Cube Steak Beef Stroganoff

Cube Steak Beef Stroganoff

I have tried and tried to cook cube steak so that my family will not only eat it but like it.

Besides being a frugal piece of meat I always seem to get some when we get our quarter of a cow, and if you know me you know I don't waste a perfectly good piece of meat! 

(think liver, heart, tongue and feet.)

I have been sadly not very successful until tonight.

I think the trick was omitting the flouring step.

That's right I just browned the meat in lard and moved on and I really liked it and my family well they said it was OK and it all got eaten.
I love it when I discover a way to feed my family frugal, nutritious and even slightly - or more - delicious food!

I would like to try this with browned hamburger next time because the sauce is yummy!

Cube Steak Beef Stroganoff

1 package of egg noodles

6 decent sized cubed steaks cut into 2x1" pieces

4 TBS flour

1/2 onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

3 tablespoons lard or tallow (plus more if needed to cook the steak)

3 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups water (or beef broth and then omit veggie powder)

1 small carton whipping cream or 1 cup milk

1 TBS veggie broth powder OR 1 1/2 cups beef broth

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground rosemary

1/4 cup sour cream (eyeball this and add more if you like a stronger flavor)

Salt - lots

Pepper - lots

1. Cut steaks into small pieces.

2. Cut up onion.

3. Heat the lard in a pan. When it's hot, add pieces of the steak making one layer (you will be doing this in batches. Brown on both sides - be patient it is worth it. You are not going to get the steak all the way cooked at this time. When it's browned on both sides, remove from the pan. Repeat until all of the steak is cooked. Add more lard if necessary.

4. Add diced onions to the pan. Sprinkle onion with salt and pepper. Stir until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic and cook about a minute.

5. Add 4 tablespoons of flour to the pan and stir it into the onions. Let cook for 30 seconds.

6. Slowly start adding the water. Stir to break up the onion/flour mixture. Sauce will begin to thicken. Add vegetable powder, milk, cayenne, rosemary. Add additional salt and pepper if needed.

7. Add cubed steak back to the pan.

8. Simmer the meat in the sauce over medium heat. Add water if needed to thin the sauce and stir periodically.

9. It is time to begin the noodles. Add a teaspoon or so of salt to the cooking water. Cook the minimum time.

10. The noodles and the steak should be done at the same time.

11. Add sour cream to sauce and stir until it's incorporated. Taste again to make sure it's well seasoned and that you like the amount of sour cream.

12. Pour sauce over the noodles.

13. Stir it all together and serve.

Notes:
You can add mushrooms to this if you like. I didn't this time but I may next time.
I really think the cayenne pepper is key - it gives this dish just the right amount of ummpf. I also used very little sour cream because the sauce was yummy without it.
Try this with browned hamburger next time. I think it will go over better.

I am sharing this with the Hearth and Soul Blog Hop and Real Food Wednesday and a new to me - Raising Homemakers Homemaking Link Up and EKat's Kitchen: Friday Potluck.