slathered with copious amounts of Real Vermont Cabot Butter when served ... mmmmm mmmmm! And even better with some home-made Sauerkraut alongside!

 

[58limited]

I've always called this smothered steak. Made a bunch last winter using a cast iron skillet when I bought a 1/4 steer from a friend who is a rancher - organic grass-fed beef, YUM!

My take on mashed potatoes:

Chop a bundle of scallions and simmer in a cup and a half of milk. Boil seven or so Yukon Gold taters with the skin on, drain and remove skins when tender. Mash in the milk/scallion mix with a stick of butter, S&P to taste.

 

[a440]

Looks Yummy!

 

[vacbear58]

@ 58limited

In my native Northern Ireland your version of mashed potatoes is known as Champ - often served on their own with a good size knob of butter and a glass of milk or even buttermilk.

The potatoes in champ just want to be well mashed not whipped.

I have also seen it done with parsley instead of scallions. Although I dont often have it now, champ is my favourite way to have potatoes

Al

 

[danemodsandy]

Al:

Champ is wonderful, but please tell me you have a fondness for colcannon! That is Ireland's most wonderful dish.

For those who've never had the pleasure - colcannon is cooked cabbage (or kale) mashed up half-and-half with potatoes. Some cooked leek goes in as well. Lots of milk and butter, and it's sooooooo good.

 

[perc-o-prince]

Aunt Jean's

Hans,

IIRC, when done with tomato like she does, we call that Swiss Steak in these parts. Haven't had that since my mother made it in the electric skillet in the '70's!

Chuck

 

[58limited]

vacbear58

I hand mash my potatoes using my mom's old hand masher. I came across that recipe years ago watching a cooking show, it was around St. Patrick's Day so I'll bet they were doing an "Irish Week" but I don't recall. It is the only way I make mashed potatoes now: If I'm going through the effort to make mashed potatoes, it is not much more effort to chop some scallions and simmer some milk. I like them with cream gravy but I eat them with melted butter too. I use salted butter which is enough salt in the recipe for me and I usually do not add pepper.

 

[alr2903]

Chuck,  our family calls it Swiss steak as well.  IIRC,  Mom used celery too.   Arthur

 

[kevin313]

Hans,

Looks so good! This isn't a dish you see much here in Michigan, but we have always prepared "Swiss steak" with cube steak that was dusted in flour and pan fried. Thanks for this and the electric skillet is the perfect appliance for this dish!!

 

[xraytech]

This looks great Hans,
I love cube steaks this way, I lightly brown mine in a scant amount of oil then I simmer in electric skillet in beef broth with mushrooms and onions for about two hours, I then thicken with corn starch and add a bit of gravy master

 

[nurdlinger]

Help me out here

I just recently acquired an electric skillet so I have no experience using it. What temperature setting, in degrees, do you (any of you) use to brown the steaks and if it is different what setting for cooking them in the gravy? Thanks.

 

[norgeway]

I usually..

Brown them on 325 to 350 then turn to the simmer or about 225 position,OHHH the mushrooms would be good, I also have made it with a couple cans of Golden mushroom soup in the crock pot..

 

[perc-o-prince]

Arthur- I don't remember celery, but that would be good! Funny- with gravy it was Country Fried Steak, but with tomatoes it was Swiss Steak.

Sam/Hans there anything with brown gravy that isn't better with mushrooms and onions in it?

Chuck

 

[58limited]

I've made it with mushrooms, I highly recommend it.