Cube steak is a piece of meat tenderized using a meat tenderizer. In this article, I’ll cover everything you need to know about cube steak, what cut of meat it’s made from, its alternative names, what it tastes like, and how it’s used in recipes.
What is Cube Steak?
Cube steak is a piece of beef that’s been tenderized and flattened using a meat tenderizer. This process gives it a unique texture with potted marks, similar to ground beef. The name “cube steak” refers to these marks. While usually made from beef, cube steak can also be made from other meats such as deer, elk, and pork. However, this article focuses only on beef cube steak.
Cube steak is a budget-friendly cut but, unfortunately, tough. However, with the right cooking methods, cube steak can become an important part of a delicious meal full of flavor.
Remember, cube steak isn’t a specific cut of steak; it’s any piece of meat that has been tenderized with a meat tenderizer, giving it those distinctive potted marks on the surface. It’s usually made from tougher cuts like the bottom round, eye of round, or top round, which come from the rear hind end of the cow. Butchers also use cuts like the top sirloin, shoulder, or chuck to make cube steaks. These cuts are naturally tough, so butchers tenderize them with a pounding mallet to make them more tender, which results in those characteristic potted marks.
What Are Other Names for Cube Steak?
Here are the most popular other names for the cube steak:
- Cubed Steak,
- Bucket Steak,
- Chicken Fried Steak,
- Swiss Steak,
- Minute steak.
Important note: Not every minute steak is a cube steak. People often use the terms interchangeably, but they’re not the same. A minute steak is just a thin slice of steak. When put through a mechanical tenderizer, it becomes a cube steak. It stays a minute steak with its original texture if it isn’t tenderized.
What Does Cube Steak Taste Like?
Cube steak has a good beef flavor, though it’s not as strong as other steaks. It’s relatively tough but still more tender than regular tough steak (bottom round, eye of round, or top round) because it’s pounded thin using a pounding mallet. Cube steak’s final flavor and tenderness largely depend on the cooking method and recipe. It is usually preseasoned and served with gravy to boost its flavor.
What are Ways to Cook Cube Steak?
Here are some of the most popular ways to cook cube steak:
- Southern Cube Steak with Country Gravy, Onion Gravy, or Mushroom Gravy,
- Beijing Beef,
- Burgers,
- Cheese Steak,
- Chicken Fried Steak,
- Cube Steak Milanese,
- Crock Pot/Slow Cooker Cube Steak,
- Grilled Cube Steak Roll-Ups,
- Swiss Steak,
- Sandwiches.
Cube steak is a great choice for anyone on a budget because it’s affordable and versatile. There are plenty of ways to cook this cut of beef, so you won’t have to trade flavor for cost.
Cube Steak Nutrition Facts
Cube steak is usually made from bottom or top round steak, although butchers might use different cuts depending on availability. If you’re curious about the nutritional details of your cube steak, start by figuring out exactly which cut of meat you have. Once you know that, you can easily find its nutritional value by visiting the USDA FoodData Central website at https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/. Then, simply enter the name of the steak in the “Name of food” search field and click the search button. You’ll get a breakdown of everything from calories and fat content to protein and vitamins.