How about taking a value cut of beef and transforming it into a delicious dinner with these 15 round steak recipes? We have ideas here that will elevate this humble steak!
There needn’t be a ruinous price tag attached to a great steak dinner — forget humdrum wagyu and la-di-da-tenderloin — here’s 15 round steak recipes that pack a profoundly beefy punch.
In the hierarchy of things we Americans couldn’t go without, steaks would rank somewhere near the top alongside air-conditioning and jumbo everything.
The consumption of meat is an expression of who we are and how we see ourselves; it’s no coincidence that the figurehead of American culture, the lone cowboy, is a cattle herder, or that we proudly lay claim to being the birthplace of the cheeseburger. But we’re not indiscriminate in our love for meat.
You needn’t forego one of life’s greatest savory pleasures — that of an invigorating mouthful of richly buttery steak — in hopes of a sudden windfall or surprise inheritance.
We’ve put together a list of the top round steak recipes out there to help you avoid just such an eventuality: braised with wine, tossed in a salad or even grilled with lime (hello, #13, we’ve been waiting for you) it’s all good eating.
Long, slow cooking brings out the very best in this richly flavored homey dish. It’s perfect for lunch, dinner or whenever you can get around to it — serve with a cilantro garnish and a hunk of crusty bread.
The earthy mushrooms are an excellent foil for the gutsy, Worcestershire-forward gravy. To this end, we recommend cutting yours with beef stock, to give it a bit more body and a little less tang.
We love the yielding, tender quality of slow-simmered round steak alongside pliant mushrooms and velvety pasta. The addition of a handful of finely chopped fresh dill in this recipe is a very good idea.
Put your slow-cooker through its paces with this streamlined, intensely flavorful main course. Remember that broccoli strongly objects to being cooked for long periods of time — it retaliates by going all grey and morose — so don’t add it to the crock until the last 20 or 30 minutes.
Punchy and umami rich — these lively noodles are way better than takeout. They’re also blessedly quick and come together in a cinch; perfect for those days when you ought to have been out the door an hour ago.
Smothered round steak is, we think, very good. That’s why we’ve elected to include two different recipes — it’s our best bet at winning this supremely underrated cut of a few more fervent admirers. This one is heavy on the glorious onions and peppers!
Now, we’re no rocket scientists, but when attempting to coax a sinewy, hard-working cut of meat like the round steak into going all butter-soft, there’s nothing quite so well suited to the task as a long, slow tomato braise — rich, meaty, savory — it’s a simple enough affair that’s well worth the wait.
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A fine steak made with care doesn’t need wine to be good — but it certainly helps. Top round recipes don’t get a whole lot easier.
Some like it hot — some like it hot and heaped with soft, melty cheese. We’re members of the latter camp; duh. Make it as spicy as you like, or not at all.
Let your oven do all the work for you and warm up your kitchen in the process with this piquant, gravy-lush recipe — all you’ve got to do is bring your appetite.
A nice bottle of wine never hurt anybody, either.
Smoking represents the heroic transcendence of man over meat. This slow-smoked round steak is an utter revelation; serve it with a side of cold, tangy slaw for extra oomph.
Have a little zip for dinner. Or lunch. Or brunch. This may even be breakfast fare, if you’re the particularly enterprising sort.
14. Beef Noodles
Take-out fare reimagined in a far-less-greasy, far-more-delicious vein — it’s hot, hearty and it’s pretty damn near perfect.
Too often we’ve bitten into a fajita with great fervor and even greater expectations — only to find whatever else might’ve been there overshadowed by watery, bitter vegetables and an abundance of sour cream.
These colorful, riotously flavorful fajitas have given us cause for hope again.
The bottom line
In the hands of an optimistic cook, the humble round steak is capable of inspiring awe and delight in equal measure.
Awe: “I can do that, with this?!”
Delight: “I did that with this.”
The next time you’re at your butcher’s, take a gander at those thrifty, oft-overlooked cuts — who knows what you might find?
For more ways to make value cuts of beef into delicious meals, check out these chuck steak recipes!
