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Impress your family and friends with this hearty, delicious Smothered Steak and Gravy. This classic southern comfort food is so hearty and delicious, you wouldn’t believe how easy this recipe is. Steak is seasoned up and seared then braised in the most flavorful herby, wine and onion gravy until the steak just falls apart. Serve it over buttery rice or mashed potatoes.
If you love smothered foods, you’ll love my Smothered Chicken and Gravy, Southern Smothered Chicken, or Chicken Fried Chicken and White Pepper Gravy.
Why You’ll Love Smothered Steak and Gravy
❤️ Just set it and forget it – and let the pan do the work! We use a heavy duty pan like a large cast iron skillet or dutch oven. With just about 15 minutes of prep work, you combine all the ingredients in and let it simmer for a few hours.
❤️ Crock Pot Friendly – You can also make this is the crock pot! It’s even easier if your crock pot has a saute function. But if not, you can sear the steak in a skillet then transfer to a crock pot.
❤️ Incredibly Tender – whether you are using round steak or sirloin, the steak will be braised until it’s able to be easily cut with just a fork without any resistance.
❤️ Tons of Flavor – from the dried herbs to the wine, butter, and tender steak, it really doesn’t get any more flavorful than this smothered steak.
❤️ Southern Comfort Food – making a roux and gravy from pan drippings then smothering food (like smothered chicken) is a common southern cooking technique. It’s a stick-to-the-ribs meal that is best served over rice or mashed potatoes.
Key Ingredients
As you’ll see, this ingredient list for our smothered steak and gravy uses standard ingredients and most items you may already have in your kitchen!
Steak – I love the occasional splurge on ribeye and filet as much as the next person but you don’t need to waste your money on an expensive cut of steak for this recipe. In the same way you wouldn’t use a super expensive tasting tequila in a mixed drink. A sirloin is a good enough quality but you can also use round steak.
Onion – a large white onion is sliced thin and adds tons of essential flavor into the gravy. They cook down as the steak simmers.
Garlic – freshly minced garlic works with the onion to create incredible aroma and makes this smothered steak and gravy taste amazing.
Beef Stock – we use stock instead of broth as it has more intense flavor, but if you already have beef broth on hand, it’s perfectly fine to use.
Worcestershire – a typical compliment to most steak recipes. Just a few teaspoons go a long way in adding savoriness to this dish.
Seasonings – mustard powder, garlic powder, dried sage, dried thyme, salt and pepper and your favorite steak seasoning.
Chicken Bouillon – this may surprise you, but we’ll use chicken bouillon instead of beef as a nice contrast to the beef flavor.
Kitchen Bouquet – this is a browning agent and isn’t a necessary ingredient. But it’s commonly used when making gravies and soups.
Wine – you can actually use red wine or white wine. For either, be sure to use a dry wine that’s good enough to drink (chardonnay, sauv blanc, pinot noir, cabernet). If you choose red wine that will give it more of a bourgandy beef flavor. White wine will be a little lighter, fresher flavor.
Butter – just a few tablespoons for the base of the gravy.
Flour – this will help make the roux which is the base of the gravy for a thickening agent.
Avocado oil – instead of using olive oil, it’s best to use avocado oil when searing steak. The smoke point is much higher and won’t smoke when heated.
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How to Make Smothered Steak and Gravy
Combine all the liquid gravy ingredients and seasonings together into a large liquid measuring cup or bowl.
Prepare Steaks & Sear
Tenderize your steaks, drizzle with avocado oil and rub with your favorite steak seasoning liberally on both sides.
Heat a large (12″) cast iron skillet or dutch oven to medium-high heat with a few tablespoons avocado oil. Sear the steaks by cooking about 2 minutes per side or until they are dark golden brown. Set aside on a plate and tent with foil.
Deglaze Pan & Make Gravy
Reduce heat to low. Add in 1/2 cup wine to deglaze the pan.
Then add in butter, onions and garlic, scraping up the brown bits. Sprinkle over the flour and cook for 1 minute, tossing it with the onions.
Pour in the broth mixture, whisking it into the flour-onion mixture. Bring to a simmer and submerge the steaks back into the pan. Make sure they are mostly covered by the liquid.
Simmer Steak Until Tender
Turn pan down to simmer or the lowest setting. Cover the pan with a lid (use a baking sheet if you don’t have a lid for your cast iron). Cook about 3 hours or until your steak is tender.
Serve the steak over buttery rice or mashed potatoes. Then drizzle the gravy on top.
How to Make Smothered Steak in Slow Cooker
Looking to just set it and forget it in a slow cooker? You absolutely can in this recipe. It’s much more of a “dump and go” recipe if your slow cooker has a saute function.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
If your slow cooker has a saute function, you can use that function to brown the meat and make the roux for the gravy (following the same instructions listed above).
- If your slow cooker does not have a saute function:
- Follow steps 1-5 in the original instructions.
- Use a large cast iron or heavy bottom skillet to brown the steak as listed above. Place the browned steaks into the slow cooker.
- Follow continued instructions above, deglazing the skillet with wine and sautéing garlic and onions in the butter, then tossing in flour.
- Transfer the floured onion mixture into the slow cooker. Then pour in the beef stock mixture.
- Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. Check the steak for tenderness after 3 hours of cook time to ensure you don’t overcook it as thickness and cut of steak can affect cook time.
- Follow steps 1-5 in the original instructions.
Which Wine Should I Use?
You can use red wine OR white wine in this recipe. They both provide different types of flavor and it’s up to you which direction you want to go. No matter which you choose, be sure to select a dry wine that is good enough to drink.
Red Wine – adds a deep rich and fruity taste. It’s a bit more robust than the white wine. It makes this dish tastes more similar to a beef bourguignon.
White Wine – adds a fruity, lighter and fresher or crisper acidity.
Can I Skip The Wine?
If you prefer not to cook with wine, that’s completely workable in this recipe. In fact, many smothered beef and gravy recipes do not use wine at all. The beef stock and seasonings will still provide enough flavor to make this a fantastic comfort meal for you and your family.
Instead of deglazing the pan with wine, just use an equivalent measurement of beef stock or water.
I hope you enjoyed this recipe for smothered beef and gravy! Be sure to comment below with any questions or feedback!
If you make these or any other recipes, don’t forget to tag me on IG @BadBatchBaking to be featured on my story. Seeing your recreations makes my day!
Smothered Steak and Gravy
Ingredients
Steak
- 2-2.5 lbs. steak sirloin, strip or round steak
- 1-2 tablespoons beef seasoning like Montreal steak seasoning, Longhorn's Prairie Dust, Kinder's Prime Steak
- 4 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
Gravy
- 1 large white onion thinly sliced
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 2.5 cups beef stock
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire
- 1/2 chicken bouillon cube crumbled
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- 1/4 tsp dried sage
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 drops Kitchen Bouquet browning sauce optional
- 1/2 cup dry wine red or white both work. select a dry wine that’s good enough to drink.
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- optionally serve with: buttered rice or mashed potatoes, green beans or salad, etc.
Instructions
- In a large measuring cup or bowl combine the beef broth with Worcestershire, chicken bouillon (crumbled in), garlic powder, mustard powder, thyme, sage, pepper, and kitchen bouquet (if using).
- Use a meat mallet to tenderize your steak. Drizzle two tablespoons of avocado oil over the steaks and rub evenly on the front and back of the meat. Season both sides liberally with your preferred steak seasoning or just use salt and pepper.
- Heat a large (12″) cast iron skillet or dutch oven to medium-high heat. Add a few tablespoons of avocado oil. Sear the steaks by cooking about 2 minutes per side or until they are dark golden brown. Set aside on a plate and tent with foil.
- Reduce heat to low. Add in 1/2 cup wine to deglaze the pan, allow it to cook about 2-3 minutes until most the alcohol evaporates.
- Over medium-low, add butter into the pan and allow it to melt. Add onions and garlic and saute for 2 minutes, scraping up the brown bits. Sprinkle over the flour and cook for 1 minute, tossing it with the onions.
- Pour in the broth mixture, whisking it into the flour-onion mixture. Bring to a simmer and submerge the steaks back into the pan. Make sure they are mostly covered by the liquid.
- Turn pan down to simmer or the lowest setting. Cover the pan with a lid (use a baking sheet if you don't have a lid for your cast iron). Simmer about 2.5-3 hours or until your steak is fork tender.
- Before serving, lay a paper towel over the surface of the gravy to absorb the excess fat sitting on the surface of the gravy. You may need to do a few passes with new paper towels.
- Serve the steak over buttery rice or mashed potatoes. Then drizzle the gravy on top.
Notes
- Steak: remember that the steak will cook down a bit as the tissues break down and fat renders. I usually buy 2.5 lbs for 4 large dinner servings.
- Salt: Don’t add any salt into the gravy until you taste it at the end. The stock and bouillon contain salt so you don’t want to overdo it. Taste and adjust at the end.
- Wine: you can use white wine or red wine in this recipe. Red wine gives a deeper, richer flavor that is more similar to beef burgundy. White wine will be a lightened up, fresher taste. Either way, select a dry wine that is good enough to drink. Chardonnay or sauvignon blanc for white wine and pinot noir or cabernet are perfect for red wines.
- If your slow cooker has a saute function, you can use that function to brown the meat and make the roux for the gravy (following the same instructions listed above).
- If your slow cooker does not have a saute function:
- Follow steps 1-5 in the original instructions.
- Use a large cast iron or heavy bottom skillet to brown the steak as listed above. Place the browned steaks into the slow cooker.
- Follow continued instructions above, deglazing the skillet with wine and sautéing garlic and onions in the butter, then tossing in flour.
- Transfer the floured onion mixture into the slow cooker. Then pour in the beef stock mixture.
- Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. Check the steak for tenderness after 3 hours of cook time to ensure you don’t overcook it as thickness and cut of steak can affect cook time.
- Follow steps 1-5 in the original instructions.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Omg delicious 😋