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Easy Crock Pot Cube Steak

Crock Pot Cube Steak is a simple 5-ingredient slow cooker recipe that creates melt-in-your-mouth tender cube steaks and luscious beefy gravy.

crock pot cube steak on a white plate with mashed potatoes and asparagus
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Some dishes are just so homey and comforting that they will be attached to the best memories of family and home. This Crockpot Cubed Steak with gravy recipe is one of those dishes. A single bite of these tender and flavorful cube steaks will transport you to one of those cherished times.

The cube steaks slow cooks in a deeply flavorful gravy and become deliciously tender. The aromas of savory beef fill the house as it cooks. And the meal it delivers is heavenly!

That exceptional flavor is due in large part to my homemade beef bouillon powder / umami seasoning. I will outline possible substitutes in the post, below.

crock pot cube steak on a white plate with mashed potatoes and asparagus

But, I really do encourage you to source the ingredients and take the five minutes to make this delectable seasoning. Especially for use in this mind-blowingly delicious recipe for cube steak in the crock pot.

In my opinion, you will not find a whole food and healthy substitute that can bring the same level of scrumptious flavor as my homemade beef bouillon powder does to Crock Pot Cubed Steak with gravy.

Cube steak is fairly economical, as well. I can get 4 cube steaks for under $8.00. So, it’s not only a fantastically delicious meal, it’s also affordable.

You and your family are gonna love Crockpot Cube Steak! I can’t wait for you to try it!

The Ingredients

Ingredients for Crock Pot Cube Steak: cube steaks, red onion, bouillon powder, beef broth and cream of mushroom soup.  Ingredients are on a concrete counter next to a blue print fabric napkin
  • Cube Steaks (may be labeled cube steak, cubed steak, minute steak or swiss steak)
  • Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup: Today, I opted for quick and easy prep, but you could definitely use homemade cream of mushroom if you prefer it to canned.
  • Beef Broth: I used store bought broth in this recipe. If you have homemade beef stock, it should be delicious in this Crockpot Cube Steak recipe.
  • Red Onion: I just always have red onion on hand. I love the color it adds to dishes and prefer the flavor. That being said, white or yellow onions will work equally well.
  • Homemade Beef Bouillon Powder / Umami Seasoning (see below for possible substitutions)

What Is Cube Steak?

Raw cubed steak layered over a bed of minced red onion in a slow cooker

Depending on where you’re from, you may see cube steak labeled as cubed steak, minute steak or swiss steak, too.

To create cube steak, top or bottom round beef steak (or sometimes sirloin) is run through a special tenderizing machine. The mechanical tenderizing appliance is called a cuber or swissing machine.

It pounds cube-shaped indentations into the meat to help break down tougher tissue and make it more tender.

Occasionally, you can find tougher cuts of pork steak that have been tenderized in the same way. You could try those in this Crockpot Cube Steak recipe, but we prefer beef.

And, if you have a meat mallet, you can use the cubing or swissing side to pound the same cube-shaped indentations into tougher cuts of meat you have, right at home.

crock pot cube steak on a white plate with mashed potatoes and asparagus

Homemade Beef Bouillon vs Commercial Bouillon vs Onion Soup Mix?

Can I Just Use Store-Bought Beef Bouillon Powder?

I haven’t tried this Crock Pot Cube Steak recipe with commercial beef bouillon powder, though I do believe that you probably can use it. You are going to have to adjust how much you use, however. Here’s how I would start.

Commercial bouillon is mostly salt, some fillers and sugar with MSG, a small amount of beef fat, some soy and wheat. It is not gluten free. So keep in mind that what you will mostly taste from adding it, is salt.

If using store-bought bouillon, instead of tossing everything in the slow cooker to make your Crockpot Cube Steak, mix the soup, broth and bouillon in a bowl, first. And only start with 1 Tablespoon of the store-bought beef bouillon.

homemade beef bouillon in an apothecary jar on a concrete counter.  A heaping Tablespoon of bouillon sits on the counter in front of the jar.

Add 1 Tablespoon of a commercial brand bouillon and then taste it. If it needs more salt add more bouillon 1 teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired saltiness.

My homemade beef bouillon powder is also deeply mushroom-y and herbaceous. It contains many herbs, along with dehydrated vegetables and seasonings that complement beef. Commercial bouillon powder won’t have those. So, that will affect the flavors in your Crock Pot Cube Steak, too.

Once again, I encourage you to mix the liquids in a bowl and add the commercial bouillon. Taste as you go and consider adding additional herbs and seasonings to create that delicious beefy umami flavor I get from adding just my beef bouillon powder.

As a caution, many familiar brands of commercial bouillon contain MSG. If you, or someone you cook for, are sensitive or allergic you will want to carefully read labels before purchasing bouillon.

What is Onion Soup Mix?

dry onion soup mix on a white plate

I’ll point out all the same issues with onion soup mix. Fillers, anti-clumping agents, possibly MSG, etc., so check the label.

That being said, I would always choose commercial onion soup mix over commercial bouillon when seasoning beef dishes, especially this crock pot cubed steak. Here’s why.

Onion soup uses beef bouillon as just one of it’s ingredients. Typically, it also contains dried onion flakes, onion powder, parsley, celery seed, paprika and black pepper.

So onion soup mix definitely expands a bit on the flavor profile of just plain commercial beef bouillon.

It doesn’t contain the deep umami flavor punching ingredients that homemade beef bouillon does, but it definitely goes beyond what commercial beef bouillon will bring to the table.

crock pot cube steak on a white plate with mashed potatoes and asparagus

FAQ’s

Can I make Crockpot Cube Steak in the oven?

Yes. Place the onions into a lightly sprayed 9×13 pan, instead of your slow cooker. Then layer the cube steaks over the top. Whisk together the cream soup, bouillon and beef broth. Pour over the meat. Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350° F for 2 hours, until cube steak is very tender. Voila! Crock Pot Cube Steaks in the oven.

What are the best cuts of meat for slow cooker meals?

When we’re talking about beef, tougher cuts of meat do well in a slow cooker. They are less expensive and create a more flavorful, fall apart tender end result.

Think of chuck roast, rump roast, round steak, brisket, skirt steak, bottom round roast and ox-tail. Blade chuck, arm roasts or arm chuck, eye of round (not rib eye), short ribs and flank steak also do well in the slow cooker.

Fattier and bone-in cuts tend to produce more flavor. If you don’t have good fat marbling in the cut you choose, you can add one piece of oxtail or a beef shank or even one short rib to the slow cooker to help create the unctuous broth and deep beefy flavor you want.

crock pot cube steak on a white plate with mashed potatoes and asparagus

What to Serve With Crock Pot Cube Steaks

We love Crockpot Cube Steak over creamy mashed potatoes. The cube steaks with gravy are also delicious served with brown rice, egg noodles or homemade pasta.

Any number of vegetable side dishes or salads would be fantastic with slow cooker cube steak and gravy. We have eaten it with roasted asparagus and with air fryer green beans. It’s scrumptious with Broccoli Cauliflower Salad, too. Green salads in every form are also delicious accompaniments to Crock Pot Cube Steak. We particularly enjoy it with this Kale Salad with Apple and Roasted Butternut Squash.

How to Make Crockpot Cube Steak

(Full How-To Video in Recipe Card)

  1. Small dice the onion and spread it in the bottom of your slow cooker insert.
  2. Lay the cube steaks over the onion.
  3. Add in the homemade beef bouillon powder (or onion soup mix) and pour the beef broth over that.
  4. Add both cans of condensed cream of mushroom soup and use a fork to combine the soup with the bouillon powder. It doesn’t need to be perfect. They’ll come together as the cube steak cooks.
  5. Cover the crock pot and set it on low.
  6. Cook the Crockpot Cube Steak for 6 to 8 hours or until the steaks are melt-in-your-mouth tender.
  7. Remove the steaks from the crock-pot and use a stick blender to whiz up the onions in the sauce the beef made. This will thicken it to be more gravy-like. (You could do this in a regular blender, too.) Alternatively, you could use the sauce as is. It will just be thinner and have more onion chunks in it.
  8. Serve the crockpot cube steak and gravy over mashed potatoes, rice or noodles with your favorite veggie sides.
crock pot cube steak on a white plate with mashed potatoes and asparagus

The Recipe

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crock pot cube steak on a white plate with mashed potatoes and asparagus

Crock Pot Cube Steak


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 57 reviews

  • Author: Glenda Embree
  • Total Time: 6 hours 5 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Description

Crock Pot Cube Steak is a delectable and comforting meal whether you serve it with creamy mashed potatoes, egg noodles or rice.  Tender, beefy steak and a delicious savory gravy cook in your slow cooker all day, so you come home to a family favorite meal you can have on the table in minutes.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 4 cube steaks
  • 2 (10.5 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup (or cream of celery or chicken)
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 large red onion minced (white or yellow also work)
  • 3 Tablespoons homemade beef bouillon powder (or 1 packet onion soup mix)

Instructions

  1. Small dice the onion and spread it in the bottom of your slow cooker insert.
  2. Lay the cube steaks over the onion.
  3. Add in the homemade beef bouillon powder (or onion soup mix) and pour the beef broth over that.
  4. Add both cans of condensed cream of mushroom soup and use a fork to combine the soup with the bouillon powder. It doesn’t need to be perfect. They’ll come together as the cube steak cooks.
  5. Cover the crock pot and set it on low.
  6. Cook the Crock Pot Cube Steak for 6 to 8 hours or until the steaks are melt-in-your-mouth tender.
  7. Remove the steaks from the crock-pot and use a stick blender to whiz up the onions in the sauce the beef made. This will thicken it to be more gravy-like.  (You could do this in a regular blender, too.)  Alternatively, you could use the sauce as is. It will just be thinner and have more onion chunks in it.
  8. Serve the crock pot cube steak and gravy over mashed potatoes, rice or noodles with your favorite veggie sides.
  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Cook Time: 6 hours
  • Category: Main Dish, Beef, Slow Cooker
  • Method: slow cooker
  • Cuisine: American

Salads to Serve Cube Steak With

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glenda embree

About Glenda

I believe cooking from scratch doesn’t have to be complicated and that YOU can do it. My simple recipes, tutorials, and cooking tips will help you get weeknight dinners on the table with less stress. Forget takeout or the drive-thru. Let me show you how to make homemade easy. Read more...

113 thoughts on “Easy Crock Pot Cube Steak”

    • Linda, of course. The link in the post leads to the recipe. It is at https://glendaembree.com/beef-bouillon-powder. When you read the post it will give tips on sourcing all the ingredients.

      Homemade Beef Bouillon Powder

      4 Tablespoons mushroom powder (blended varieties or shitake)
      2 Tablespoons tomato powder
      2 Tablespoons fine sea salt
      2 Tablespoons tamari powder
      2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
      2 Tablespoons onion powder
      2 Tablespoons garlic powder
      1 Tablespoon mustard powder
      1 Tablespoon oregano
      1 Tablespoon black pepper
      2 teaspoons thyme
      1 teaspoon celery seed
      1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
      1 bay leaf

      Place all the ingredients in a smoothie blender or your high speed blender.
      Blend them together into a fine powder.
      Store your bouillon powder in an airtight container in a cool dark pantry or cupboard like all your herbs, seasonings and spices.

      Reply
    • Tanya, I have never tried it, but I don’t know why you couldn’t. If you’re setting the whole crock pot stoneware in the fridge, I might bring it out a half hour or so before cooking. I would think having an ice cold crock inserted into the heat of a crockpot might crack it. Just specualting. I would probably mix it all, toss it in a gallon ziptop bag and then dump it into the crockpot when I was ready to cook it. I’m curious now, too. Let me know how it goes if you try it.

      Reply
  1. My whole family loved this dish! I threw it in the crockpot in the morning and when we were ready for dinner we had a fantastic meal. It is the best kind of comfort food- easy and delicious.






    Reply

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