Southern Steak and Milk Gravy
My mother says the first time she remembered having this was when she was just a little girl. She was at her grandparent’s house and her grandfather asked her grandmother if he went and got some steak, would she make steak and gravy? Money was very scarce in those days and it was big news that her grandfather was going to get a special cut of meat for their meal!
He left and came back with a paper wrapped package of round steak. Back in the day they didn’t have cubed steak. My great grandmother opened the package and got a saucer out of the cabinet. My mother watched intently as Lela turned the saucer on its side and proceeded to give the meat a good and thorough beating to tenderize it. She then dipped both sides in flour and put it back on the counter where she beat it with the edge of the saucer again before finally cooking it just as I am going to do in this tutorial.
My mother said it was the most delicious thing she had ever tasted and from then on she knew exactly how to make steak and gravy.
I know my saucers are thankful that we can get cubed steak these days though…
Ingredients
- 4 Pieces Cubed Steak
- Flour
- Salt
- Pepper
- Milk
Instructions
- Place enough oil in a pan to just coat the bottom, put that on medium heat while you prepare your steak. In a bowl, place 1 C flour and add 1/4 tsp salt and 1/ 4 tsp pepper (more if you prefer). Stir that up. Dip each piece of steak into flour on both sides to get it coated well. Place each piece of steak in pan and cook until good and browned on both sides. Remove steak to a plate while you make your gravy.
- Place about 1/4 C flour into skillet with meat drippings. Add a little more salt and pepper and stir this over medium heat until the flour is slightly browned (just a few minutes). Slowly pour in 1 1/2 Cups of milk, stirring constantly. Continue stirring, with a wire whisk to help with lumps, over low heat until thickened and there are no lumps. This will happen rather quickly. Add a little more milk if you prefer thinner gravy. Return steak to the pan and turn to coat with gravy on both sides.
- Serve steak and gravy together in a bowl or serve gravy on the side to go with Mashed potatoes.
Posted by Christy Jordan
on Sep 10 2008. Filed under FEATURED Southern Favorites!, Main Course, Southern Classics.
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Okay, I know silly question, however I’m just now taking up cooking and wanted to know… What type of flour is used and what type of oil is used for this recipe? Thanks!
Melissa – It’s not a silly question! No such thing, especially when learning from scratch! There are several options out there and it’s not silly to ask which one works best. Acually, any vegetable or canola oil (my favorite) is sufficient, and any regular, NON self-rising white flour will work fine. (Self-rising flour is for baking because it has salt and baking soda in it to work with recipes requiring it. Just saves the extra step of adding it when baking from scratch.) Also, don’t use whole wheat flour – just plain white is fine for coating meat to brown.
Good luck!
I used while wheat flour(cooking right now) why do u say not to use whole wheat flour
I like to use cornstarch instead of flour for my gravy. Use half as much, and it comes out creamier. Just a personal opinion. I make this for my family as well, and it is always a hit.
Scored some sirloin on sale for less than the round, and had the butcher run it through the cubing machine… man, it was tender. This is the first time I made this, and now it will become a staple in my rotation.
MMmmm…serve this up with some mashed potatoes and english peas. My family carries me around the house on their shoulders cheering.
So funny I served mine with mashed potatoes and pees also!
This is one of my favorite dishes but I don’t seem to find any tender meat anymore. I buy the cubed steak at Wal-Mart and it is tough as a boot and they won’t run it through the cuber for me. Any suggestions?
Yes – don’t buy your meat from Walmart. There is no “butcher” in the store, nor a cubing machine. All the meat comes in prepackaged and ready to put out in the refrigerated meat section for sale. Look around at other options in your area for purchasing good meat and if you can find a store that actually does their own meat packaging, you stand a better chance of getting more tender cuts at better quality, and even a cubing machine on site!
Other than that, don’t just “brown and serve” if you suspect the meat is not the more tender version. Use a recipe that uses onions (I suspect the onion has a tenderizing effect, if not just to add some flavor!) and some long slow cooking time in the oven – at least an hour after browning it in the pan. That gives it time to cook down and soften the proteins and hopefully make a more tender meal. Good luck!
Sammie,
The first time I made cubed steak with gravy, I bought my meat from Piggly Wiggly, since they actually have a “meat man”. Normally, a locally owned grocery store will have fresher meat and they will fix it to your liking…(specific weight, cut,, tenderized, etc). I bought one package of cube steak at walmart, just to save time….(I have two toddlers who grocery shop with me)…and I cooked it the exact same way and it was like eating leather. I use this same recipe, except I brown one medium sliced onion after browning the meat, then make the gravy and simmer it for about 45 min.
Hello! I am cooking this reecipe of yours right now and am so excited to see how it will turn out. I have never cooked cubed stteak and ws unsure how to prepare it and that is how I found your recipe. The good news for me is that it is something my daughter (only 14) can eat. She has been in the hospital on constantly since having her intestine removed and the foods she is allowed to eat is so limited, I have run out of ideas – especially with a limited budget. Thanks in advance!
Great meal — and I even made it with fat-free milk. Thanks!
I made this recipe last night for dinner and my family loved it. It was a hit! I will definately make this again. The only thing I did different was I didn’t put the steak back in the gravy 2 cook I just made a side of the gravy just in case someone did not like the gravy, but they all ended up loving it anyways!
Just made this for dinner and my family loved it! It tasted just like when my own mother made it many years ago. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfect! I served it with homeade mashed potatoes, my grandma’s southern cornbread from scratch and your Candied Carrots, which were delish as well. Thanks for a perfect dinner!
I usually do this with cubed pork patties: after you cook the steaks and gravy, put them in a baking pan and pour the gravy over the steaks and cook on 350 for about 20-30 mins. in oven, covered, and it makes the meat SOOOO tender!!!
This reminds me of being a child in a suburb of Atlanta Ga in the 80′s…… my mom’s cooking was the best!
This is my dad’s favorite meal (like he requests it on his birthday), though we usually leave the gravy on the side. My mom makes it just like you do and I can tell you that it’s perfect just the way it is. We serve ours with white rice. It seems to work really well with the gravy.
I don’t think I put enough oil in mine because once I took the cube steaks out my pan was dry. I also question if I use the correct pan? I used one of them black old frying pans.
If it was a cast iron skillet you usually need to heat up about a table spoon of oil in it before you fry anything. heat up the oil and take a few paper towels and rub it into the skillet . The cast iron will absorb a lot of oil if it isn’t oil treated after washing with dishsoap.
I made this and it is so good.. Thank you a lot.
I make this recipe but I dredge my steak in flour, dip it in buttermilk, then dredge it in flour again. The double dip gives it a wonderful crust and the buttermilk tenderizes the meat even more. I also serve it with mashed potatoes and peas. My family loves this recipe.
Can you use rice milk with this recipe? I try to avoid “milk” products as they can hurt my tummy.
Made this tonight and the steaks turned out good but for some reason the gravey didn’t. Not sure what I did wrong but it had too much of a flour taste. Maybe I added too much flour?? Thanks for all you do for us Christy!
[...] Wilson -Love the Crunchy Beef Casserole, hamburger steaks & the cubed steaks w/gravy were so good! OH that pimento cheese was awesome… great appetizer w/wheat thins!! I especially [...]
Just made this for my dinner and not only was it easy and quick, but also delicious!! Made egg noodles and served the gravy over the noodles – sooo yummy!!!
I agree Carolyn, YUMMY!!
[...] – Southern steak with milk gravy! O made it tonight..loved [...]
[...] Mama put a big old bowl of fried potatoes on the table and Granny Jordan leaned in and asked in her deep drawl “Well now, those look interesting! What are they?” Mama and I hid our surprise as Mama responded that they were just fried potatoes. To which Granny Jordan replied “Well now, isn’t that neat. I bet those sure will be good!”. Born and raised in Atlanta and had never had fried potatoes? Lets get some on y’alls table as soon as we can, alright? All you need are potatoes, vegetable oil, salt and pepper. (You are just going to love how wonderful these taste if you’ve never had fried potatoes before!) Pour just enough oil into a skillet to coat the bottom of it. Turn the eye on medium to let your oil heat up for a few minutes. Peel and chop up your potatoes. Add them to the hot skillet. Salt and pepper them well, to taste. When cooking you should always lean on not putting in enough rather than too much, that allows your guests to season according to their preference. Did you know its considered very rude to salt or pepper your food before you taste it? Interesting tidbit that you might not have known about! Its insulting to the cook. Y’all just go for it if you’re at my house though, I don’t mind. Cover with a lid and let them cook for about ten minutes on medium, but check on them every few minutes. Once the ones on the bottom start browning you need to stir them up from the bottom, so the ones on the top end up on the bottom and the ones on the bottom end up on top. It sounds like I am about to start calling the hokey pokey, doesn’t it? Growing up, we never had lids for our pots so Mama just used a Corelle plate. After ten minutes or so, remove the lid and stir. Keep cooking until all potatoes are tender and most of them are browned, which will probably be about five to ten minutes longer. Spoon into large bowl and dig in!! These are great served alongside beans, hoe cake, and any type of country meat, such as Steak and Gravy! [...]
This is exactly like my Momma used to make except she added onion. I have tried many times over to cook them exactly like her, failing every time. Most of the time the issue is the potatoes getting mushy and breaking up easily when turned.
I have a quicker variation that might fit better for these days and times. I bake the potatoes first and put in fridge overnight. Come dinner time I put layer of veg oil in pan and heat, dice potatoes and put layer of potatoes at a time in oil. It frys them without getting mushy…and quicker b/c the potatoes were cooked the night before. I think that the potatoes being cold helps tremendously with the ‘mush’ factor. This is my boyfriends FAVORITE thing that I cook…serve these with a medium rare ribeye and you got them reeled in!
What a great tip Lulu!! Thank you for sharing!!
I love fried potatoes, I fry mine in butter and add some onion to them. I made the southern steak and milk gravy last night for dinner, and my husband and I both loved it!!! Thank you so much for sharing!
i just did this for the first time for my parents, i was so scared i was doing somehting wrong i kept running back to my computer to make sure it was right, it turned out to be so simple and EVERYONE loved it. well except my 2yr old lol.
I am so glad everyone liked it!!
NEVER purchase your beef or pork meat at Wal-Mart. It is a false economy. The price per lb may be a bit less, you ave to read the label. Most all the meat sold there has an added 15% “enhancad solution” in other words salt water. You are paying x per lb for water.
Always buy from a market that actually has a butcher. Yuo will get a superior product and get great help and advice plus special services.
Shy away from USDA select grade meat. It is almost always less tender and less flavorful.
Butcher Tom
Thanks for all the tips Tom!!
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. I had three extra steaks that i had to cook quick and this was just what i was looking for.
God Bless
My husband was raised “southern-style” and has always loved steak and gravy. His mother was a bit more frugal though – she was feeding six children, so her gravy was always made with half milk and half water. Turns out just fine!
I tried this recipe last month and LOVED it. I am making it tonight for dinner. I can’t wait. I LOVE IT!!!!!!!
Loved this! Thanks for the recipe. Now I just wish I had some biscuits to smother with the leftover gravy
I am so glad you liked it Melanie!!
I had cube steak thawing when you posted this today. Our menu: steak and gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet corn, peas, homemade biscuits, and sweet tea. Yum! By the way, my little guy is still singing your glasses and book song. This includes saying “hi, I’m Christy Jordan” and telling everyone “bye bye” in your accent! Lol!
Oh how precious!! You will have to make sure to give him a big hug and tell him it’s from me.
TURNED OUT AMAZING ITS SO GOOD FOLLOWED THE DIRECTIONS STEP BY STEP!! TRIED TO MAKE THE SAME THING BEFORE USING WATER AND IT WAS A MESS THANK YOU FOR SHARING!!!
I am so glad it turned out for you!!!
Christy, I made this and it was fantastic! This is my very first time to make milk gravy *home made* and it turned out! I did not need a mix!! WHOO HOOO! Steak was wonderful too! LOL Thank you for the recipe!
Great recipe! I personally thought it was too little flour but wonderful. My first time cooking milk gravy and it was awesome
Trying this tonight!
I just finished making it, and for some reason all of the flour fell off of the cubed steak 8/