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It was always a treat growing up to have cube steak for dinner. We were always on a budget so any kind of “steak” seemed special. Although they aren’t the best cut of meat, if prepared properly, they are quite tasty. With a tiny amount of seasoning, you can make a great sandwich, or cut the cube steak for recipes.
Traditionally, I prepare cube steaks in a pan on the stove, but I have found that this isn’t necessarily the best way to prepare them. Cubed steaks are a cheaper cut of meat (top or bottom round) which are notoriously tough. To soften the steak, cube steaks are cut thin and mechanically tenderized, but that isn’t enough. There are some things that need to happen to ensure your cube steak isn’t tough. Lay the steak on the counter and use a meat tenderizer/mallet (if you don’t have a mallet, you can tenderize a cube steak without one) to hammer the heck out of the cut – the thinner you pound it, the softer the steak will be. You really can’t over-tenderize a cube steak.
Once your cube steak is tenderized, put flour on the cubed steak (both sides), sprinkle with salt, pepper, and onion powder (or whatever spices float your boat) then add the cube steaks to your preheated air fryer.
Simple, delicious and definitely budget-friendly! If you have never tried cube steak, check out the options at your local grocery store.
