Buzz
Beef round steak is often an affordable cut of beef, but unfortunately, it can be tough and chewy if not cooked properly. Slow-cooking methods in liquid are typically the best approach, such as the techniques outlined below:
Ingredients
Braised Beef Round Steak
4 servings
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) butter, divided
- 450 g beef round steak, cut into 4 equal pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) black pepper
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 cup (250 ml) ketchup
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) beef broth
Grilled Beef Round Steak
4 servings
- 450 g beef round steak, cut into 4 pieces
- 4 tablespoons (60 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) canola or olive oil
- 1 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped celery
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped onion
1/2 each of red, yellow, and green bell peppers, julienned
- 2 cans of stewed tomatoes, undrained, 415 g each
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) shredded Cheddar cheese
Slow-Cooked Beef Round Steak
4 servings
- 4 servings
- 450 g beef round steak, cut into 4 pieces
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) margarine or butter
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) black pepper
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1/2 packet of dry onion soup mix
- 250 ml beef broth
- 215 ml canned mushrooms, undrained
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon (0.625 ml) five-spice powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) ginger powder
- 1 bay leaf
Steps
Braised Beef Round Steak
Melt 1 tablespoon (15 ml) butter in a large skillet. Heat the butter over medium heat until fully melted.
- For a richer flavor, use animal fat (such as rendered beef fat or lard) or vegetable oil.
Season the steak with salt and pepper. Ensure the seasoning is evenly distributed on all sides to enhance the flavor throughout the meat.
Sear the steak in butter. Place the steak in the hot, melted butter and sear for about 3 minutes per side or until both sides turn brown.
- Then, remove the steak from the skillet and place it on a shallow-rimmed plate. The rim is necessary to prevent the meat juices from spilling over.
Melt the remaining butter in the skillet. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of butter to the skillet and heat over medium heat until melted.
- Similarly, you can use beef fat or lard instead of butter for enhanced flavor. For a healthier option, replace butter with vegetable oil.
Sauté garlic and onions in butter. Add the onions to the skillet and sauté in the hot butter, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes. Then, add the minced garlic and sauté for an additional minute, stirring constantly.
- The onions should be soft and fragrant when cooked.
- The garlic should be dry and aromatic when cooked.
- Garlic cooks faster than onions, so avoid adding both at the same time. Additionally, garlic burns easily, so be careful to avoid overcooking it.
Add the sauce ingredients to the skillet. Pour in the ketchup, maple syrup, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and red pepper flakes (if desired). Stir well, then add the beef broth and continue stirring.
- It’s best to mix the sauce ingredients together before adding the steak to the skillet. The steak in the skillet can make it difficult to blend the sauce ingredients evenly.
Return the steak to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a boil before reducing the heat (to low or medium) to let it simmer gently.
- Make sure to pour any juices from the plate into the skillet. These juices are valuable for adding moisture and flavor to the dish.
Simmer until the meat is tender. Cover the skillet and simmer for 60-90 minutes. Uncover during the last 20 minutes.
- Occasionally stir the ingredients in the skillet while simmering.
- Uncovering the skillet in the final stage helps the sauce reduce and thicken.
- Slow simmering is ideal for beef round steak because the cut is lean and not overly tender. The slow process allows the meat to break down further, while the simmering liquid prevents it from drying out.
Serve while the meat is still warm. Transfer the steak to a serving plate and use a ladle to pour the thickened sauce over the top.
Grilled Beef Round Steak
Preheat the oven to 165°C. Meanwhile, prepare a baking dish by spraying the bottom and sides with non-stick cooking spray.
- If using a large, heavy-bottomed, oven-safe skillet, you don’t need a separate baking dish. You can roast the entire dish in the oven-safe skillet.
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat until the oil becomes smooth and shiny. This may take a few minutes.
Flatten the steak. Place the steak between two sheets of parchment or wax paper. Use a meat mallet to pound the steak until it reaches a thickness of 6 mm.
- Tenderizing and flattening the steak helps reduce toughness and makes the final product less chewy.
Mix flour with salt. Combine the flour and salt in a large resealable plastic bag. Add the ingredients, seal the bag, and shake vigorously to evenly distribute the salt with the flour.
- Alternatively, you can mix the salt and flour in a wide, shallow dish. Ensure the dish is wide and shallow enough to accommodate the steak. Shake to blend the ingredients thoroughly.
Coat the steak in the flour mixture. Place the steak in the bag with the salt and flour mixture, then seal the bag. Shake vigorously to coat all sides of the steak evenly.
- If using a bowl instead of a bag, place the steak in the flour and salt mixture, flipping it several times and pressing to ensure even coating.
Sear the steak in hot oil. Place the coated steak in the hot oil and sear for about 3 minutes per side or until each side turns brown.
- Remove the steak from the skillet once browned. Place it on a shallow-rimmed plate to keep warm and retain the meat juices.
Sauté celery, carrots, and onions. Add all three vegetables to the skillet with the meat juices and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously.
- When cooked, the vegetables should be tender-crisp. They should be soft enough to bite into but still slightly firm.
Add tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce. Pour both ingredients into the skillet and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Next, you can stir the ingredients in the skillet to soften any bits stuck to the bottom. These bits are valuable as they add significant flavor.
- Keep the skillet uncovered while simmering the mixture.
Transfer the ingredients from the skillet to the baking dish. Arrange the steak in a single layer on the greased baking dish, then pour the skillet mixture over the steak.
- If using an oven-safe skillet, simply place the steak in the skillet and spoon the vegetable mixture over it.
Bake until the meat is tender. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 60 minutes in the preheated oven.
- Slow baking in liquid is also an ideal method for beef round steak, as the meat is typically lean and not overly tender. The slow process allows the meat to break down further, while the simmering liquid prevents it from drying out.
Add and melt the cheese. Uncover the dish and sprinkle cheese over the steak. Return the dish to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted.
- You can add more cheese than the recipe calls for (if desired), but adding extra may extend the baking time as a thicker layer of cheese takes longer to melt.
Serve while the meat is still warm. Remove the baked steak from the oven and transfer it to a serving plate. Spoon the vegetable mixture over the steak.
Slow-Cooked Beef Round Steak
Melt butter in a large skillet. Add the butter to the skillet and heat over medium heat until fully melted.
- You can prepare the slow cooker by spraying the bottom and sides with non-stick cooking spray or lining it with a special liner. This step is optional, but without it, the meat may stick and burn, creating a mess.
Mix flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Combine all four ingredients in a large resealable plastic bag and seal it. Shake vigorously to evenly distribute the seasonings with the flour.
- Alternatively, you can mix the flour and seasonings in a wide, shallow bowl. Ensure the bowl is wide and shallow enough to accommodate the steak. Shake to blend the ingredients thoroughly.
Coat the steak in the flour mixture. Place the steak in the bag with the seasoned flour and seal it. Shake the bag to coat all sides of the steak evenly.
- If using a bowl instead of a bag, place the steak in the seasoned flour and flip it several times, pressing to ensure even coating.
Sear the steak in hot, melted butter. Place the steak in the hot butter and sear for about 3 minutes per side or until all sides turn brown.
- You can skip the searing step, but it is generally recommended. Searing the steak before slow cooking enhances its flavor.
- Once browned, remove the steak from the skillet and place it directly into the slow cooker.
Add the sauce ingredients to the skillet. Pour in the beef broth, sliced onions, onion soup mix, brown sugar, five-spice powder, ginger, mushrooms, and bay leaves. Add the remaining flour. Bring to a boil and use a whisk to stir for about 5 minutes.
- While not necessary, cooking the sauce in the skillet first is a good idea. Adding liquid ingredients to the skillet and stirring helps loosen any flavorful bits stuck to the bottom. The flour also helps thicken the sauce as it boils.
Pour the sauce over the steak in the slow cooker. Ensure each piece of steak is evenly submerged in the sauce.
Cover and slow cook for about 7 hours. Once done, the steak will be very tender.
- Slow cooking beef round steak in liquid is ideal because the meat is typically lean and not overly tender. The slow process allows the meat to break down further, making it softer when cooked. The cooking liquid also prevents the meat from drying out.
Serve while the meat is still warm. Remove the steak from the slow cooker and transfer it to a serving plate. Spoon some sauce over each piece before serving.
- Note that you should remove the bay leaves before plating the steak and sauce.
What You'll Need
Braised Beef Round Steak
- Large skillet
- Tongs
- Plate
- Whisk or mixing spoon
Grilled Beef Round Steak
- Large skillet
- Tongs
- Plate
- Mixing spoon
- Baking dish
- Non-stick cooking spray
- Parchment or wax paper
- Meat mallet
- Large resealable plastic bag
Slow-Cooked Beef Round Steak
- Large skillet
- Tongs
- Slow cooker
- Large resealable plastic bag
- Whisk
