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smothered steak and gravy
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5 from 1 vote

Smothered Steak and Gravy

Hearty, delicious Smothered Steak and Gravy. This classic southern comfort food is so cozy 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.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time2 hours 45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Mallory Austin

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.
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.

Nutrition

Calories: 624kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 57g | Fat: 31g