Family Favorite Swiss Steak
Swiss steak is a dish I have prepared for most of my adult life. For a young cook, this was an easy dish to make and it turned out perfectly every time. What a blessing to be able to prepare a few ingredients in the morning, place them in the crock pot and have it ready to serve for dinner after a really busy day!
The name “Swiss" Steak, comes from the term “swissing” which refers to a process of tenderizing a tougher cut of meat by rolling or pounding and then braising. I don't put my meat through an actual tenderizing process for this dish before cooking, because the crock pot actually does that effortlessly for me. With the invention of the crock pot, the preparation has become especially speedy. The crock pot was introduced to home cooks in the 1970’s and it changed my life and the lives of working women. My first crock pot did not have a removable crock and it was really difficult to clean. Later models were designed with removable crocks and using them became exponentially easier. I love the one I have now; it’s digital and has a variety of settings, including one that will keep the food warm until serving time.
I hope you love this dish as much as I do. I make it several times a year and it always feels nice in the evening, to have a hearty meal ready and waiting.
Make good food with gratitude,
Becky
Family Favorite Swiss Steak
Yield:
4-6 servings
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
4-6 hours
Total Time:
4 hours and 10 minutes
Ingredients:
2 pounds top round steak
28 ounces diced tomatoes
½ cup water (cool)
¼ cup cooking oil
1 large onion (sliced into rings)
¼ cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Peel the onion and slice into thin rings. Place these in the crock pot.
With a sharp knife, cut round steak into serving sized pieces. Season each piece with salt and pepper on both sides.
Dredge each piece in flour on both sides.
Set aside.
Heat the cooking oil in a skillet until a sprinkle of flour starts to sizzle.
Add the pieces of steak in a single layer, and brown on both sides. Using a pair of tongs, remove them from the skillet. Place each one in the crock pot on top of the onion.
Pour the tomatoes, juice and all into the skillet and stir to release any browned bits from the bottom. Pour over the meat and onions in the crock pot.
Set the crock pot on high to cook for 4-6 hours. If you are cooking this on low, you may need to cook it for 8 hours.
When the steak is tender, remove to a serving dish.
Make a “slurry” from the cornstarch added to the cool water. Stir to remove any lumps. The mixture will look milky and thin. Add this to the hot drippings in the bottom of the crock pot, and stir until the mixture thickens. This should happen quickly. Spoon this over the meat.
Serve this with mashed potatoes and a green vegetable. We prefer green beans or asparagus.
I had canned tomatoes and green beans from the garden. I was lucky enough to have family members that grew vegetables, so I always had an ample supply of home canned vegetables. Nothing like home grown food.
Tips and Tricks:
If you wish to cook the Swiss Steak in a skillet on the stove top, after browning the meat, add the onion and tomatoes. Simmer over medium heat, covered, until the steak is tender. This may take 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
To add a twist, you may want to use Italian seasoned tomatoes, or add 1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning to the tomatoes.
Tools:
I’ve provided links to some tools that I think may help you with this recipe.
