Swiss Steak A LA Chef Bob

Swiss steak is a method of slow-cooking a relatively tough cut of beef, such as a round steak.  The meat is browned, and then braised in a tomato sauce.  According to rumor, recipes first starting showing up for Swiss steak in the 1930s.  You can cook this steak on a stove-top or place in a baking dish, cover with foil and cook it in the oven(which is the method I describe here).  The “Swiss” in Swiss Steak has nothing to do with Switzerland, but refers to the process of tenderizing a tough cut of meat.  The following is my mother’s method for making Swiss Steak.

Ingredients

4 pounds boneless beef round steak, cut 3/4 inch thick or

Eight 7-8 oz. cubed steaks. (I prefer these, no pounding)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon cooking oil

2 14.5-ounce cans stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 medium onion, sliced and separated into rings

11/2 cup sliced celery (about 3 stalks with leaves)

11/2 cup sliced carrots

1 Medium onion sliced and separated into rings

Serve with Mashed Potatoes Rice or Noodles (xtra large)

Directions

Trim fat from meat. Cut round steak into serving-size pieces 7-8 oz. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper. With the notched side of a meat mallet, pound flour mixture into meat.

For the cube steaks, season the meat on both sides with salt and pepper, (and whatever additional seasonings you wish to use), pressing into meat. Dredge in flour pressing meat into flour on both sides, making all meat surfaces are covered.

Prepare and brown meat in skillet as above. Transfer meat to a 9X13 or larger as needed baking dish. In the same skillet, combine undrained tomatoes, onion, celery, and carrot. Bring to boiling, scraping up any browned bits. Pour over meat. Cover and bake in a 350 degree F oven about 1 hour or until tender. Serve with MASHED potatoes, Rice or wide egg noodles.

Serving Suggestion: