This classic Swiss steak features fork tender beef smothered in a rich tomato gravy and slow cooked to perfection. I like to serve it over rice with a fresh green salad and crusty baguette on the side for comfort food at its best.
About Swiss Steak
Swiss Steak was something that my mother often made when I was growing up. It was a way of taking a tough cut of beef and simmering it in a rich tomato gravy to create a scrumptious meal.
You may think that Swiss Steak originated in Switzerland because of its name. However, Switzerland had nothing to do with it. Rather, the name originates from a technique called swissing which is a tenderizing technique. With swissing, the meat is rolled or pounded before it’s cooked to help tenderize it.
Swiss steak is often confused with Salisbury steak. While both are cooked in a rich gravy, Salisbury steak is made with ground beef that has been shaped into a patty whereas Swiss steak is made with unground steak. Also, the gravy is different. Salisbury steak gravy is a brown gravy that often includes mushrooms. The Swiss steak gravy is tomato based.
In the South and in England, Swiss steak is sometimes referred to as smothered steak.
Ingredients:
The ingredients for this amazing dish fall into four categories:
- The Beef: Historically, I’ve used round steak in this dish. However, I couldn’t find any at the grocery store, so I opted for top sirloin steak. It worked amazingly well! The top sirloin steak had minimal fat, was full of flavor and fork tender after the slow cook.
- The Vegetables: The vegetables consisted of sliced onions, chopped celery and minced garlic.
- The Liquids: The flavorful gravy in which the steak is cooked consisted of beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, diced tomatoes and tomato paste.
- Everything Else: I coated the steak in all-purpose flour seasoned with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and quick fried it in some vegetable oil. For the seasonings, I used dried oregano and paprika.
The Beef
The BeefI started by combining the flour, salt and pepper in a ziploc bag. Then, I added the beef which I had cut into serving size pieces and gave the bag a shake to coat.
Next, I used something called a needling device to tenderize the beef. A needling device consists of a lot of sharp stainless steel blades that penetrate the connective tissue and help to flatten the beef. If you don’t have a needling device, you could use whatever tool you normally use for flattening meat.
After I tenderized the beef, I returned it to the ziploc bag with seasoned flour and gave it another coat. Then, I heated some vegetable oil in a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Once the oil was hot I added the steaks to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd. I cooked the steaks until they were nicely browned on both sides. This took about 2 minutes per side.
Finishing the Swiss Steak
Once the meat had been browned I removed it, and sautéed the onions and celery in the Dutch oven for several minutes. Next, I added the garlic and cooked the mixture for about 30 seconds until the garlic was fragrant. Then, I added the paprika and oregano, and stirred the mixture to combine everything.
I whisked together the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste. Then, I added it to the vegetables in the Dutch oven. I stirred to combine everything, being careful to scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pan.
After everything was well combined, I added the diced tomatoes. I stirred everything together. I added a bit more salt and pepper to taste.
Finally, I returned the meat to the Dutch oven. After the liquid started to boil, I covered the Dutch oven and reduced the heat to medium low. I placed the Dutch oven in a preheated 325°F oven for about an hour and 45 minutes.
The beef was fork tender and falling apart and the gravy had thickened to a perfect consistency. I spooned the Swiss steak over some rice and served it with a side salad and crusty French Bread. This was comfort food at its best. Yum!
Chula’s Expert Tips
Chula’s Expert Tips- Choose meat that has minimal internal fat. Both round steak and top sirloin work well with this recipe.
- I like to use low sodium beef broth. However, you could use regular beef broth and adjust the added salt to taste.
- If you don’t have a needling device, you can use whatever device you normally use to pound meat.
- I like to serve Swiss steak over rice. However, you could also serve it over mashed potatoes or with a baked potato. Swiss steak goes well with a lot of different sides such as green beans, steamed spinach, collard greens, broccoli, cauliflower or a simple side salad.
- Leftovers reheat well. Place in a pan over medium low heat and cook until bubbly and the meat is fully heated, about 15 minutes.
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Swiss Steak
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef bottom round or top sirloin, trimmed of excess fat (See Tip 1)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ cups beef broth (See Tip 2)
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325º F.
- Cut the meat with the grain into serving size pieces. Place the flour, salt and pepper into a ziploc bag or other type of plastic bag. Add the meat and toss to coat on both sides. Tenderize the meat, using a needling device, until each slice is about ½-inch thick. Dredge in the flour again and set aside. (See Tip 3)
- Add the vegetable oil to just cover the bottom of a 4 to 5-quart Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the steaks to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd. Cook until golden brown on both sides, approximately 2 minutes per side. Remove the steaks to a plate and repeat until all of the steaks have been browned.
- Remove the last steaks from the pot and add the add the onions and celery and garlic. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic; cook 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the paprika and oregano; stir well to combine.
- Whisk together the beef broth, tomato paste and Worcestershire Sauce in a measuring cup. Add to the vegetable mixture; mix well. Add the diced tomatoes; mix well. Correct the seasonings. Return the meat to the pot, submerging it in the liquid. Bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and place it in the preheated 325°F oven. Cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart.
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings. (See Tips 4 and 5)
Video
Chula's Expert Tips
- Choose meat that has minimal internal fat. Both round steak and top sirloin work well with this recipe.
- I like to use low sodium beef broth. However, you could use regular beef broth and adjust the added salt to taste.
- If you don't have a needling device, you can use whatever device you normally use to pound meat.
- I like to serve Swiss steak over rice. However, you could also serve it over mashed potatoes or with a baked potato. Swiss steak goes well with a lot of different sides such as green beans, steamed spinach, collard greens, broccoli, cauliflower or a simple side salad.
- Leftovers reheat well. Place in a pan over medium low heat and cook until bubbly and the meat is fully heated, about 15 minutes.
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