Mouthwatering Slow Cooker Cube Steak Recipes

Cube steak is an affordable and tasty cut of beef that works perfectly in slow cookers. The long, slow cooking time helps tenderize the meat, infusing it with flavor. If you're looking for easy, budget-friendly meals to make in your crockpot, cube steak is a great option. Here are some delicious slow cooker cube steak recipes to try.

What is Cube Steak?

Cube steak is a cut of beef taken from the top or bottom round primal cut. It's made by running cuts of beef through a mechanical tenderizer that perforates the meat with tiny cubes. This breaks down the tough muscle fibers, helping tenderize it. Cube steak is sometimes called tenderized steak or minute steak.

The perforations allow seasonings and marinades to penetrate deep into the meat. And the thin, flattened shape enables quick cooking. While cube steak can be pan-fried, its texture truly shines when braised in a slow cooker. The long cooking time transforms it into a fork-tender, flavor-packed meal.

Benefits of Cooking Cube Steak in a Slow Cooker

There are several benefits to preparing cube steak meals in a slow cooker:

Tenderizes the Meat

Cube steak has already been mechanically tenderized. But slow cooking further breaks down the proteins, resulting in meat so tender it falls apart. No need to pound out the meat manually.

Infuses Flavor

As cube steak simmers for hours in a flavorful liquid like broth or barbecue sauce, the meat fully absorbs all that flavor. The result is steak bursting with taste in every bite.

Convenience

Simply throw the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning and enjoy a home-cooked meal at dinnertime. The meat cooks low and slow all day with no need to stand over the stove.

Affordability

Cube steak is an economical cut of beef, perfect for budget-friendly meals. Making it in a slow cooker stretches your dollar even further.

Tips for Cooking Cube Steak in a Slow Cooker

To get tender, juicy cube steak from your slow cooker, keep these tips in mind:

Choose the Right Slow Cooker Size

Pick a slow cooker that's large enough to fit all the ingredients without overcrowding. If needed, cut meat into smaller pieces to fit it all in.

Brown the Meat First

Browning cube steak in a skillet before slow cooking deepens its flavor and color. Just sear for 1-2 minutes per side.

Keep it Moist

Cube steak can dry out in a slow cooker. Add ample liquid like broth, tomato sauce, or barbecue sauce to keep it moist. You want enough to come about halfway up the side of meat.

Layer Ingredients

Place meat on the bottom, covered with onions, peppers, potatoes, etc. Top with sauce or gravy. This prevents meat from drying out.

Allow Time for Flavors to Develop

Cook cube steak for at least 6-8 hours on low to let it become fork tender and permeated with flavor.

15 Delicious Slow Cooker Cube Steak Recipes

With cube steak and a slow cooker, you can create easy yet impressive dinners. Here are 15 mouthwatering slow cooker cube steak recipes to add to your rotation:

1. Slow Cooker Garlic Herb Cube Steak

Garlic, oregano, basil infuse this cube steak with Italian flair. Hearty tomatoes and onions round it out.

2. Slow Cooker Cube Steak with Mushroom Gravy

Mushrooms and onion cooked into the savory gravy puts this homey cube steak over the top.

3. Classic Slow Cooker Cube Steak and Potatoes

Nothing beats tender cube steak and potatoes smothered in gravy. Comfort food at its finest!

4. Instant Pot Cube Steak

Your favorite electric pressure cooker also does a stellar job with cube steak. Brown meat, add sauce, and pressure cook!

5. Slow Cooker Cube Steak Fajitas

Spicy and full of Tex-Mex flair, these cube steak fajitas are easy to customize with preferred fillings.

6. Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff with Cube Steak

Tender beef smothered in a creamy, mushroom stroganoff sauce - a satisfying one-pot dinner.

7. Slow Cooker Cube Steak and Noodles

Tender noodles soak up the rich gravy in this classic comfort food dish.

8. Slow Cooker BBQ Cube Steaks

Your favorite barbecue sauce transforms cube steak into a sweet and tangy shredded meat.

9. Slow Cooker Cube Steak with Peppers and Onions

Bell peppers and sliced onions add a pop of color and texture to savory cube steak.

10. Slow Cooker Cube Steak Enchiladas

Shredded cube steak rolled up in tortillas and smothered in enchilada sauce for a Tex-Mex feast.

11. Slow Cooker Cube Steak Tacos

Build tasty tacos around a flavorful cube steak filling with your favorite toppings.

12. Slow Cooker Cube Steak and Rice

Brown rice soaks up the rich gravy in this simple, budget-friendly one-pot meal.

13. Slow Cooker Cube Steak with Gravy

straightforward and classic - tender cube steak drenched in savory gravy.

14. Slow Cooker Greek Cube Steak

A Mediterranean twist with garlic, lemon, oregano, olives, and feta cheese.

15. Slow Cooker Cube Steak Soup

Tender chunks of cube steak turn this vegetable beef soup into a hearty, filling meal.

Conclusion

Cube steak is an extremely versatile and budget-friendly cut of beef that was made for the slow cooker. With just a few ingredients, you can transform a tough cut into fork-tender cubes full of flavor. The long cooking time infuses cube steak with the tastes of garlic, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, or your favorite sauce. Serve it over rice, potatoes, or noodles, stuffed into tacos, enchiladas, or sandwiches, or enjoy it on its own in soups or stews. With this wide variety of delicious recipes, you'll never get bored cooking cube steak in the slow cooker.

FAQs

1. Should you thaw frozen cube steak before cooking in a slow cooker?

No, you do not need to thaw frozen cube steak before adding it to a slow cooker. The low heat and long cooking time will safely thaw and cook the meat to tenderness.

2. How long does it take to cook cube steak in a slow cooker?

Cook cube steak on the low setting for 6-8 hours until extremely tender. You can cook for 4-6 hours on high. Use a food thermometer to confirm it reaches 145°F internally.

3. What cut of meat is cube steak?

Cube steak is cut from the round primal, usually the top or bottom round. It’s mechanically tenderized by perforating the meat.

4. Can you pressure cook cube steak?

Yes, an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker does a wonderful job cooking cube steak. Set to high pressure for 15-20 minutes.

5. How do you keep cube steak from drying out in the slow cooker?

Keep moisture in by browning meat first, adding ample sauce or broth, layering ingredients, and avoiding opening the lid unnecessarily.