Description
Hearty Swiss steak brings comfort straight from Midwestern kitchens, offering tender beef braised in rich tomato sauce. Home cooks savor this classic dish that combines slow-simmered meat with robust flavors you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 2 lbs (0.9 kg) beef round steak, about ¾ inch thick
Coating and Seasoning:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Aromatics and Liquid Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 ounces or 411 grams) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (8 ounces or 227 grams) tomato sauce
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the meat by slicing round steak into individual serving portions, ensuring even sizes for consistent cooking.
- Create a seasoned coating by mixing flour with salt and pepper in a shallow dish, then thoroughly dredge each beef piece to create a flavorful exterior.
- Heat oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high temperature, achieving a golden-brown sear on each steak piece for approximately 2-3 minutes per side.
- Transfer browned meat to a temporary plate, reserving the flavorful pan drippings.
- In the same cooking vessel, sauté onions and bell peppers until they become translucent and slightly softened, then introduce minced garlic and cook for an additional minute to release aromatic flavors.
- Develop a rich sauce by incorporating diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, and paprika, stirring to combine ingredients thoroughly.
- Gently return the seared meat into the sauce, allowing each piece to nestle comfortably and absorb the surrounding flavors.
- Reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and allow the steak to simmer slowly for 1.5 to 2 hours, periodically stirring and checking meat tenderness.
- Once the beef becomes fork-tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened, remove from heat and serve over preferred accompaniments like mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles.
Notes
- Select a well-marbled round steak for maximum tenderness and rich flavor, ensuring the meat remains juicy during long cooking.
- Use a meat mallet to pound steak pieces before coating with flour to help break down tough muscle fibers and create more even thickness.
- Experiment with gluten-free flour alternatives like almond or rice flour for those with wheat sensitivities, maintaining the same coating technique.
- Low and slow cooking is crucial for transforming tough cuts into melt-in-your-mouth meat, so resist rushing the simmering process for optimal results.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg