Cassie’s Ruminations

Onion and Pepper Smothered Eye of Round Steaks

My in-laws are still in town and they picked up some thin sliced eye of round steaks the other day at the store for dinner this week. Round steak is a tougher cut, so I decided to do a slow braise to tenderize the meat and add a lot of flavor at the same time. This is a tasty meal for a relaxed evening – nice after a day down at Pike’s Place Market then up at the Everett Marina.

Onion and Pepper Smothered Eye of Round Steaks
Serves 4

1 lb thinly sliced eye of round steaks
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp seasoning mix (I used Emeril’s Essence)
3 tbsp canola oil
1 14.5-oz can beef broth
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 small sweet onion (I used Walla Walla), thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 small bottle (187 ml) red wine (I used a cabernet sauvignon)

Mix the flour and Emeril’s Essence in a gallon-sized zip top bag. Add the eye of round steak and toss to coat well.

Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Take the steaks out of the bag, shaking off any extra flour and add the steaks to the skillet. Brown them well on both sides, 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the steaks to a plate and set aside.

Add 1-2 tbsps of the leftover seasoned flour and whisk into the canola oil in the pan to make a roux. Add the beef broth and whisk to incorporate the roux fully, scraping up any brown bits from the steak. Stir in the thyme, salt, and pepper, and bring the gravy to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium low. Add the onion and pepper to the skillet and stir to combine. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the onion and pepper start to soften. Add the wine and stir to incorporate.

Add the beef back to the skillet along with any juices that accumulated on the plate. Nestle the beef so it is covered by the liquid. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, or until the beef is tender.

Serve warm with potatoes or over steamed rice.