Tender Braising Steak with Gravy
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Who doesn’t love an affordable steak that’s incredibly tender? Braising steak, a cut known for being quite muscular, becomes a flavorful, supple protein when cooked low and slow. With this yummy braised steak recipe, you can enjoy a hearty, comforting meal that doesn’t break the budget! Bonus – You can make this dish with versatile cooking methods and still create a delicious, tender meat dish.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
Easy – You’ll only need to follow a few steps to create tender braising steak.
Tender – This braising steak recipe cooks low and slow for the best results.
Decadent – Along with ultra-tender beef bits, you’ll also be creating a yummy, rich sauce.
Comforting – Pair this braised steak dish with mashed potatoes to create the ultimate cosy meal.
Great for gloomy weather – With its rich sauce and hearty steak, this recipe is great for chilly or gloomy days.
If you’ve got a taste for beef after trying this yummy steak dish, consider making one of the following recipes: Beef Udon Stir Fry, Simple Slow Cooker Chili Con Carne, or Garlic Bread Bruschetta, Peppercorn Steak & Mousse.
What is braised steak?
When talking about braised steak, you’re referring to the cooking method used to create the steak. This steak is typically cooked in oil on high heat. It’s then simmered in a liquid (like gravy) on low heat. This cooking method helps create uber-tender braising steak.
What meat is best for braising?
You can use multiple cuts of meat for a braising steak slow cooker dish. Chuck roast and beef short ribs are great options. Or, you can use braising steak, also known as casserole steak. If you’re concerned about cost, reach for the beef short ribs for braising steak recipes, which are typically more budget-friendly.
What is braising?
As mentioned, braising is a cooking method. You can use it on various cuts of meat (including pork and lamb) to create succulent, tender bites. It involves a combo of high heat and low heat, which helps the ingredient flavours meld together seamlessly.
Ingredients
Beef Braising Steak
You can use chuck roast, casserole steak, or beef short ribs for this braising steak dish. I prefer using casserole steak, as it’s a leaner cut.
Carrots
If you don’t like carrots, consider adding other veggies you would typically add to beef stew. Potatoes, celery, and peas are great alternatives.
Fresh Thyme
Dried thyme will also work in this dish. Use about 1/3 less dried thyme than fresh thyme. You can also swap thyme out for rosemary or other fresh herbs.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations/Adaptations
Braising steak is a great dish because you can easily adjust it to your liking. For example, you can add extra veggies if you wish, like celery and potatoes. Or, cut down on time spent chopping veggies by using a frozen veggie mix bag.
If you want to create a sweeter, more complex flavour, you can swap out the red wine vinegar with drinking wine. As mentioned, you can use other beef cuts like short ribs and chuck roast. Short ribs have a higher fat content, so they will create a more decadent dish.
Cooking Methods
Slow cooker
If you’re wondering, “How to cook braising steak in a slow cooker?” you can follow the steps below. As a quick summary for braising steaks, you’ll need to sear beef in a pan first. Then, pan-fry the veggies and create the gravy. Add the components to a slow cooker and cook on high for about five hours to create braising steak.
Oven
Here’s how to cook braising steak in oven. Follow the same steps above to sear the beef and create the gravy. Then, add the ingredients to a pan with a lid (like a Dutch oven or a casserole dish) and cook at 275°F/135°C. Cook the steak for about two hours.
Instant pot
The instant pot method is similar to cooking the steak in a slow cooker. Except, you will sear the beef, fry the veg, and create the gravy all in the instant pot. Once prepped, cook the braising steak on the manual setting for about 45 minutes.
How to make braising steak
* Allow the braising steak to come to room temperature and season with salt and pepper on each side.
1. In a stainless steel pan, increase the heat to high and allow the pan to preheat. Add the rapeseed oil and braising steak into the pan. Fry each side for 2 minutes to achieve a nice sear (Image 1).
2. Set aside, then use a splash of beef stock to deglaze the pan. Add the onion and carrots. Reduce the heat to medium/low and season with salt and pepper and then add the tomato puree and the red wine vinegar (Image 2).
3. Fry for around 5 minutes, adding the garlic and flour to fry for a further minute (Image 3).
4. Pour all of the stock into the pan and stir to combine (Image 4).
5. Add the braising steak to the slow cooker (Image 5).
6. Then pour the mixture into your slow cooker, along with the steak and thyme sprigs.
7. Slow cook for 5 hours on high or 8 hours on low (Image 7).
8. Before serving, break up the raising steak with a fork (Image 8).
Serve the tender braising steak on a bed of polenta.
Tips for the best result
Season the beef before searing
Wait until just before you’re searing the braising steak to season it. If you season the beef earlier, the salt may remove too much moisture from the steak. By seasoning the steak before searing it, you’re creating a delicious crust on the meat.
Bring the beef up to room temp
When cooking braising steak, I recommend allowing the meat to come to room temp before searing it in a pan. This extra step helps you create more evenly cooked meat. By letting your protein come to room temperature, you’ll also be creating a juicier steak
Cook low and slow (the longer, the better)
Braising steak is a tougher cut of meat, so it needs to cook low and slow to allow it to tenderize. Generally, allowing the steak to cook longer will produce better results. However, it’s necessary to ensure you’re not overcooking the steak.
Here are a few side dishes you can serve with the braising steak; Israeli Couscous (Pearl Couscous Recipe) and Creamy White Beans with Parmesan (Cannellini Beans)
Storage and Reheat Instructions
After following the braising steak how to cook notes, it’s important to store the braising steak properly so you can continue eating it throughout the week. Once cooled, store the steak in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat each portion via microwave. Reheat the steak in intervals of one minute until it’s heated through.
You can also freeze the steak for up to three months. To reheat from frozen, let the steak defrost overnight in the fridge. Then, reheat it on the stove until heated through.
Satisfy any cravings for comforting meals ; Beef Keema (Mince Curry), Simple Pork Curry with Coconut Milk and Easy Chicken and Chorizo Risotto
FAQs
If you don’t have braising steak on hand, you can use chuck roast or short ribs. You can also use pork chops or pork shoulder.
There are a few differences between braised beef and stew meat. For one, the cut of meat you use. Braising is typically meant for cheaper, tough cuts as the long cook time and low temp help tenderize them. Additionally, stew beef is cooked in more liquid and typically includes cubed or sliced beef pieces. Braised beef is made with bigger pieces of meat.
If you have tough braising steak, you may not have cooked it long enough or at a low enough temperature. The best way to cook braising steak is at a low temperature in a slow cooker for about five hours. This method will lead to juicy, tender steak bits.
No, braising is not the same as slow cooking. Braising involves cooking the protein at a high temp with oil first. Then, it must cook at a lower temperature (like this braising steak dish) with a small amount of liquid (like beef broth). Slow cooking is simply cooking food over low heat for a long period.
Yes and no. You’re meant to braise meat longer at a low temperature. However, you can overcook a braised recipe, leaving it dry and inedible.
You need to create braising steak with the lid on. Since the meat is not fully submerged, it’s necessary to create steam to help cook the meat above the liquid. This applies even when braising steak in the oven. If you don’t have a lid for your oven dish, you can use a foil cover to help create steam.
The temp will vary depending on the recipe you use for how to cook braising steak in the oven. Most recommend braising steak in the oven between 275F and 300F. However, some chefs recommend braising steak at 200F.
Pair this yummy braising steak with a cooked veggie dish for a more nutritious meal. Here are a few ideas: The BEST Roasted Sweet Potato Cubes, Sauteed Broccoli, or Creamy Tomato Basil Bisque.
If you tried this Tender Braising Steak with Gravy recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Tender Braising Steak with Gravy
Ingredients
- 400 g beef braising steak (£3.50)
- 1 tbsp tomato puree (£0.60/6)=(£0.10)
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (£0.39)
- 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped (£0.10)
- 1 white onion, thinly sliced (£0.14)
- 10 g fresh thyme sprigs (£0.55)
Cupboard essentials
- 300 ml beef stock
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp flour
- Salt & Pepper
Method
- Allow the braising steak to come to room temperature and season with salt and pepper on each side.
- In a stainless steel pan, increase the heat to high and allow the pan to preheat. Add the rapeseed oil and braising steak into the pan. Fry each side for 2 minutes to achieve a nice sear.
- Set aside, then use a splash of beef stock to deglaze the pan. Add the onion and carrots. Reduce the heat to medium/low and season with salt and pepper. Fry for around 5 minutes, adding the tomato puree half way through and the red wine vinegar. Then add the garlic and flour to fry for a further minute.
- Pour all of the stock into the pan and stir to combine. Then pour the mixture into your slow cooker, along with the braising steak and thyme sprigs. Slow cook for 5 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
Notes
- Season braising steak just before searing to avoid moisture loss.
- Bring the beef to room temperature before searing for even cooking and juicier results.
- Cook braising steak low and slow for optimal tenderness, avoiding overcooking.
Nutrition
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