How to cook Swiss Steak
How to cook Swiss Steak
Swiss Steak
Bottom Round Steak
(Swiss Steak) The bottom round steak is often referred to as a Swiss steak (as is a chuck arm steak).
The bottom round is the outside muscle of the upper leg. The bottom round may be used as an oven roast if it is of the best quality and it is not overcooked, but it is much better if it is braised.
Swiss steak is not a recipe from Switzerland - it is a method of cooking meat.
The term “Swiss” (which literally means “crisp fabric”) is derived from a process called swissing. Swissing is the method of processing materials by running them through a series of steel rollers to soften them.
This method is also applied to meat processing. It is usually done on moderately tough pieces of meat, specifically, on round cuts of beef. Round beef cuts are cheaper but tougher to chew. They are however, relatively leaner and therefore must be softened with a tenderizing hammer. This process is done to ensure that the pieces of meat are tender enough to be eaten without the use of a knife.
Cooking time for the Swiss steak is about an hour and 45 minutes.
The easiest way to prepare swiss steak is to rinse your meat, pat dry with paper towels, dredge in seasoned flour and pound with a mallet to tenderize. Heat some bacon drippings in your iron skillet; when hot, add prepared meat and sear on both sides. Reduce heat and add sliced onions and a can of stewed tomatoes, season to taste with additional salt, pepper, garlic and parsley; cover; reduce heat a let cook slowly until done and tender.
Swiss Steak
2 pounds of round steak, roughly an inch thick;
3 tablespoons vegetable oil;
1/2 cup of chopped onions;
1 teaspoon salt;
1/4 ground pepper;
1/4 cup flour;
diced tomatoes;
3 tablespoons sliced bell peppers;
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; and
1 tablespoon brown sugar.
Mix salt, flour, and pepper on a bowl then rub it on the meat.
Pound the seasoned meat with a tenderizing hammer until soft.
Cut the meat into manageable serving-size pieces.
Preheat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan.
Brown the meat in hot oil.
Add the chopped onions.
Add the diced tomatoes, juices included.
Cover and cook over low heat for half an hour.
Add bell peppers, Worcestershire sauce, and carrots.
Cook for 15 more minutes.
Remove excess fat.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
This recipe makes 6 servings.
NOTE: If there are no tenderizing hammers available, seal the meat in a re-sealable plastic bag and hit repeatedly with a pan.
Make sure the meat is dry before rubbing the seasoning so it will stick better.
Swiss Steak
1 pound round steak
4 to 6 mushrooms, diced
1/2 cup flour
1 small onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups beef broth
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup sour cream
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 cup steak sauce
1 stalk celery, diced
Combine the flour, salt and pepper. Dredge the steak in the flour mixture and rub well. Save the rest of the flour for later.
In a heavy pan, brown the steak on both sides in butter. Remove from the pan.
Add minced vegetables and saute 5 minutes. Add any remaining flour from the dredging to the pan. Add the beef broth and turn heat to low.
Simmer for 45 minutes or until the meat is tender. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream and Steak Sense. Warm the mixture, but do not boil. Serve over hot noodles or with parsley potatoes.
Makes 4 servings.
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