Learn How to Cook Cube Steak in a few simple steps. This pan-fried cube steak is ready in under half an hour. Combine with fried onions and parsley for an easy and naturally gluten free dinner!
Let’s talk about Cube Steak.
You might be asking: “What exactly is cube Steak?” I didn’t know either, until recently, when I purchased a grass-fed meat bundle and wound up with almost 5 lbs of it.
WHAT IS CUBE STEAK?
It is a cut of beef, usually from the top sirloin or top round, that is tenderized through an electric tenderizer. The cuts are thin and resemble a cutlet of some sort but have a “cubed” surface appearance from the tenderizer machine. Here is the official Wiki for Cube Steak if you want to learn more. Cube steak can look similar to ground beef in the package, but it’s an entirely different cut of meat.
HOW DO YOU COOK CUBE STEAK?
I searched “How To Cook Cube Steak” on Google and Pinterest and found the same couple of recipes over and over (dump in a slow cooker with onion soup mix – no thanks!) and a few variations on a sandwich using crappy ingredients.
After reading up on it for a while, the consensus is that you either cook it low and slow or very quickly over high heat.
Since I have so much of it, I will be experimenting a bit, but for now, I think this super quick technique is tasty and makes for an unbelievably easy weeknight dinner.
Plus, Cube Steak (even grass-fed) is pretty cheap!
COOKING CUBE STEAK: DIFFERENT WAYS TO COOK CUBE STEAK
So, what are your options when it comes to cooking cube steak? In this recipe, I pan fry my cube steak. There are other ways to cook cube steak and end up with a delicious result though – here are some ideas.
- Fried cube steak
- Sauteing
- Braising
HOW TO MAKE CUBE STEAK TENDER
The texture of cube steak is different from other cuts of beef and it can easily become too chewy if you don’t cook it correctly. Because of this, cube steak has an unwarranted reputation for being a tough cut of beef – but this isn’t necessarily true. Just prepare and cook it the right way and your cube steak will come out tender and flavorful.
Baked cube steak isn’t recommended for a tender result. Cooking your cube steak in the oven generally doesn’t lock in juices and flavors in the same way as pan frying or braising the steak does. Some people love baked cube steak – and you might, too! But if you’re looking to get the most flavorful bite, I recommend trying an alternative cooking method.
Grilled cube steak? Same idea – it’s just more difficult to end up with a tender piece of beef this way. This cut is really meant for sauteing, pan frying, and braising. I’m choosing to pan fry my cube steak in this recipe because it works well and cuts down on cooking time when compared to braising.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CUBE STEAK?
I served it alongside my Creamy Mashed Cauliflower with Ghee and Garlicky Braised Collard Greens.
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
Learn How to Cook Cube Steak in a few simple steps. Combine with fried onions and parsley for an easy and naturally gluten free dinner!
- 2 Tablespoons butter (or Ghee)
- 2 pounds cube steaks (approx 8 cutlets)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided
- 1 cup caramelized onions (or fried onions) (approx 1 pound raw onion - see Notes)
- 1/4 cup parsley leaves chopped
-
Make sure to make your fried or caramelized onions first and set aside as those can take some time. See NOTES below for instructions.
-
Sprinkle both sides of each Cube Steak cutlet with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
-
Heat a large frying pan - large enough to hold 2 of the Cube Steaks with some room between them (a 12" frying pan worked perfectly for me) over high heat.
very hot, add 1/2 Tablespoon of butter to frying pan. Add 2 of the Steaks to the pan and cook, undisturbed, for 3 minutes.
-
Turn and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with the butter and steaks until all are cooked.
Serve topped with fried (or caramelized) onions and chopped parsley and Enjoy!
- How To Make Fried or Caramelized Onions: Here is a quick tutorial on how to make either Fried (aka quick) or Caramelized (aka slow) Onions. Both are great on top of this steak - make what you have time for!
Did you make this recipe? Tag @EverydayMaven on Instagram with the hashtag #EveryDayMaven and please give a star rating below.
UPDATE NOTES: Please note that this recipe was originally published in February 2014, but was updated in November 2018 with nutritional information, updated photos, recipe tips, and more helpful information.
We would do this when I was in Boy Scouts more years ago then I care to remember.
On a heavy duty piece of aluminum foil place raw sliced onions, then the cubed steak. Season, add chopped potatoes and carrots and a dab of butter and more seasonings to taste. Fold over foil to seal in all the moisture. Drop it on the BBQ or camp fire and cook for a 1/2 to 1 hour depending on your heat
Bought it by accident so I am finally thawing it and cooking tonight. My husband works late hours and it is so tough to have meats ready for dinner that don’t overcook. I am going to do mushrooms and onions with a beef gravy, buttered noodles, green veggies and vinegar/oil tomatoes. I love cooking for my hubs so I am looking forward to making this tonight. Thank you for posting!
Sounds amazing Michele! I hope he loves it and if you remember, come back and let me know 🙂
I made the cube steaks and they turned out perfectly (except my house got a little smokey from cooking on high heat! LOL!) I cooked onions and mushrooms separately and after the steaks were done, made a demi-glaze spiced with a spiced honey mustard. Didn’t get the buttered noodles made, but meat was accompanied by steamed broccoli with cheese. Husband’s plate is empty! THANK YOU! Great recipe!
Sounds like a PERFECT meal Michele!
This is the first time I didn’t bread and fry cube steak and serve it with gravy. It was incredible! A little dry, but still incredible!
So happy to hear it Maureen!!
Curious to know if using a marinade would help any.. I have an excellent beef one and I’m going to try it. I just wanted to know if you had done this. Thanks
Hey Meg! I don’t usually use a marinade for cube steak – I don’t find it needs it. If you try it, come back and let me know how it turns out!
Hi! I made it exactly how you suggested but topped each piece with a 2-3 shakes of worchtershire. It added a little beefie caramel sauce that finished it nicely. 🙂
I bet that was yummy Ron!
Cube steak has ALWAYS been my go to when it was 5 o’clock and I had to get supper on the table for two children and husband. A super flavorful quick fry like yours is perfect.
We don’t have collard greens where I live (rural Alberta, Canada) but I always accompanied my cube steak (we call it minute steak here) with coleslaw (frozen peas if you’re really pressed for time) and hash browns. Easy peasy and delish.
Thanks, Alyssa. I’ve been following you for ages. You and your recipes are great!
Hi Kate! That sounds like a perfect easy dinner – I am right there with you!! And, thank you so much – I so appreciate the kind words 🙂
Fabulous! So amazing to find such a delicious recipe for cooking that cut of meat for the first time. Good thing – because I’ve got several more packages of Cube Steak from my CSA. Thank you!!
Hi Melanie! Yay – so glad you liked it! 🙂
It was a huge hit with my family! So good!
That’s the best!!! Thanks for letting me know Toni!
Amazing recipe! Made it for 4 hungry kids, ( 2 teen boys), they loved it. There are No leftovers! Thanks !
Love it Matt – nothing like happy kids!!
This was so easy to make!! And it turned out fantastic!
LOVE hearing that feedback Lindsay! Thanks for letting me know!
Cube steak is a great dinner idea! Affordable and so tasty!
I’m with you Suzy!
My new favorite way to prepare cube steak! Cheap and family friendly!
YES!! So easy and affordable. So happy to hear that you loved it!
I had never cooked a cube steak until this recipe, and let me tell you I plan on using them more. It was so easy and delicious!
Hey Julie!! Love hearing that!!! 🙂
My MIL introduced me to cube steaks years ago….and I’d forgotten until I saw your recipe. Both my husband and I loved this for a quick, tasty weeknight meal!
That is so awesome Liz!! It really is such an underappreciated cut!
This recipe is a keeper, my family devoured it! Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Tanya!! Thanks for letting me know – that makes me so happy!
Alyssa, this is so tasty! You do such a great job on your website–great directions and presentations. Thank you for sharing your excellent recipes!
Thank you Kate! So appreciate the feedback 🙂
Alyssa, thanks for sharing! Saved my butt on a quick impulsive idea for a dinner side!
Fantastic Nataly!
I love this! All I remember about cube steak from my youth is that it was covered in flour and fried in a pan. Yuck, the flour turned into glue and got all soggy. These are delicious!
Exactly Sandra! This is definitely NOT that!!
actually, chicken-fried cube steak is a favorite of mine, paired with country gravy, mashed potatoes and peas it’s so yummy!
the reason the flour was soggy, like glue was due to the oil not being hot enough to fry it in, and not cooking it long enough on each side to make the flour coating crispy. try making it again using really hot oil this time.
yep, this is a spot-on recipe for a quick cube steak dinner.
well done, Alyssa!
and thanks for mentioning ghee, I had seen it as a recipe ingredient before but tonight,
thanks to your recipe I googled it and will give it a try sometime.
Hi Maryann! So happy to hear it – thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂
Boy what an easy dish and the onions adds so much flavor. It was hard being patient waiting for the onions to cook up perfectly, but so worth it. Every bite was gone!
Fantastic! So happy to hear you all loved it! I am with you on the onions!
These are delicious and easy to make. My teenage son loves them!
That’s a great compliment because teenagers do not mess around with what they like! Thanks!
Thanks for these tips for making the perfect cube steak I love those onions on top!
So glad to hear it worked out Anne!
Alyssa, great idea! Now that is what I call a great way to start the day! It looks delicious!
Hope you love it!
Alyssa, it looks perfect and tasty! Can’t wait to have this anytime of the day, love it!
Hope you love it!
Alyssa,thank you very much! I like this steak! Wonderful combination of ingredients. It look so yummy!
Thanks Anna – so glad to hear it!
Heidi,season both sides of the meat with the spices and some salt and pepper if you like. Melt a couple of tablespoons of butter n the skillet on medium high heat. Once the butter is hot, place the meat in the skillet for about 3 minutes per side to brown. Take the steaks out and put aside. Cut up the onions, if you have any, and place them in the still hot skillet. Let cook for about 8 minutes to soften somewhat. Put meat into a baking dish. Mix the spices into the tomato sauce to create a zesty sauce. You may want to add some water or chicken broth to the sauce to thin it some. Pour the sauce over the meat. Put onions on top of the sauce. Cover the dish and let cook at 325* or 350* for about 2 hours. This would taste great served on a bed of wide noodles or some other pasta. I hope you have noodles, spaghetti, fetuccine or some type of pasta. Good eating to you and your daughter sister!
The BEST cube steak I’ve ever had. Thank you for the recipe and doing the research. I’m definitely subscribing!
Wow!! Thanks so much Cheryl! Day made 😉
What if you dont have the soup mix what else could i use?
Ok i have 3 cube steaks and nomidea how to cook them, no milk no flour. Got tomatoe sauce, spices. No oil but i got butter, any sugestions. Its dinner for my daughter and myself.
Im so disappointed with cooking cubed steak, no matter what I do it always comes out so tuff, WHAT CAN I DO???? HELP PLEASE. MOMMA ROSE.
Hi Momma Rose – have you tried my technique? I have found the most success with QUICK cooking at high temp.
Cube steak should be cooked til it’s starts to brown, you might feel as though your over cooking it, but cooking on low in butter with salt and pepper is best. I don’t think your cooking it long enough. It’s done but that’s why it’s still tough
Why does the meat come out so tough?
It shouldn’t Joy! You have to very quickly cook these steaks or they will become tough!
I like to make chicken fried steak and add to brown onion gravy. Place over grits or rice
Sounds yummy!
A favorite meal of mine that my mother always made with cubed steak we called Swiss steak and is very simple. Coat the steak in a flower mixture and pre-cook. Meanwhile, sauté onions and add canned tomatoes (when I say canned, I’m referring to preserved at home in a pressure cooker and canning jars, but I guess you could use canned from the store as well) to onions. I try to use a jar with quartered tomatoes and more tomatoes that juice. Let these flavors mix together while slowly heating. Afterwards, add the tomato/onion mixture to the meat and sauté on low to allow all the flavors to mix together. We serve with mashed potatoes and sweet peas.
Sounds fantastic Christa!
My mom used to do Swiss steaks also when I was a child growing up, and it’s been along time since I have had it. I think it’s what’s for dinner tonight.
Hope you loved it!
I also cook it slow, adding sliced peppers , onions and cover with small can of diced tomatoes, add mushrooms , if you like them, serve with garlic mashed potatoes and veggie of choice.
That sounds yummy Ruth!
I make mine the way my mama used to. It’s very similar but with onions and peppers. Braised but then slow cooked on the stove. Yum.
Love adding onions and peppers! Sounds good Kat 🙂
Cut some of those cubed steaks into thin slices and use them to make either stroganoff or goulash. I like to braise mine in a skillet, add some water and then cook them for a while. I then use them on a sandwich with toasted English muffins and top with a home made Dijonaisse, and a tomato. Good stuff.
The pork cutlets, I pound out a bit thinner and then treat them as you would for a pork tenderloin sandwich, which I love but cannot find here in Utah, so I make my own.
That sounds like a great idea! I also just got some in a meat package and have never had it before lol
I love me some cube steak! What a great post on how to cook it 🙂 Now I’m hungry!
I too do not know much about cubed steak but I like your treatment of it, looking forward to reading about what you do with the other cubed steaks.
I’m with Judy — I always use this to make chicken-fried steak! But it’s good stuff in any recipe. Good post — thanks.
Debbie, the cubed pork steak is called a pork cutlet here in Texas, and I buy them and make like a chicken fried steak, with mashed potatoes and creamed gravy, and oh, sooooo delicious.
Cube steak is one of r regulars – even got cubed PORK steak the other day (first time I saw that)… Low & slow I simmer with onions/mushrooms… The other day I dipped in egg & dredged in Almond Flour/seasoning mix – kinda like a chicken fried “steak”…
Wow Debbie, I bet the Cubed Pork Steak was really flavorful. My husband wants me to make a Paleo Chicken Fried Steak with it so that is probably next!
Good to know! I’ve heard of cube steak but have never had a good sense of what it was!
My mom used to prepare them this way but always added a couple dashes of worchestershire sauce to the butter during the steak frying. I am so new to gluten free and paleo, I don’t know what to substitute for the worchestershire sauce or if we can continue to use that. Thanks. Jennifer
Hi Jennifer,
Edward & Son’s make an Organic, Gluten Free Worcestershire Sauce. I have seen smaller bottles (than what I linked to) in the grocery store and also on Amazon – just not today.
Your recipe sounds good, but I use these mostly to make chicken fried steak with.
Do you fry it on oil or grease? Then so you bake it in the oven for 60 min in water or is that necessary? Im t rt yin it for the first time. ms.barbie13.bh@gmail.com
Looks like pure comfort food on a plate Alyssa!
Yes! It felt like a cold winter night meal. I can’t wait to experiment more – I think Cube Steak has a lot of possibilities.