Pan Seared Cube Steak
On April 12, 2024 (Updated September 24, 2024)
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Enjoy savory beef with crisp exterior smothered in rich, creamy gravy with my Pan Seared Cube Steak. This simple comfort food dish is sure to please your friends and family.
Pan Seared Cube Steak
The comfort of savory meatloaf with the personalized touch of steak, my Pan Seared Cube Steaks are perfect for big gatherings. This one-of-a-kind dish features tender, flavorful cube steak patties smothered in a rich, savory gravy. It’s the perfect meal for a cozy family dinner or big get together. With just a few simple ingredients and minimal cooking, you’ll have a homestyle feast. Alright, I’m hungry. Let’s get started.
What is cube steak?
First, cube steak is a method for preparing certain cuts of steak, usually top round or top sirloin. The beef is tenderized with a meat mallet until formed into patties. The indented texture left in the steak after tenderizing is where the name cube steak comes from. This process results in tender beef that almost melts in your mouth.
This process also gives cube steak the ability to make the flavors you add to it shine. You can bread your patties and serve them with the gravy for country fried steak, or a white pepper gravy for my Chicken Fried Steak. We’ll be pan searing our cube steaks for a crispy exterior and serving them with a savory brown gravy, but you can do a lot with this versatile beef.
Tenderize Your Own Cube Steak
Many grocery stores carry cube steak ready to go. If your local grocer or butcher doesn’t carry it already prepared, don’t stress. Pick up some top round or top sirloin and then tenderize with a meat mallet. You want to pound your beef until you can cut into patties roughly 1/2 inch thick. Then, you’ve got your own cube steak ready to season, dredge, and sear.
How Long to Fry
When pan-searing cube steak, your eyes are your best friend when it comes to ensuring delicious and beautiful results. You want your cube steak patties to develop a nice, crusty exterior and cook through completely. To achieve this, melt your butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Then, coat your cube steaks in flour in a shallow pan, and add to your skillet. You can plan on about 10 minutes, giving each side of your patties 4-5 minutes, or until they’re a perfect, golden brown.
Homemade Pan Gravy
No cube steak dish is complete without a delicious, savory gravy. This easy homemade gravy recipe perfectly complements the tender, flavorful steak, creating an awesome mix of flavors. When the rich, creamy gravy starts soaking in to that crispy, pan-seared steak, your mouth will think it’s at grandma’s house for the holidays. And, bonus, you can make this with things you’ve got in your pantry already. Here’s what you’ll need for this tasty pan gravy:
- 1/2 cup beef stock
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
How to Make Pan Seared Cube Steak
Once you’ve got your cube steaks (or tenderized your own with a meat mallet) and the rest of your ingredients, it’s time to get started.
- Prepare steaks. Season your cube steaks on all sides with some Kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. You can also pick up some of my Beef Rub if you want something easy to perfectly complement your steaks. Add some all-purpose to a shallow dish, and then dip your seasoned steaks into the flour. Make sure you have a light coating of flour all the way around. This will help that crispy, bite-through exterior.
- Fry cube steaks. In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, melt your butter over medium heat. You don’t want to take your heat too high, as these thin steaks will cook quickly. Once your butter is melted, go ahead and carefully place your seasoned steaks and allow to cook for 4-5 minutes per side. You want your cube steaks to have a nice, golden brown crust all the way around, and then remove them to a paper towel to drain.
- Prepare pan gravy. While your steaks are resting and draining, it’s the perfect time to whip up some delicious pan gravy to pour over them. You’ll take your frying butter, and then add in some flour to form a roux. Next, you’ll add beef stock for rich flavor and milk for creaminess. Finally, add some salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce for finishing touches, and allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Smother and serve. Once your savory gravy is prepared, you’re ready to assemble the ultimate comfort food dish. Smother your cube steaks in this rich, brown gravy, and devour immediately.
Tips for Leftovers
- Storage. Make sure you allow your pan seared cube steaks to cool completely, and then place them in an airtight container or zip-top bag. You can store your steaks in the refrigerator this way for up to 5 days.
- Reheating. The best way to reheat your cube steaks is to place them in a skillet with gravy, and then heat in your oven on the lowest setting. Once your steaks reach temp, you can pull them and enjoy them all over again.
More Sizzling Steak Recipes
If you loved this Pan Seared Cube Steak recipe, then you’re in for a treat. From more cube steak creations to ridiculous ribeyes, I’ve got your steak needs covered in the Hey Grill Hey app. Here are a few of my favorites to help get you started:
Pan Seared Cube Steak Recipe
Fry up amazing Pan Seared Cube Steak by following the recipe card. When you wake up from your comfort food coma, give this recipe a 5 star rating, and tell us about your experience in the comments. And don’t forget to check out The Grill Squad if you want an even deeper look at steak, as well as all your BBQ favorites.
Hey Grill Hey is here to help you become a backyard BBQ hero and feed the people you love. Be sure you follow our social channels, because you never know when we’ll share your next favorite recipe or a tip that takes your BBQ game to a new level.
Pan Seared Cube Steak
Ingredients
- 4 cube steaks
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
- 1/4 cup butter melted for frying
Pan Gravy
- remaining butter
- 2 Tablespoons dredging flour
- 1/2 cup beef stock
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare steaks. Season your cube steaks on all sides with some Kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Add all-purpose to a shallow dish, and then dip your seasoned steaks, coating on both sides.4 cube steaks, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- Fry cube steaks. In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, melt butter over medium heat, and then carefully place your seasoned steaks and allow to cook for 4-5 minutes per side. Then, remove them to a paper towel to drain.1/4 cup butter
- Prepare gravy. Add 2 Tablespoons of your dredging flour to the butter in your skillet, and whisk until a roux forms. Then add in your remaining ingredients, whisk together, and then allow to simmer and thicken for 2-3 minutes.remaining butter, 2 Tablespoons dredging flour, 1/2 cup beef stock, 1/2 cup milk, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, Kosher salt, black pepper
- Smother and serve. Once your savory gravy is prepared, add to your seared cube steaks and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
