Explanation of Swiss Steak and a simple recipe
Swiss steak is one of the favorite foods of many people in the united states. According to the Wikipedia, Swiss steak is actually a method of preparing meat, preferably beef, by rolling or pounding, and then braising the meat in a cooking pot either in a stove or in an oven. The word Swiss in the name Swiss steak does not refer to Switzerland, but to the process of ‘swissing’. Swissing is the process of pounding fabric or other materials through rollers with the intention of softening it.
The meat that is usually chosen for Swiss steak is the relatively tough cuts of meat like the round of the animal. This meat is then pounded using a tenderizing hammer or even by running it through a set of bladed rollers to produce 'cube-steak'. This meat is usually served coated with flour and other seasonings and served with thick gravy. Now that the meaning of Swiss steak has been clarified, here is a simple recipe to follow to make a delicious dish of Swiss steak.
The main ingredient for a skillet Swiss steak will of course be a good, thick round steak! Then you need some spices like onion, pepper, chili sauce and dry mustard. Celery is another ingredient to enhance the taste of the steak. Some vegetables like potato, carrots and parsley come next in line. Then of course, the usual oil, salt, hot water, with some instant beef broth.
To make this delicious dish, the celery and the onion have to be sautéed in oil till tender, to be removed and reserved. Then a mixture of flour and salt has to be pounded to both sides of the meat, to be browned in oil. The hot water and mustard has to be stirred into a broth twice its volume. Chile sauce, reserved celery and onion and pepper have to be added to skillet and covered. This preparation has to be simmered for one hour and fifteen minutes. After that, the remaining one cup has to be stirred in to thin the gravy. After all this is done, the potatoes and the carrots are added, to be sprinkled with salt. then continue cooking for thirty or forty-five minutes or till you are sure the steak is done. Voila! You have your delicious Swiss steak!
The best way of finding out how long you have to cook your Swiss steak, you should measure the temperature of the steak and test the meat. If the temperature is at least 180 degrees hot, with the meat browned all the way, while being soft and tender, you are sure that the steak is cooked to the right consistency.
Of course, if you need more tips on cooking Swiss steak, you can find them through a search on the internet. All you have to do is to type the words ‘cooking Swiss steak’ in the web browser to be directed to the tips. You can use your taste buds to make variations on the preparation of the Swiss steak. Instead of chili sauce, use tomato sauce and you can also use Worcestershire sauce and bay leaf to enhance the taste.