Baked Steak and Gravy

The Pantry Goat is coming to dinner tonight. I like to make something that will have leftovers then send a serving home with her. I saw this recipe on The Kitchen recently and thought it sounded good. It's not all that different from how mom made country fried steaks (that I now make for Hunting Wives dinner). Mom makes her gravy after, where as this one has the gravy made for the steaks to cook in.

Photo from Food Network

This was good. The cooking in the gravy was an interesting way to do this and it really made the gravy delicious. I will still continue to cook mom's the way that mom cooked mom's, but I might step out occasionally too. 

Baked Steak and Gravy

Recipe from The Food Network

Serves 4-6

• 6 cube steaks (about 1 1/2 pounds; see Cook’s Note)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon beef bouillon, optional
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee, optional
• Mashed potatoes, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Season both sides of the cube steaks with salt and pepper. In a shallow dish, combine the onion powder with 1/4 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Lightly dredge each steak in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess.

In a large skillet, melt the butter and oil over medium heat. Brown the steaks in the butter mixture until golden, about 3 minutes per side. (This should be done in batches if needed, so as not to overcrowd the pan.) Transfer the steaks to a 9-by13-inch baking dish. Add the remaining 1/4 cup flour to the fat left in the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes. Whisk in 4 cups water. Add the beef bouillon and instant coffee, if using, and 1 teaspoon salt. Increase the heat to a simmer, then let cook until it begins to thicken to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.

Pour the gravy over the steaks in the baking dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Bake until the steak is fork-tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Check about halfway through and if the gravy is getting low, add another cup of water.

Serve immediately with mashed potatoes.