What to do? I bought some minute/cube steaks today and some hamburger buns.
The thought was to quickly cook the steaks and have steak sandwiches.
However, every time I've tried this plan, the steaks were as tough as new
army boot. I do have some meat tenderizer. No instructions. Do I sprinkle
them and let them set overnight? Wet them, sprinkle and let set for x
number of minutes? Forget the whole notion and use them to bribe the
Labrador puppy next door to quit digging up our fence? Polly

On Aug 20, 10:55*pm, "Polly Esther" > wrote:
>
> What to do? *I bought some minute/cube steaks today and some hamburger buns.
> The thought was to quickly cook the steaks and have steak sandwiches.
> However, every time I've tried this plan, the steaks were as tough as new
> army boot. *I do have some meat tenderizer. *No instructions. Do I sprinkle
> them and let them set overnight? *Wet them, sprinkle and let set for x
> number of minutes? *Forget the whole notion and use them to bribe the
> Labrador puppy next door to quit digging up our fence? *Polly
>
>
I'd go with country fried steak simmered in gravy myself.

"Polly Esther" > wrote in message
...
> What to do? I bought some minute/cube steaks today and some hamburger
> buns. The thought was to quickly cook the steaks and have steak
> sandwiches. However, every time I've tried this plan, the steaks were as
> tough as new army boot. I do have some meat tenderizer. No instructions.
> Do I sprinkle them and let them set overnight? Wet them, sprinkle and let
> set for x number of minutes? Forget the whole notion and use them to
> bribe the Labrador puppy next door to quit digging up our fence? Polly

I've never had them that weren't tough. I made a recipe a couple of times
where you put them in a packet with onions and potato slices and bake them.
Daughter and husband liked them. I thought the end result was bland and the
meat was tough.

My mom used to make that horrible Swiss steak or some other stuff with a
cream gravy. I used to dread either one because the meat was just so chewy.

If I were you I would try bribing the dog but perhaps a dog wouldn't even
eat that stuff.

wrote:
> On Aug 20, 10:55 pm, "Polly Esther" > wrote:
>>
>> What to do? I bought some minute/cube steaks today and some
>> hamburger buns. The thought was to quickly cook the steaks and have
>> steak sandwiches. However, every time I've tried this plan, the
>> steaks were as tough as new army boot. I do have some meat
>> tenderizer. No instructions. Do I sprinkle them and let them set
>> overnight? Wet them, sprinkle and let set for x number of minutes?
>> Forget the whole notion and use them to bribe the Labrador puppy
>> next door to quit digging up our fence? Polly
>>
>>
> I'd go with country fried steak simmered in gravy myself.

Oh I had forgotten about that! I did make that once and only once. It
wasn't tough at all but I was the only one who liked it. Daughter and
husband do not like the stuff.

On Mon, 20 Aug 2012 22:55:18 -0500, "Polly Esther"
> wrote:

> What to do? I bought some minute/cube steaks today and some hamburger buns.
> The thought was to quickly cook the steaks and have steak sandwiches.
> However, every time I've tried this plan, the steaks were as tough as new
> army boot. I do have some meat tenderizer. No instructions. Do I sprinkle
> them and let them set overnight? Wet them, sprinkle and let set for x
> number of minutes? Forget the whole notion and use them to bribe the
> Labrador puppy next door to quit digging up our fence? Polly

Cubes steaks need to be braised for a while.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

Braise them in some beer or soy sauce and water. Braise them slow over low heat. cover the pan so they also steam. When they are about 20 min in turn them over and cover the steaks with thin sliced onions. put the lid back on the pan. Let them go another 15-20 min or until they fall apart with a fork test. They will make great tender yummy sandwiches on a nice fresh bakery bun or kaiser. Worth the time and effort. Serve with some cole salw and cold beer!

On Tuesday, August 21, 2012 7:01:36 AM UTC-5, pamjd wrote:
> Braise them in some beer or soy sauce and water. Braise them slow over low heat. cover the pan so they also steam. When they are about 20 min in turn them over and cover the steaks with thin sliced onions. put the lid back on the pan. Let them go another 15-20 min or until they fall apart with a fork test. They will make great tender yummy sandwiches on a nice fresh bakery bun or kaiser. Worth the time and effort. Serve with some cole salw and cold beer!

On Tuesday, August 21, 2012 7:01:36 AM UTC-5, pamjd wrote:
> Braise them in some beer or soy sauce and water. Braise them slow over low heat. cover the pan so they also steam. When they are about 20 min in turn them over and cover the steaks with thin sliced onions. put the lid back on the pan. Let them go another 15-20 min or until they fall apart with a fork test. They will make great tender yummy sandwiches on a nice fresh bakery bun or kaiser. Worth the time and effort. Serve with some cole salw and cold beer!

On 8/21/2012 12:00 AM, wrote:
> On Aug 20, 10:55 pm, "Polly Esther" > wrote:
>>
>> What to do? I bought some minute/cube steaks today and some hamburger buns.
>> The thought was to quickly cook the steaks and have steak sandwiches.
>> However, every time I've tried this plan, the steaks were as tough as new
>> army boot. I do have some meat tenderizer. No instructions. Do I sprinkle
>> them and let them set overnight? Wet them, sprinkle and let set for x
>> number of minutes? Forget the whole notion and use them to bribe the
>> Labrador puppy next door to quit digging up our fence? Polly
>>
>>
> I'd go with country fried steak simmered in gravy myself.
>
That's my thought, too I usually use round steak which has been run
through the tenderizer by the butcher, but cube steaks work, too.

Jill

"Polly Esther" > wrote:
>
>What to do? I bought some minute/cube steaks.

Minute steak and cube steak are not synonymous, they're not even
closely related. Minute steak is a thin medallion cut from a
relatively tender cut of beef that cooks up hot and fast, ergo minute.
Cube steak is from a tough cut of beef that goes through a cubing
machine and benefits from long slow braising. Many folks and even
many references confuse the two.
http://www.epicurious.com/tools/food...24&submit.y=11
http://www.epicurious.com/tools/food...10&submit.y=12

Cube steak recipes:
http://tipnut.com/recipes-cube-steak/

A classy example of minute steak:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steak_au_poivre

On 8/21/2012 8:24 AM, jmcquown wrote:
> On 8/21/2012 12:00 AM, wrote:
>> On Aug 20, 10:55 pm, "Polly Esther" > wrote:
>>>
>>> What to do? I bought some minute/cube steaks today and some hamburger buns.
>>> The thought was to quickly cook the steaks and have steak sandwiches.
>>> However, every time I've tried this plan, the steaks were as tough as new
>>> army boot. I do have some meat tenderizer. No instructions. Do I sprinkle
>>> them and let them set overnight? Wet them, sprinkle and let set for x
>>> number of minutes? Forget the whole notion and use them to bribe the
>>> Labrador puppy next door to quit digging up our fence? Polly
>>>
>>>
>> I'd go with country fried steak simmered in gravy myself.
>>
> That's my thought, too I usually use round steak which has been run
> through the tenderizer by the butcher, but cube steaks work, too.


Becca found a package of cube steak in the old meat section last week
and made Chicken Fried Steak with it. I don't know how she does it but
it was really tender.... and delicious.

Becca and Chicken Fried Steak are two dishes that make me happy I live
in Texas.

George L

On 2012-08-21, jmcquown > wrote:

> That's my thought, too I usually use round steak which has been run
> through the tenderizer by the butcher, but cube steaks work, too.

Usta be cube steaks were dirt cheap. Now, I rarely see 'em fer under
$4 lb! Regardless, yes, they are boot tough if cooked like a burger.
Yes, they are much more tender if you go the country fried steak
route. Must be the breading holding in the moisture and maybe
steaming them a bit, but cube steaks are definitely more tender as a
CFS.

nb

--
Definition of objectivism:
"Eff you! I got mine."
http://www.nongmoproject.org/

On 8/21/2012 10:44 AM, notbob wrote:
> On 2012-08-21, jmcquown > wrote:
>
>> That's my thought, too I usually use round steak which has been run
>> through the tenderizer by the butcher, but cube steaks work, too.
>
> Usta be cube steaks were dirt cheap. Now, I rarely see 'em fer under
> $4 lb! Regardless, yes, they are boot tough if cooked like a burger.
> Yes, they are much more tender if you go the country fried steak
> route. Must be the breading holding in the moisture and maybe
> steaming them a bit, but cube steaks are definitely more tender as a
> CFS.
>
> nb
>
Nothing is cheap anymore. Remember when flank steak was 89 cents/lb?
Now (if you can find one) it's upwards of $10/lb.

It's the long slow simmering in the gravy that makes the CFS tender.

On the rare occasions when I eat out *and* order CFS it's always
battered. And I think they deep fry it.

There's more batter than beef. I don't make mine that way. I dredge
the meat in seasoned flour, egg wash, then flour again. Brown the meat,
then simmer it in milk gravy. I haven't made CFS in a long time but my
method is floating around on Google somwhere

Jill

On 8/21/2012 12:18 AM, Julie Bove wrote:
> wrote:
>> On Aug 20, 10:55 pm, "Polly Esther" > wrote:
>>>
>>> What to do? I bought some minute/cube steaks today and some
>>> hamburger buns. The thought was to quickly cook the steaks and have
>>> steak sandwiches. However, every time I've tried this plan, the
>>> steaks were as tough as new army boot. I do have some meat
>>> tenderizer. No instructions. Do I sprinkle them and let them set
>>> overnight? Wet them, sprinkle and let set for x number of minutes?
>>> Forget the whole notion and use them to bribe the Labrador puppy
>>> next door to quit digging up our fence? Polly
>>>
>>>
>> I'd go with country fried steak simmered in gravy myself.
>
> Oh I had forgotten about that! I did make that once and only once. It
> wasn't tough at all but I was the only one who liked it. Daughter and
> husband do not like the stuff.
>
>
So simmer them in tomato sauce. Or make a brown gravy. That cut of
meat definitely requires long slow simmering to be tender.

Jill

On Tue, 21 Aug 2012 11:33:08 -0400, jmcquown >
wrote:

> On 8/21/2012 12:18 AM, Julie Bove wrote:
> > wrote:
> >> On Aug 20, 10:55 pm, "Polly Esther" > wrote:
> >>>
> >>> What to do? I bought some minute/cube steaks today and some
> >>> hamburger buns. The thought was to quickly cook the steaks and have
> >>> steak sandwiches. However, every time I've tried this plan, the
> >>> steaks were as tough as new army boot. I do have some meat
> >>> tenderizer. No instructions. Do I sprinkle them and let them set
> >>> overnight? Wet them, sprinkle and let set for x number of minutes?
> >>> Forget the whole notion and use them to bribe the Labrador puppy
> >>> next door to quit digging up our fence? Polly
> >>>
> >>>
> >> I'd go with country fried steak simmered in gravy myself.
> >
> > Oh I had forgotten about that! I did make that once and only once. It
> > wasn't tough at all but I was the only one who liked it. Daughter and
> > husband do not like the stuff.
> >
> >
> So simmer them in tomato sauce. Or make a brown gravy. That cut of
> meat definitely requires long slow simmering to be tender.
>
After I finally discovered that time and liquid were the "trick" to
cube steaks, I've been making them a lot in the last couple of years.
I served them to my son for dinner a couple of weeks ago and that was
the first time he's liked them, because he (like a lot of people +me)
had thought they could be cooked quickly and of course they were
tough.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Tue, 21 Aug 2012 09:40:43 -0500, George Leppla
> wrote:

> Becca and Chicken Fried Steak are two dishes that make me happy I live
> in Texas.
>
> George L

It's the simple pleasures!

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On 21 Aug 2012 14:44:04 GMT, notbob > wrote:

> On 2012-08-21, jmcquown > wrote:
>
> > That's my thought, too I usually use round steak which has been run
> > through the tenderizer by the butcher, but cube steaks work, too.
>
> Usta be cube steaks were dirt cheap. Now, I rarely see 'em fer under
> $4 lb! Regardless, yes, they are boot tough if cooked like a burger.
> Yes, they are much more tender if you go the country fried steak
> route. Must be the breading holding in the moisture and maybe
> steaming them a bit, but cube steaks are definitely more tender as a
> CFS.
>
I don't deep fry them. Coat in the little bit of flour +seasonings,
brown, cook in broth (braising is the key), add lots of mushrooms,
maybe some onions and thicken the gravy.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Tue, 21 Aug 2012 10:30:02 -0400, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:

>"Polly Esther" > wrote:
>>
>>What to do? I bought some minute/cube steaks.
>
>Minute steak and cube steak are not synonymous, they're not even
>closely related. Minute steak is a thin medallion cut from a
>relatively tender cut of beef that cooks up hot and fast, ergo minute.
>Cube steak is from a tough cut of beef that goes through a cubing
>machine and benefits from long slow braising. Many folks and even
>many references confuse the two.
>http://www.epicurious.com/tools/food...24&submit.y=11
>http://www.epicurious.com/tools/food...10&submit.y=12
>
>Cube steak recipes:
>http://tipnut.com/recipes-cube-steak/
>
>A classy example of minute steak:
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steak_au_poivre

It's been so long since I saw minute steak that I forgot all about it.
But you're right, they are two different items.
Janet US

On Tue, 21 Aug 2012 11:02:42 -0400, jmcquown >
wrote:

> Nothing is cheap anymore. Remember when flank steak was 89 cents/lb?
> Now (if you can find one) it's upwards of $10/lb.

Remember when hamburger was 3 pounds for a dollar? The sale price
would have been four pounds for a dollar. That was back in the day
when gas was 36¢ a gallon for regular (city/California).

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Tue, 21 Aug 2012 05:19:10 -0700 (PDT), pamjd >
wrote:

> Serve with some cole salw and cold beer!

I've never braised them in beer or served them with cole slaw but CS
sounds good. I think I'll try beer braising them the next time we
have leftover beer. Do you make gravy out of the braising liquid or
what?

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On 8/21/2012 4:40 AM, George Leppla wrote:
>
> Becca found a package of cube steak in the old meat section last week
> and made Chicken Fried Steak with it. I don't know how she does it but
> it was really tender.... and delicious.
>
> Becca and Chicken Fried Steak are two dishes that make me happy I live
> in Texas.
>
> George L

You don't have to live in Texas to have CFS although I'll have to take
your word for it about Becca. I have made this dish using cube steak
too. For some reason, some people believe that it can't be done. Heck, I
think all chicken fried steak should be made this way.

On Tue, 21 Aug 2012 10:52:18 -0600, Janet Bostwick
> wrote:

> On Tue, 21 Aug 2012 10:30:02 -0400, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
>
> >"Polly Esther" > wrote:
> >>
> >>What to do? I bought some minute/cube steaks.
> >
> >Minute steak and cube steak are not synonymous, they're not even
> >closely related. Minute steak is a thin medallion cut from a
> >relatively tender cut of beef that cooks up hot and fast, ergo minute.
> >Cube steak is from a tough cut of beef that goes through a cubing
> >machine and benefits from long slow braising. Many folks and even
> >many references confuse the two.
> >http://www.epicurious.com/tools/food...24&submit.y=11
> >http://www.epicurious.com/tools/food...10&submit.y=12
> >
> >Cube steak recipes:
> >http://tipnut.com/recipes-cube-steak/
> >
> >A classy example of minute steak:
> >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steak_au_poivre
>
> It's been so long since I saw minute steak that I forgot all about it.
> But you're right, they are two different items.
> Janet US

I don't know what a tenderloin steak has to do with anything. Every
minute steak I've ever been served was hamburger and that's why people
get the two mixed up. I never tried cooking a cube steak until just
recently (in terms of years), because I hate hamburger on a plate and
only eat it in a bun.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On 2012-08-21, dsi1 > wrote:

> too. For some reason, some people believe that it can't be done. Heck, I
> think all chicken fried steak should be made this way.

Yep. CFS is the only way I'll eat a cube stk, anymore.

nb

--
Definition of objectivism:
"Eff you! I got mine."
http://www.nongmoproject.org/

sf wrote:

> > Nothing is cheap anymore. Remember when flank steak was 89 cents/lb?
> > Now (if you can find one) it's upwards of $10/lb.
>
> Remember when hamburger was 3 pounds for a dollar?

No, most of us were still little kids in 1959.

On 2012-08-21, l, not -l > wrote:

> was $6.39/lbs. For most uses I make of it, I prefer skirt steak to flank
> steak; but, either way, they are more affordable the past 3+ years than
> before.

Skirt went the way of chicken wings. Usta be a dirt cheap item till
it became popular with gringos in bars and other fast food dives. Now
the price is thru the roof. I did once saw skirt fer $2lb, on sale, in a
Mexican sprmkt. Bought a bunch!

nb

--
Definition of objectivism:
"Eff you! I got mine."
http://www.nongmoproject.org/

On Aug 20, 8:55*pm, "Polly Esther" > wrote:
> What to do? *I bought some minute/cube steaks today and some hamburger buns.
> The thought was to quickly cook the steaks and have steak sandwiches.
> However, every time I've tried this plan, the steaks were as tough as new
> army boot. *I do have some meat tenderizer. *No instructions. Do I sprinkle
> them and let them set overnight? *Wet them, sprinkle and let set for x
> number of minutes? *Forget the whole notion and use them to bribe the
> Labrador puppy next door to quit digging up our fence? *Polly

Here you go Polly. This is my favorite way to do cube steaks.

http://www.hizzoners.com/recipes/mea...ed-onion-gravy

On 2012-08-21, ImStillMags > wrote:

> Here you go Polly. This is my favorite way to do cube steaks.
>
> http://www.hizzoners.com/recipes/mea...ed-onion-gravy

Sounds dang tasty. I'll give it a try.

nb

--
Definition of objectivism:
"Eff you! I got mine."
http://www.nongmoproject.org/

On Tuesday, August 21, 2012 10:52:48 AM UTC-6, sf wrote:
> On Tue, 21 Aug 2012 11:02:42 -0400, jmcquown >
>
> wrote:
>
>
>
> > Nothing is cheap anymore. Remember when flank steak was 89 cents/lb?
>
> > Now (if you can find one) it's upwards of $10/lb.
>
>
>
> Remember when hamburger was 3 pounds for a dollar? The sale price
>
> would have been four pounds for a dollar. That was back in the day
>
> when gas was 36� a gallon for regular (city/California).
>
>
>
> --
>
> Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

Holy Moley you're damned near as old as myself if you remember those prices..
Our gas was gravity fed from our pumps...it was cheap and plentiful.
Top speed for our car was around 40 MPH on good graveled roads.

Thank you helpful people. I tried the braising and it worked just fine.
Somehow I had it in my head that these could be browned and cooked quickly.
Well, of course they can but not if edible was part of the quest. Polly

On Tue, 21 Aug 2012 14:12:12 -0700 (PDT), Roy >
wrote:

> Top speed for our car was around 40 MPH on good graveled roads.

Ah, the smell of a gravel road freshly topped with sludge from the
paper factory. Or was that a rendering plant? I forget what it was,
but it was stinky. PeeYew.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Tue, 21 Aug 2012 17:43:20 -0500, "Polly Esther"
> wrote:

> Thank you helpful people. I tried the braising and it worked just fine.
> Somehow I had it in my head that these could be browned and cooked quickly.
> Well, of course they can but not if edible was part of the quest. Polly

Glad it worked out for you Polly!

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

I've never had a minute (cube) steak yet that was tender, unless it was
simmered for a long time, to tenderize it. My favorite way to fix them
is to use a recipe I use for beef round steak also.

For our family, I usually use 6 cube steaks and I combine 1/4 cup flour,
2 tsp. dry mustard, 1 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Coat the meat well
with this mixture (save any for using later) and fry meat in hot oil;
remove meat to platter. Put remaining flour mixture into pan with the
drippings, adding gradually 2 cups hot water and 1 tbsp. Worcestershire
sauce and stir to thicken some. Place meat back in the pan; cover and
simmer for 1-1/2 hours, checking to make sure there is enough liquid.
This makes delicious gravy!

I prefer to put in a baking pan in single layer and bake for 1-1/2 hours
at 350º covered. I also like to add some sliced fresh mushrooms to
this.

Judy

On 8/21/2012 2:04 PM, Judy Haffner wrote:
>
> I've never had a minute (cube) steak yet that was tender, unless it was
> simmered for a long time, to tenderize it. My favorite way to fix them
> is to use a recipe I use for beef round steak also.
>
> For our family, I usually use 6 cube steaks and I combine 1/4 cup flour,
> 2 tsp. dry mustard, 1 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Coat the meat well
> with this mixture (save any for using later) and fry meat in hot oil;
> remove meat to platter. Put remaining flour mixture into pan with the
> drippings, adding gradually 2 cups hot water and 1 tbsp. Worcestershire
> sauce and stir to thicken some. Place meat back in the pan; cover and
> simmer for 1-1/2 hours, checking to make sure there is enough liquid.
> This makes delicious gravy!
>
> I prefer to put in a baking pan in single layer and bake for 1-1/2 hours
> at 350º covered. I also like to add some sliced fresh mushrooms to
> this.
>
> Judy
>

It sounds good either way. It is somewhat more complex than I'm cooking
these days. I had a brisket yesterday. The brisket was dry rubbed and
wrapped in foil and roasted in a 200 degree oven. I put it in the oven
in the morning and when I get back from work, it's done. My favorite way
to cook is to not do much of anything. :-)