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Home » Meats » Swiss Steak

Swiss Steak

By Chula King · March 28, 2020 · Updated May 18, 2020 Leave a Comment

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Swiss Steak

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.

Swiss Steak served over rice

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. 

Swiss Steak IngredientsThe Beef

I 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.

Coating the beef in seasoned flourNext, 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.

Using needling device to tenderize beefAfter 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.

Browning the beef in a Dutch oven
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.

Adding Oregano to the vegetablesI 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.

Adding Beef Broth mixture to vegetables in Dutch ovenAfter everything was well combined, I added the diced tomatoes. I stirred everything together. I added a bit more salt and pepper to taste.

Adding diced tomatoes to vegetable mixtureFinally, 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!

Swiss SteakChula’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

Swiss Steak

This classic Swiss steak features fork tender beef smothered in a rich tomato tomato and slow cooked to perfection. It is comfort food at its best.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 533kcal
Author: Chula King

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
  • 1/2 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 1/2 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 1/2-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 1/2 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

  1. Choose meat that has minimal internal fat. Both round steak and top sirloin work well with this recipe.
  2. I like to use low sodium beef broth. However, you could use regular beef broth and adjust the added salt to taste.
  3. If you don't have a needling device, you can use whatever device you normally use to pound meat.
  4. 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. 
  5. Leftovers reheat well. Place in a pan over medium low heat and cook until bubbly and the meat is fully heated, about 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 533kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 1646mg | Potassium: 710mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 345IU | Vitamin C: 9.4mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 5.1mg
Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment below and/or give this recipe a rating. On Instagram? Take a picture and tag @pudgefactor or #pudgefactor.

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Welcome to Pudge Factor®!

I'm Chula King, the food blogger, award-winning photographer, and videographer behind Pudge Factor. Pudge Factor features amazing and well-tested recipes from my every day cooking. These recipes run the gamut from simple to sophisticated and everything in between. I not only present awesome recipes with tips and tricks that I've learned through the years, but also process photos from start to finish. For some of the recipes, I include videos detailing the actual making of the dish. Read More…

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