25+ BEST Round Steak Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to cook round steak so it is tender? ›

Like Beef Shank, Round Steak cuts are most tender when cooked with moisture, so methods such as slow cooking or braising are usually preferable (more on that in the cooking tips below).

This versatile cut of meat doesn't need to just stay intact as a roast. Once you cook it, you can cut it up to use in soups, beef stew, stir frys, and so much more. Round steak can also work much like flat iron or flank steak. Slice it up to use on steak sandwiches or atop a salad.

Meat – You can choose a top-round steak or a bottom-round steak. These cuts will come from the back side of the cow and are lean and tough textures. Slow cooking breaks down tough meat fibers and makes tender meat. Vegetables – Slice or buy pre-sliced mushrooms – white button or cremini varieties would be great.

Make a marinade with acidic components—such as citrus juice, buttermilk, yogurt, wine, vinegar or soda—to help break down tough connective tissue and muscle fibers.

Dust round steaks evenly on both sides with seasoning blend. Heat cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil, heat until it runs quickly in the pan and begins to shimmer. Sear steaks in batches to avoid crowding the pan, searing 1 - 2 minutes per side.

Round steaks are cheap, but they are also known for being chewy and lacking flavor. It takes some work to make a round steak tender and more flavorful, but with some effort you can grill a smokey, delicious steak. Round steak simply take more preparation before grilling than more prestigious cuts of meat.

The round beef cut comes from the steer's hind legs, thigh, butt, and hams. These are the largest muscles in the body. It is a less expensive beef cut and also quite lean. Round beef cuts provide some of the best value for family meals.

The Top Round Steak is the most tender of the various round steaks. This boneless steak consists of a large muscle called the top or inside round. Note the cover fat on the curved top surface, the cut surface on the left side, and connective tissue along the bottom.

Much to our surprise steak cooked with olive oil brought out the natural flavors of meat and helped maintain a desirable texture much better than butter.

Lack of fat and marbling makes round dry out when cooked with dry-heat cooking methods like roasting or grilling, so this cut is best suited for slow cooking methods with gentle, moist heat. The low-and-slow cooking process helps to tenderize the meat, maintain its moisture, and result in fork tender steaks.

What is the best oil for cooking steaks? ›

Best Oil for Steak

When cooking steak in cast iron skillets, you want to use oils with a high smoke point like peanut, canola, grapeseed, and avocado oil. These oils all have smoke points over 400 degrees Fahrenheit that can withstand the high heat needed to cook steak.

Steak Doneness: Internal Temperatures

To gauge exactly when your steak is cooked to your liking, take its internal temperature. These are the temperature benchmarks you're looking for: Rare (red): 125°F-130°F ; Estimated Cook Time: 8 minutes. Medium Rare (pink): 130°F-135°F; Estimated Cook Time: 9 minutes.

This is a lean cut and it is moderately tough. Lack of fat and marbling makes round dry out when cooked with dry-heat cooking methods like roasting or grilling. Round steak is commonly prepared with slow moist-heat methods including braising, to tenderize the meat and maintain moisture.

To cook your steak to medium or medium-rare, set the skillet over medium-high heat. To cook the steak to medium or well-done, start at medium-high for the first few minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking to your desired doneness.

Either before or after cooking, use a sharp knife cut the steak against the grain to break the muscle fibers down. This will make the steak easier to chew and make it feel more tender as you eat it. Powdered meat tenderizer will also help break down your meat to give you a more tender steak.

Start at Room Temperature

A cold cut of meat hitting a very hot pan—even if it's the best cut of steak—makes it tough and chewy, but bringing it to room temp allows the muscle fibers to relax, helps the steak cook more evenly, and prevents a loss of moisture.