Crockpot Round Steak Recipes: Tender Round Steak in Gravy
This round steak in the crockpot cooks until it is fork-tender in a rich onion and mushroom gravy. Round steak is lean and tough on the stove, so the slow cooker is the right tool for it.
6
servings20
minutes8
hoursFloured round steak is seared, then slow cooked in beef broth, onion soup mix and mushrooms. The cooking liquid becomes a thick gravy.
Ingredients
2 1/2 lb beef round steak, tenderized, cut into 6 serving pieces
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced into rings
8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
1 packet dry onion soup mix
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 3 tbsp cold water
Directions
- Pat the steak pieces dry. Mix the flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper on a plate and press each piece into it on both sides.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the steak 2 minutes per side until browned. Work in batches so the pan does not steam.
- Lay the onion rings and mushrooms in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Place the seared steak on top, overlapping the pieces a little.
- Whisk the soup mix, broth, Worcestershire and tomato paste together.
- Pour the liquid over the steak. Cover.
- Cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. The steak is done when a fork pulls it apart with no resistance.
- Move the steak to a plate and tent with foil.
- Stir the cornstarch slurry into the liquid, cover, and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes until thick.
- Return the steak to the gravy and spoon it over each piece to serve.
Notes
- If your butcher sold you untenderized round, pound it to half an inch or score it lightly before flouring. Venison round steak and eye of round both work in this recipe, though eye of round needs the full 8 hours. Serve with mashed potatoes, egg noodles or rice. Leftovers keep 4 days and freeze for 3 months.
Why round steak does well in the crockpot
Round steak is a lean, hardworking cut. Cooked fast, it is tough. Cooked for eight hours in broth with onion soup mix, it turns tender enough to cut with a fork, and the flour from dredging thickens the gravy as it cooks. Another bonus is that round steak takes well to leftovers. The gravy thickens in the refrigerator and the meat stays moist, so day-two plates often taste even better than the first.
That is the whole appeal of round steak in the crockpot. It is an inexpensive cut that becomes a comforting dinner with ten minutes of hands-on work, and it makes enough gravy to cover mashed potatoes or noodles.
Which cut to buy and how to prep it
Tenderized round steak: Many stores sell it with small blade marks already in the meat. Those cuts break down faster and are what this recipe is built around. If yours is not tenderized, pound it to half an inch or score it lightly.
Eye of round: A crockpot eye of round steak works, but it is leaner still. Slice it into pieces about three quarters of an inch thick and check it an hour early.
Venison round steak: Deer round behaves like beef round here. Trim off all the silver skin, and expect the cooking time to match the beef version.
Onion soup mix: One packet supplies the salt and hearty flavor, so go easy on added salt. Low-sodium broth keeps the gravy from running too salty.
Tomato paste: A small amount adds color and a gentle tang that balances the beefy sauce.
Flour: Plain all-purpose flour does two jobs. It forms the crust when you brown the steak and it thickens the gravy as the liquid simmers over the long cook.
Tips for tender steak and smooth gravy
Dredge and brown: Flour the pieces, then sear them in two batches until the crust is deep brown. Skipping this step gives you pale meat and a thin, flat gravy.
Keep the lid on: Every peek lets out heat and adds roughly 20 minutes. Trust the full eight hours on LOW and open the lid only to thicken the sauce. If you are home, you can flip the pieces once at the four-hour mark, but it is not needed.
Stacking is the most common mistake: Piling the steaks tight in the middle leaves the inside pieces undercooked and chewy. Overlap them loosely and tuck the onions and mushrooms between layers.
Swaps and variations
Use cream of mushroom soup in place of half the broth for a thicker, richer gravy. For a lighter pot, skip the flour and thicken with the cornstarch slurry alone. Swap the mushrooms for sliced bell pepper if that is what you have. Do not use thin-cut minute steaks, because they overcook and fall apart into shreds. Mushroom lovers can double the mushrooms, and a spoonful of sour cream stirred in at the very end gives a stroganoff-style sauce. Add it only after the heat is off, so it stays smooth.
What to serve with it
Mashed potatoes are the natural partner, since the gravy needs somewhere to go. Buttered noodles, rice, or thick slices of crusty bread all work. Green beans or glazed carrots round out the plate. A bowl of buttered peas also goes nicely, and so does a slice of buttered toast.
Storing, freezing and reheating
Leftover steak keeps in its gravy for four days in the refrigerator. Freeze it in portions for up to three months, with the gravy covering the meat so it does not dry out.
Warm it in a covered pan over low heat, adding a splash of broth if the gravy has tightened up. Avoid high heat, which toughens the meat again.
Crockpot Round Steak Recipes: Tender Round Steak in Gravy at a glance
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 8 hours
- Servings: 6 servings
- Ingredients: 13, led by beef round steak, all-purpose flour, garlic powder, salt
Tips for Crockpot Round Steak Recipes: Tender Round Steak in Gravy
If your butcher sold you untenderized round, pound it to half an inch or score it lightly before flouring. Venison round steak and eye of round both work in this recipe, though eye of round needs the full 8 hours. Serve with mashed potatoes, egg noodles or rice. Leftovers keep 4 days and freeze for 3 months.
Crockpot Round Steak Recipes: Tender Round Steak in Gravy FAQ
How long does Crockpot Round Steak Recipes: Tender Round Steak in Gravy take?
Crockpot Round Steak Recipes: Tender Round Steak in Gravy takes 8 hours of cooking after 20 minutes of prep.
How many people does Crockpot Round Steak Recipes: Tender Round Steak in Gravy serve?
This recipe makes 6 servings.
What do I need to make Crockpot Round Steak Recipes: Tender Round Steak in Gravy?
13 ingredients, led by beef round steak, all-purpose flour, garlic powder, salt. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
