Cube Steak with Garlic Mashed Potatoes

While growing up my mother would make cube steak at least once during the winter season. Although not the fanciest of steaks  the meal and the time with my mother  was always special.  It is one of those foods that brings me back home.  Aside from sentimentality, cube steak also tastes great. It has a deep beefy flavor and is thankfully void of any livery flavor. Cube steak is one of the most economical steaks because it is a tough cut of beef that's been mechanically tenderized. Cube steak is most often used in country/chicken fried steak dishes found at popular breakfast restaurants.  This preparation employes braising the cube steak with vegetables water and a little wine. The result is a tender, moist and  savory entrée fit for a family meal or a small gathering of friends.  It pairs well with garlic mashed potatoes.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 pound of cube steaks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/cup chopped celery
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup water



Step One:

Season each side of the cube steaks with salt and pepper.  Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a nonstick skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Place flour in a shallow container or a dinner plate and dredge the steaks throughout  the flour. Pick up each floured steak and tap it to remove excess flour.  Add the steaks to the  skillet and cook for 2 minutes per side to brown.  Remove the steaks from the skillet and reserve.



Step Two:

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the onions, celery and carrots and cook until tender and the onions are translucent. Stir in 1 tablespoon of flour combining it well with the vegetables. Continuing to stir, cook for 1 minute.





Step Three:

Add the wine and water to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil, and then reduce it to a simmer. Nestle the cube steaks into the mixture. Cover and braise for 40 minutes.









Garlic Mashed potatoes

Ingredients:
2 quarts water
2 pound white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1/3 cup fat free half and half
1 tablespoon butter
3 cloves garlic pressed
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt



Step One:

Bring the water to a rapid boil and then add the potatoes. Cover and reduce to a simmer.  Cook the potatoes for 15 minutes, or until tender.




Step Two:

Remove the pan from the heat, and using a colander,  strain potatoes. Return the potatoes to the pan.  Add the remaining ingredients, and mash then the potatoes to combine all ingredients well.

Steak

Steak has a storied placed next to the caviar and the lobster tail in most restaurants.  Steak, like other loose terms, however, can actually mean cutting from tuna to ham. Most people in the US, however, associate it with beef, and this preparation is of a beef steak.  People take their stake preparation seriously, sometimes too seriously that the fun of cooking a steak is missed.  There is a science to cooking a steak, and there are proven methods and elaborate techniques. Who really has time for all of that, a steak cooked well should be enjoyed, and not worshiped.  This preparation breaks some rules in the orthodoxy, and it results in a simple delicious steak. 

One of the most perplexing things about cooking a steak is the type of steak to cook. That is followed almost immediately with the cut of steak, and the concept of doneness.  Regarding type of steak.  A steak is simply a slice off of what would normally be a roast. Some American cuts even contain parts that could be divided in other steaks. Outside of the US the names of cuts vary.  A basic premise is if the steak is from a muscle the animal used regularly, it will be tough and if it’s from a muscle the animal didn’t it will be more tender.   In the US, the USDA grades beef based on several factors, including marbling (fat between layers of muscle fiber sheets).  The grades sold at grocers are Select, Choice and Prime (in order from lowest grade to highest).  In most supermarkets there will be an abundance of USDA Choice steaks.  USDA Choice is good. In most stores you’ll also find brands like Angus or some store branding. Pay most attention to the USDA ratings. A USDA Prime steak is of higher quality than a USDA Choice steak, even if the USDA Choice steak is branded as special. In most cases, USDA Choice is a good choice, pardon the pun. 

As mentioned above, the working parts of the animal result in tougher cuts of meat and therefore tougher steaks so choose your cut’s wisely. Some grocers have started labeling steaks with stickers reading grill, marinate, or braise. These hints are good to pay attention to, but knowing the basics of cuts will help you immensely and wouldn't leave you reliant on a grocery store’s label. Keywords to look for in a steak that is suited for grilling, broiling or pan flying loin, tenderloin, top loin, T-bone, porterhouse, Delmonico, rib eye, top sirloin, and NY Strip.  I intentionally left off sirloin, because that term can be used very broadly.  Most steaks called sirloin are NY Strip steaks or top sirloin steaks, but some are tougher cuts of beef that require some form of tenderization.  It isn’t bad to talk to the grocer or the butcher and tell them how you plan to cook the steak. Most will gladly recommend a cut to you. 

Another thing to mention to the grocer,or butcher is how done you like your steak. Steaks can be cooked in a range of doneness levels from rare to well done.  Personally, a well-done steak is a sin, but there are people who, for whatever reason, ask for that level of doneness.  Here are some quick tips about doneness: very good cuts of beef should never be cooked well done, and squishiness is a good gage for doneness.  While cooking use tongs to press upon the steak after turning it. A squishy steak means rare to med-rare, less squishy, but mutable is medium, to medium well, firm means well done or hockey puck.    The secret to cooking a darn good steak is to sear it, cook it, and let it rest.  That’s basically it.

Ingredients:

1 10 oz., 1” thick, Top Sirloin Steak 

½ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp  vegitable oil

Step One:

Remove the steak from the refrigerator and wait about ten minutes for the steak to come to room temperature.  Season the steak with the salt and pepper on both sides. 

Step Two 

Add the oil to a non-stick skillet and head to medium high heat (closer to the high side).   Once the oil is shimmering and just barely smoking, add the steak to the pan.  Cook the steak for five to seven minutes.  Juices will form on the non-heated side of the steak, that’s normal.  After 5-7 minutes, turn the steak over and cook for another 5 minutes.  This will result in a medium rare steak. For a Medium steak cook it for 7 minutes solid on both sides.  Doneness is tricky, because the meat retains heat and will keep cooking even after being removed from the pan. Therefore to get a medium rare steak, cook it just past rare and remove it from the pan.  The same is true for other levels of doneness. 

Step Three:

Once the steak is cooked to your desired doneness remove it from the pan. DON’T cut it, poke it, or do anything to it. Just let it rest.  After ten minutes the steak should be ready to serve.  When you do cut it, juices will flow unless it's cooked well done. That's also normal.   Enjoy.