Crock pot Cube Steak and Gravy Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to make gravy from liquid in crock pot? ›

In your slow cooker, add in the white wine, rosemary, salt and pepper. Heat on high for about 1 1/2 hours, to cook off the alcohol. Add cornstarch into the bowl of turkey drippings and whisk together. Add that mixture to your slow cooker, cover and heat on high for another half-hour until gravy thickens.

Pour enough water into the skillet to almost cover steaks. Stir in beef bouillon and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until very tender, about 2 hours.

A cornstarch slurry is a mixture of a cold liquid with cornstarch. It is used as a thickening agent, and is particularly common in Asian sauces. As a rule of thumb, dissolve 2 parts cold water and 1 part cornstarch. Add the slurry to your sauce as it simmers in the slow cooker.

Here's why: A steak that marinates in an acidic or enzymatic liquid too long, such as citrus juice or cola, becomes tough or mushy. But the acid in milk is so mild that you can soak beef in it long enough to tenderize it effectively, without damaging the proteins on the surface.

(You can also start with a slurry of flour and water—equal amounts flour and cold water whisked together—if you want.) Whisk the gravy while slowly adding liquid: Slowly add stock, water, milk, cream, or a combination to the pan, whisking vigorously to dissolve the flour into liquid.

Add the cornflour mix to the gravy and stir until it's combined. Cook on HIGH for about 15 minutes or until thickened.

Cook the cube steak in oil for about 1 or 2 minutes on each side. After you've browned the meat: Move it into the slow cooker. Let it cook on low for 6 to 8 hours to end up with perfectly tender cube steak.

Salting. Most cuts of steak benefit from being salted up to an hour in advance of cooking, but especially tougher cuts. In addition to seasoning the steaks, salt helps break down proteins and make the meat more tender. Liberally salt the steaks up to an hour before cooking, then proceed according to your recipe.

Cubed steak gives a much beefier flavor than most ground beef, but you just have to be careful not to overcook your meat.

This moist environment allows you to leave food to cook for hours without risking it drying out. But because there is no evaporation, the liquid isn't able to reduce and thicken naturally in a slow cooker, often resulting in watery sauces and loose gravies. The common solution? Using a thickener.

How to thicken gravy in crock pot without cornstarch? ›

Most cooking experts say beurre manié is one of the best last-minute ways to thicken a sauce. Mix equal amounts of softened butter and flour together, rub or knead until well combined to form a smooth paste. Whisk in small amounts of the beurre manié at a time, let your dish return to a simmer, then add more as needed.

Take the lid off

Place the cooker on a high setting, and open the lid for 30-45 minutes to let excess moisture cook off. The liquid will reduce, leaving you with a thick and delicious gravy or sauce. (Tip: This trick can also be applied for thickening stews, or when you've accidentally added too much liquid.)

Create a paste with baking soda and water, cover the cube steak completely, let the meat sit for 15-20 minutes, then rinse before cooking. This process alters the pH level of the meat, making it more tender.

Simply season milk with nonacidic ingredients, preparing enough marinade to completely submerge the meat. Cover and place the meat and milk marinade in the refrigerator between 4 to 12 hours—whatever you deem as the perfect wait—before rinsing and patting the meat dry.

No need to rinse it before cooking if you're not adding any batter or breading to the surface. Keep the temperature relatively low and cook the meat slowly, setting aside 1.5 to 2 hours for the entire process. Rushing the cube steak with higher heat will only toughen it.

Just whisk together equal parts cornstarch and water to make a slurry — using about 1 tablespoon cornstarch per cup of liquid in your recipe — then whisk this into your pot. Cook until the sauce begins to thicken.

Mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with one cup of cold water, whisking the mixture together until the cornstarch granules dissolve. Stir this mixture into your gravy on low heat. You can use arrowroot powder, tapioca flour, or potato starch as a thickener if you don't have cornstarch.

Reduce liquid when using a slow cooker

Because your slow cooker will have a tightly sealed lid, the liquid won't evaporate so if you're adapting a standard recipe, it's best to reduce the liquid by roughly a third. It should just cover the meat and vegetables.