I was pretty sure that I loved steak the good old-fashioned way…medium rare and a big slab of it. That is, until I had this sandwich. I was happily surprised that I could still taste the steak in this sandwich, and it was good! Of course caramelized onions, peppers, and succulent mushrooms on a crusty deli roll didn’t hurt either.
I know it’s good when my hubby says, “This may be my new favorite.” Not just any sort of food makes it onto his “new favorite” list ya know.
For you girls out there who’ve heard the term, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” this would be the dish they’re talking about.
Of course we gotta start with the mise en place, just a French term which means to have everything in its place, ready to cook. In a restaurant kitchen, this would be the job of the sous chef, but seeing that mine is a little 7-year old girl, I wasn’t about to hand over my chef’s knife.
Make rings out of your peppers.
Slice the onion and try not to let your tears drip onto the pile.
One package of button mushrooms. They are cute as a button!
Let me introduce you to the humble cube steak. It is cut in a way that if you were to pull on two ends of this, you would see little holes cut all over. It definitely serves to tenderize the meat and also allow lots of flavor to penetrate it.
Slice the 4 filets of cube steak into thin strips.
Red meat cooking in butter……enough said!
Put it aside on a plate, while you start the veggies.
Saute the vegetables in the same pan.
Add in the liquids and seasoning and cook until everything is softened.
Add your meat back in and allow the liquid to reduce by half, to concentrate the flavor.
Lay your meat and veggies on a toasted deli roll with a slice of provolone cheese and make sure you ladle on some of those cooking juices. Now take your first bite. I would suggest you close your eyes as you chew so that you can concentrate all your senses on the flavors of this amazing sandwich.
You can thank me later!
Okay, now open your eyes. It’s kinda creepy to eat with your eyes closed.
The Ultimate Steak Sandwich
From The Pioneer Woman
4 Tablespoons Butter
2 pounds Cube Steak (round Steak That’s Been Extra Tenderized)
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
1 whole Large Yellow Onion, Halved And Sliced Thick
2 whole Green Bell Peppers, Sliced Into Rings
2 whole Red Bell Peppers, Sliced Into Rings
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
16 ounces, weight White Mushrooms, Sliced
1-1/2 cup Sherry (regular Or Cooking Sherry Is Fine)
4 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
4 dashes Tabasco (more To Taste)
8 whole Deli Rolls (the Crustier The Better)
2 Tablespoons (additional) Butter
8 slices Cheese (Provolone, Swiss, Pepper Jack)
Cut cube steak into strips against the grain. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over high heat. As soon as it’s melted (but before it burns) brown strips of cube steak in two or three batches, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Remove meat to a clean plate when brown. Set aside.
Reduce heat to medium-high. Add onions, garlic, mushrooms, green peppers, and red peppers and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until relatively soft (but not flimsy.)
Pour in sherry, then add Worcestershire and Tabasco. Cook over medium-high heat for five minutes, or until liquid has reduced by about a third.
Add in meat, stirring to combine. Cook for just a few minutes to heat everything up, adding more sherry and Worcestershire (and Tabasco) as needed. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter at the end. Keep hot.
Toast halved deli rolls in plenty of butter until golden brown and crisp. Spoon meat/veggie mixture on the lower half of the bun, then spoon one or two tablespoons of pan sauce over the meat (it will soak into the bun.) Drizzle a little sauce on the underside of the top bun, too, for extra flavor and moisture. Top with cheese and broil for a minute or two, until the cheese is melted.
Serve immediately.
Karen in the Kitchen 