Swiss Steak

Whilst at the not-so-mega-mart, I walked by the meat counter, thinking I would pick up a ribeye and have an old-fashioned steakhouse-style meal. That was until I saw the costs of what I consider a decent meal: 1″ to 1.5″ thick, approximately 1 to 2 pounds, with nice marbling and a healthy color. Having decided not to spend the national deficit on one meal, I set my sights on a lesser cut of meat. I took a chuck steak and agreed that my preparation would be to sear and braise.

Let me clear up a common misconception right off the bat: Swiss steak has absolutely nothing to do with Switzerland. Zero. The “Swiss” refers to the tenderizing technique called “swissing.” Essentially, you beat the hell out of tough cuts of beef with a meat mallet until they submit to your will. This is old-school American comfort food at its finest. You take a cheap, tough cut like round steak or cube steak and pound it into submission. Dredge it in seasoned flour and brown it until it looks like it means business. Then comes the magic: you braise it low and slow in onions, mushrooms, and liquid until it’s fork-tender. This isn’t fancy cuisine. It’s the kind of meal born out of necessity and perfected by generations of cooks who knew how to make tough cuts sing.

Here’s where Swiss steak becomes transcendent: the relationship between meat and gravy is sacred. As that tough beef slowly braises, it releases its essence into the cooking liquid. Simple onions and mushrooms transform into gravy so rich it should be illegal. The flour you used to dredge the meat helps thicken the gravy. Those browning bits stuck to your pan become liquid gold when deglazed into the sauce. This isn’t just gravy — it’s the concentrated soul of the beef. The sweet earthiness of caramelized onions meets the umami punch of mushrooms. When you serve this over a mountain of stiff mashed potatoes, you create the perfect vehicle for soaking up every precious drop. The potatoes become a canvas. The gravy becomes art. Your dinner guests become believers in the power of simple ingredients treated with respect.

Swiss Steak

Juicy, Tender meat with hearty onion-mushroom gravy. A true winner for a winter's dinner.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Servings: 2

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, European, French, Global

Calories: 659

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1 lb Chuck Steak Cheap, well marbled, tender when braised
• 3 tbsp Seasoned Flour
• 1-2 ea Onions Peeled, ringed.
• 1 cup Mushrooms Cleaned, sliced
• 2 cups Beef Stock Low Sodium
• 1 tbps Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 tbsp Butter
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 2 sprigs Thyme
• 1 ea Bay Leaf
• Salt and Pepper To Taste

Equipment

• 1 Dutch Oven Heavy, with tight-fitting lid

Method

 

1. Preheat the over to 250
2. Over medium-high heat, add the oil to the dutch oven and bring it to a shimmer
3. Dredge the beef in the flour and brown both sides.
4. Remove the meat from the dutch oven and reserve
5. Add the onions and mushrooms to the dutch oven and saute until they soften and take color.
6. Add the stock and deglaze
7. Return the meat, and the rest of the ingredients to the dutch oven, cover it, and place it in the oven
8. Cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours (until the meat is tender), remove the lid, and cook another hour to thicken the gravy. Do taste the sauce, if too salty, add a couple of cubed potatoes
9. Taste, season and serve over mashed potatoes or polenta

Nutrition

Calories: 659kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 51gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 3gCholesterol: 169mgSodium: 1819mgPotassium: 1471mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 311IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 68mgIron: 14mg

Notes

I’ve used chuck steak here; one can use a brisket flat or blade steaks; no need to get the ribeye out.

A well-marbled and less expensive cut of meat is desirable for the wet, slow-cooking method.

 

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