Italian Cube Steak and Sautéed Vegetables

Cube Steak is one of those cuts of meat that is best served in some sort of gravy or kept moist under a mound of vegetables such as in this beautiful Italian rendition. Recently I served up a cube steak family favorite, Cube Steak with a Golden Mushroom Sauce. As always, it was a big hit. Cube steak is also the best choice for a down-home country favorite, Chicken-Fried Steak. As a fan of this versatile cut of beef, I knew this Italian rendition would be another family favorite.

Just for the record, cube steak is usually cut from the top round or top sirloin. The cuts are then tenderized using a meat tenderizer or run through a machine that punches holes into the meat. The mechanical tenderizer is called a meat cuber or swissing machine. and the resulting steak is know as a cube or Swiss steak because of the cube-shaped indentations made by the machine. While it is true that the cut of meat is traditionally taken from the Round, in reality it can be made using any tough cut of beef. When buying your cube steak, be sure to examine it carefully. Some cuts are riddled with streaks of gristle or overly fatty. Can you make your own cube steak? Sure. The electric machine is expensive, the crank or hand-held variety will give you a workout. While there are chefs out there that swear by cutting your own meats, I actually looked into getting a hand-held model. The biggest drawback is that they are all difficult to clean and meat can become lodged between the razor-sharp blades. Besides, with a little care in shopping or a conversation with your butcher and you can bring home a nice cube steak.

Italian Cube Steak and Sautéed Vegetables
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion, cut in strips
1/2 Yellow bell pepper, cut in strips
1/2 green bell pepper, cut in strips
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 pound beef cubed steaks
1 (14-1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, no salt added

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. While the skillet is heating, cut onion and bell peppers into strips. Set aside until ready to cook.

When the skillet is hot, sauté the peppers and onion. As the vegetables cook, season generously with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Continue to sauté for 5 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Add the cube steaks to the same skillet and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until browned, turning once.

Add the tomatoes to the skillet . Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Return peppers and onions to the skillet and continue to simmer another 10 minutes or until meat is tender.

Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

This delicious Italian steak can accompanied by a bowl of steamed rice, linguine with butter or for something a little extra, serve with Herb Risotto. A nice salad would round out the meat perfectly.