How to Cook Cube Steak in a Cast Iron Skillet

Name: How to Cook Cube Steak in a Cast Iron Skillet with Worcestershire Sauce
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 Tablespoon olive oil; 20 oz cube steak ((4 steaks about 5 oz each)); Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

8/19/19

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Worcestershire Sauce Cube Steaks are a flavor-packed dinner the family will devour on any busy weeknight! With only two ingredients and ready in less than 10 minutes, you’ll see that cube steak recipes don’t have to be complicated. When you see how to cook cubed steak in a cast-iron skillet, you’ll find out it is one of the best quick and easy dinner recipes. Plus since this recipe is made without flour or breading, it is also gluten free and low carb.

Disclaimer: I was a paid social media ambassador for Certified Angus Beef® brand through Sunday Supper Movement, and this trip was sponsored by the brand. As always, all opinions are my own.

Originally published Jul 13, 2017

Visting a cattle ranch in Kansas was an amazing, eye-opening experience to better understand where our food comes from. It was also an opportunity to get to know the people who raise these animals and the huge sense of responsibility they feel for providing our nation’s food supply.

After such a busy weekend, it was time to break out one of my favorite quick and easy dinner recipes, these Worcestershire Sauce Cast Iron Cube Steaks.

What is cube steak?

Cube steak is also known as a cubed steak. It is usually a cut of top round or top sirloin. These are lean cuts, so they can be a bit tough, which is why cube steaks sometimes get a reputation for being lower-end or inferior.

But it gets its name because it has been tenderized by your butcher by pounding with a meat tenderizer or using an electric tenderizer. This process is called “cubing”.

In some places, it is also called minute steak because it is a thin cut that cooks quickly.

Is cube steak the same as ground beef?

If you’ve ever accidentally picked up a package of cubed steak at the grocery store when you meant to get ground beef, you know that they are not the same. Though they come from the same cut of beef and look similar in the packaging, they are entirely different things.

The characteristic marks left on a cube steak from the tenderizing process do make it look similar to ground beef, which has been fully ground to break down while cooking or form into burgers, meatballs, meatloaf, and more.

How to cook cube steaks?

These lean cuts of beef can end up chewy if not cooked properly. So there are a few techniques that help to lock in the moisture and keep them juicy and tender.

Pan-frying – this is probably the most common cooking technique, such as when making chicken fried steak. Breading and frying help keep this lean cut moist and tender.
Braising – it can also be tenderized by simmering low and slow for an extended period of time, like when you make Swiss Steak.
Pan-searing or sauteeing – I opt for a quick sear in a super hot cast iron pan to keep it juicy. Keep reading for more on that technique. Some people also use this technique when they want to make a cube steak recipe with pan gravy, like this Pan Fried Cube Steak with Onion Mushroom Gravy.

What you might notice is that a lot of these techniques and recipes call for breading or flouring or tossing in a crockpot with a lot of heavy ingredients that might not be gluten free. That is not the case with this simple cube steak recipe.

Cast Iron Cubed Steaks Recipe

This is one of those recipes that’s not even really a recipe. Just a little idea and a quick technique, but it’s something I’ve been making for years.

After learning how to cook cube steak in cast iron, I think it’s time to share the technique with you.

What do you need to make pan-seared cube steaks?

Ingredients:

Oil – I used to always use olive oil. However, I have started using avocado oil for high-temperature cooking like this as it has a higher smoke point than olive oil. Either will work.
Cube steaks
Salt and pepper
Worcestershire sauce

Equipment:

Cast iron skillet – I truly consider this an ingredient in this recipe. The sear you get from screaming hot adds flavor from the nice browning you will achieve.
Tongs – for flipping the cubed steak

How to make cube steak in a cast-iron skillet:

Preheat your cast-iron skillet over high heat, then add oil.
Season both sides of the meat with salt and pepper.
Place the steak in the pan and cook for about three minutes per side. You make need to work in batches depending on the size of your skillet.
Pour Worcestershire Sauce over the cube steaks and let it reduce just a minute or two more. BRIANNE’S PRO TIP: Do not overcook or the meat will become tough and chewy.

And that’s it! The cuts in the meat from the tenderizing allow the flavor of the Worcestershire to really infuse the meat.

Do you put steak in flour?

Whether you are pan-frying cube steak to make chicken fried steak or making a gravy, oftentimes you dredge the meat in flour. In this case, the meat is simply seasoned and seared. So that makes it an easy gluten free comfort food dish.

One word of caution, though, is that not all Worcestershire Sauce is gluten free. In the United States, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce is gluten free. But if you have concerns, you may want to make your own.

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What are other easy beef recipes?

Shepards Pie
Beefaroni
Flat Iron Steak with Honey Balsamic Marinade
Ground Beef and Potatoes Skillet
Chili Lime Steak Bites

What to serve with cube steaks?

A simple baked potato or sweet potato and some steamed or roasted broccoli round out this healthy meal perfect for the busiest of days. But you can also try these side dishes:

Foil Packet Potatoes you can toss on the grill or in the oven.
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes go with everything, especially when you add bacon.
Bacon Cheddar Mashed Cauliflower is a cheesy and delicious low carb side. Or kick it up with Horseradish Cheesy Cauliflower Gratin.
Balsamic Roasted Vegetables have a deep flavor that complements the steak.
Easy Baked Beans that are the easiest you’ve ever made.
Corn Casserole that’s actually gluten free!
Creamy Hominy Casserole from Barefeet in the Kitchen is inspired by Cowboy Kent Rollins and based on a recipe from his book A Taste of Cowboy: Ranch Recipes and Tails from the Trail.
Barbecue Bean Bake from Grumpy’s Honey Bunch is a spectacular side dish also based on Kent’s recipe.

How to Cook Cube Steak without Flour

Get your cast iron pan searing hot to make this quick and easy, 10-minute cube steak recipe. In fact, it’s so easy, it’s not even really a recipe. Just learn this quick technique for how to cook cubed steak and end up with a juicy and delicious dinner every time.

I hope you’ll leave a comment and give the recipe a FIVE STAR rating. And share a photo of it on this pin, over on Pinterest!

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5 from 4 votes