Bottom round steak is an economical cut and is usually less expensive because it tends to be tough and requires special care in cooking. Many recipes call for marinating for several hours, cooking with moisture or cooking slowly in a crockpot. I recently found a way to prepare round steak that doesn’t include any of the above. Basically it requires you to cut the meat thinly. This method works is because you are cutting through the connective tissues which make these cuts of meat tough. The meat does not necessarily become tender, it becomes easier to chew. Although if you serve the meat rare, it can be quite tender. A sharp knife makes this job easier. I prefer to use either aSantoku Knife or an8-Inch Chef’s Knife (these are my Amazon affiliate links).
About a month ago bottom round steak went on sale for $1.77 at a local grocery store. The catch was you had to buy the family pack. The packages were 6 to 7 pounds and contained three steaks each.
Prepare the Meat
- Trim all the fat from the meat, then cut across the grain in thin strips, about 1/8 of an inch. Make the strips one to two inches in length, or cut into small squares.
- Trim fat from the meat, cut into one and a half inch pieces, liberally pepper and salt the surface, allow to sit for about half an hour
Cook the Meat (3 Different Methods)
- Heat the cast iron skillet with some butter until it is bubbly. Cook one layer of meat at a time until done. Sometimes I let the meat cook on one side until there are brown marks, and other times I cook it until it is just browned. I usually cook at medium heat – we have an electric stove and the dial reads from Lo to 9, with 5 being right in the middle. Sometimes the skillet will begin to brown and if I let it go on it would start burning, but in between batches of meat I braise the pan with water. This simply means that I pour in about one-quarter cup of water and use a heavy metal spatula to scrape the surface of the pan so that it stops sticking.
- Fry the large pieces, browning on all sides until nearly charred. Cut into strips or small squares. The picture above shows meat that was peppered and salted, then cut into small squares and fried until browned.
- Heat your barbecue grill until it is nice and hot. Grill the large pieces, browning on all sides until nearly charred. Cut into strips or small squares.
Here are the four meals I like to make using this steak:
Carne Asade Burritos
- 1 package of flour tortillas (my super delicious money saving homemade tortilla recipe here)
- 2 pounds of steak (raw weight), cut into strips
- 2 green onions
- cilantro
- 2 avocadoes
- 1 tomato
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves fresh garlic
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Salsa (my easy inexpensive homemade salsa here – cost: about $1 per QUART)
Prepare and cook the steak in one of the methods described earlier. Slice the green onions, dice the onion and tomato and garlic. Rinse the cilantro and use the leaves as many as you desire (I usually use about 10 or 20). Mash the avocadoes. Add the vegetables. Warm the tortillas, spoon in some meat, ladle on some of the avocado mixture. Fold and eat. You may also add sour cream, cheese and salsa. Makes 12 burritos.
Steak Salad
- 1 pound of steak
- Salad ingredients (lettuce, green onions, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, radishes, cucumbers, avocado, mushrooms, black olives, green olives, spinach, tomatoes, purple onion, or anything else veggie you love in a salad!)
Cook the steak as instructed earlier. Place on top of your favorite salad ingredients. Serve with your favorite salad dressing. I usually use olive oil, apple cider vinegar and freshly pressed garlic. Salt and pepper to taste.
Steak and Peppers
- 1 pound steak
- 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 2 green bell peppers, sliced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 jalapeno pepper, optional
Cook the steak as instructed earlier. While the steak is cooking, add the sliced bell peppers and onions to a cast iron skillet and cook until translucent, about 20 minutes. Add the jalapeno at this time also, if you like your food with a kick. Add the mushrooms and cook about ten minutes longer.
Serve steak strips with mushrooms, onions and peppers on top. You could serve this in a hoagie roll or as fajitas with warm corn flour tortillas.
Stir Fry
I’ve shared recently how I make stir fry with leftover vegetables, and this steak is sensational with stir fry.
If you are unsure about using this much meat at one time, you can always cut the steak in half and freeze in individual bags. You can cut the steak in strips and freeze, or cook and freeze once it cools down.
What is your favorite way to cook bottom round steak?
If you liked this post, check out my grilled pork loin recipe. Buy it on sale for under $2 a pound. This is hands down THE MOST delicious and tender recipe for pork loin I’ve ever used.
