Swiss Steak Smells Great, Tastes Even Better

We used to eat Swiss steak at my grandparent’s house pretty often. While I don’t have their exact recipe, I know this one comes pretty close. Swiss steak is a meal you can make ahead of time and serve with many different sides (salad, potatoes, rice, buttered egg noodles, etc).  Some you can make in the slow cooker or bake in the oven. This one starts on the stove and then bakes for a few hours in the oven. A few hours of simmering the beef creates a tasty and tender dinner!

The smell of this recipe cooking is amazing! Once the onions, tomatoes, spices and garlic hit the pan, the smells really start to permeate the house. Last week we had a few boys over hanging out for play date during April vacation and two of them came upstairs to ask "what is that smell." They were really very interested! Boys being drawn from a video game to see what smells so good is pretty cool!

Swiss Steak

Source: Foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

2 pounds beef bottom round, trimmed of excess fat (I used cubed steak)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup vegetable oil or bacon drippings (I used oil)

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 cups beef broth

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Cut the meat with the grain into 1/2-inch thick slices and season on both sides with the salt and pepper. I was able to skip this step because I bought cubed steak. Place the flour into a pie pan. Dredge the pieces of meat on both sides in the flour mixture. Tenderize the meat using a needling device, until each slice is 1/4-inch thick. Dredge the slices on both sides once more and set aside.

Add enough of the bacon drippings or 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 onions, garlic, and celery. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Next add the tomatoes, paprika, oregano, Worcestershire sauce and beef broth and stir to combine. Return the meat to the pot, submerging it in the liquid. Cover the pot and place it in the oven on the middle rack. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart.