Anyone make Swiss Steak?

[Raspberrymocha55]

Found some round and cube steak in the freezer. Decided to tenderize it with my trusty meat pounder. Floured it and browned it. Seasoned with a bit of garlic and salt. In the trusty Cuisinart I quartered and sliced 1/2 lb carrots, 2 celery ribs and an onion. Fished out the 8 pieces of browned beef and threw in the veggies to slightly brown and soften. Laid the meat on top of the veggies with a big sprig of fresh thyme and a 4" piece of fresh rosemary. (everyone should try to grow a few fresh herbs in pots, window boxes, an herb garden or I have a 2x6 raised garden on my deck) Added a bit of water and it is on for a long simmer. Smells amazing. I usually just add a flour slurry for the last 15 minutes for a gravy.

I've done a similar thing only adding tomatoes, a few less veggies and Italian herbs.

Gotta ' boil some peeled potatoes to go with like Mom used to do. Mashed with skins is wonderful, too.

How do you all make your Swiss Steak?

 

[pacanis]

What a coincidence. We were just talking about Swiss steak in last night's dinner thread.
I don't make it on an even semi-regular basis, but I aim to soon. I'll make it with a brown onion gravy with carrots and celery. That's my favorite way.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Growing up we used to make it with venison and we had two versions, tomato or mushroom both from a Campbell's soup can.

I still make it in the winter, using round steak, and serve it over mashed potatoes.

Once a Campbell's kid always a Campbell's kid!

 

[taxlady]

I guess I never looked at a recipe for Swiss steak. My Danish http://www.discusscooking.com/forum...f-with-juniper-berries-82958.html#post1211562 is very similar. I had never thought of it as a variation of Swiss steak, which I have had once or twice in restos and enjoyed.

 

[Hoot]

Here's how we do it at Casa de Hoot:
Swiss Steak

 

[Raspberrymocha55]

I've done that and it is very good.

Dumb question: people keep talking about onion gravy. Is it different from making a regular meat based gravy and adding onion to the drippings to sauté? Or is it a totally different animal?

 

[CarolPa]

I make mine with round steak, pounded and tenderized, cut in serving size pieces, with either a brown gravy or sometimes the tomatoes. Depends on the mood. It is served with mashed potatoes. As a child, when I got to choose the dinner for my birthday, it was either swiss steak or veal parm.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I make tomato based swiss steak, time to make some, the weather is finally getting just right. More cooking happening since it has cooled down.

 

[taxlady]

I've done that and it is very good.

Dumb question: people keep talking about onion gravy. Is it different from making a regular meat based gravy and adding onion to the drippings to sauté? Or is it a totally different animal?

I wanna know too.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I caramelize the thin sliced onions (and a little garlic) in butter, once done I sprinkle flour over and cook another ten minutes until the flour is light brown. Then I add in beef stock and cook until thickened. Onion gravy.

 

[Raspberrymocha55]

I put onion in just about all meat dishes, so there is onion in all my gravies. So I guess all my gravies are onion gravy. Just never gave it a specific name. In my family we make gravy out of any meat drippings. The meat is secondary to the gravy in our meals. Hubby thinks I'm weird, but I dont care much for meals without gravies , or at least a sauce, but sauces are so wimpy. ( not to mention they are so drippy and tend to decorate my clothes!) I thicken sauces and turn them into a gravy consistency. I may have to go to a Gravies Annonymous!

 

[Aunt Bea]

I put onion in just about all meat dishes, so there is onion in all my gravies. So I guess all my gravies are onion gravy. Just never gave it a specific name. In my family we make gravy out of any meat drippings. The meat is secondary to the gravy in our meals. Hubby thinks I'm weird, but I dont care much for meals without gravies , or at least a sauce, but sauces are so wimpy. ( not to mention they are so drippy and tend to decorate my clothes!) I thicken sauces and turn them into a gravy consistency. I may have to go to a Gravies Annonymous!

You are not alone, I grew up in a home where gravy was considered a beverage!

 

[Addie]

I put onion in just about all meat dishes, so there is onion in all my gravies. So I guess all my gravies are onion gravy. Just never gave it a specific name. In my family we make gravy out of any meat drippings. The meat is secondary to the gravy in our meals. Hubby thinks I'm weird, but I don't care much for meals without gravies , or at least a sauce, but sauces are so wimpy. ( not to mention they are so drippy and tend to decorate my clothes!) I thicken sauces and turn them into a gravy consistency. I may have to go to a Gravies Anonymous!

Take me with you. When I eat out in a restaurant, I don't order a dish that doesn't include gravy. And I want extra on the side.

 

[acerbicacid]

I caramelize the thin sliced onions (and a little garlic) in butter, once done I sprinkle flour over and cook another ten minutes until the flour is light brown. Then I add in beef stock and cook until thickened. Onion gravy.

I do mine that way too PrincessFiona, except I use a little oil (or all oil) in the butter to stop it burning) sometimes, depending on what I am having it with I add some red wine. I think the secret is the slow caramelisation of the onions really, don't you?

 

[CarolPa]

Take me with you. When I eat out in a restaurant, I don't order a dish that doesn't include gravy. And I want extra on the side.

I am the opposite. If I order a meal that contains gravy I ask that they leave it off, or ask for just a light portion of gravy. I would like it if I could sop it up with bread, but since I have to avoid bread, I avoid the gravy also.

 

[Hoot]

I caramelize the thin sliced onions (and a little garlic) in butter, once done I sprinkle flour over and cook another ten minutes until the flour is light brown. Then I add in beef stock and cook until thickened. Onion gravy.

This^

 

[GotGarlic]

I don't know if there is a difference between Swiss steak and smothered steak, but I start by browning the meat and removing it, then sautéing a large sliced onion in the drippings, then making a gravy with flour and stock and/or water, then adding the meat back and and cooking for at least an hour. By then the onion has almost disintegrated into the sauce, et voilà - onion gravy. We like it with egg noodles.

 

[Raspberrymocha55]

I agree in sautéing the onions, as it mellows the onion and brings out the sweetness, especially when using sweet onions. However, when I don't feel like washing extra pans, into the pot they go. A meal without onions is a meal without sunshine! Same goes for gravy! My hubby who is from Michigan swears by French Fries with brown gravy. Actually, I don't even have ketchup/catsup in my home. If one wants it for eggs, potatoes, burgers, etc one is plum out of luck. Hubby even frowns on barbecue sauce on ribs or any meat (however, he can frown away when I want barbecued ribs!)

 

[GotGarlic]

I agree in sautéing the onions, as it mellows the onion and brings out the sweetness, especially when using sweet onions. However, when I don't feel like washing extra pans, into the pot they go.

This confused me for a second. Extra pans? I do the entire thing in one pan, so all the browned goodies are in the sauce.

 

[CraigC]

Our version uses a 7-bone chuck roast, braised in stewed tomatoes with onions and celery. Mashed taters are a must.