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This delicious one-pot dinner is the kind of meal that feels like Sunday dinner without the Sunday-sized effort. Easy Round Steak and Gravy, made all in one pot, is a budget-friendly meal that uses beef braised low and slow until it’s fork-tender, then it’s smothered with homemade gravy.
This is mostly hands-off; the oven does the heavy lifting, so you can tackle homework or the rest of your evening. A couple of simple steps, one pot, and dinner pretty much makes itself. This is one of those comfort meals that, in our family, takes us back to childhood.
Table of Contents
- What is Round Steak and Gravy?
- Key Takeaways
- Ingredient Notes
- How to Make Round Steak and Gravy
- Tips for the Best Round Steak and Gravy
- Variations and Substitutions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What to Serve with Round Steak and Gravy
- Storage and Reheating
- More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Round Beef Steak and Gravy Recipe
What is Round Steak and Gravy?
Round steak and gravy is a classic braised beef dish made by browning a lean cut of round steak, then slow-roasting it in savory beef broth until it’s tender enough to fall apart. The pan drippings are turned into a rich, thickened gravy and poured right over the sliced beef. It’s a comforting, old-fashioned dinner that turns an inexpensive cut of meat into something special.
Key Takeaways
- Ready in about 2 hours, mostly hands-off cooking.
- Made with a budget-friendly cut of beef.
- Braised in the oven, finished on the stovetop.
- Just a handful of pantry ingredients.
- Perfect Sunday dinner or make it easily on a weeknight.
- The gravy comes straight from the pan drippings.
Ingredient Notes
Round Steak: A lean, affordable cut of beef that turns tender during a long braise.
Vegetable Oil: For browning the meat and building the flavor at the bottom of the pan.
Water: The base of the braising liquid.
Better Than Bouillon: Adds concentrated beef flavor to the broth; beef bouillon cubes work as well.
Onion: Builds a savory base and adds flavor to the dish.
Cornstarch: Whisked together to thicken the pan drippings into gravy.
Salt and Pepper to Taste: Season the gravy at the end.
How to Make Round Steak and Gravy
In a large Dutch oven, brown the 2 lbs of round steak on all sides in a hot pan with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Ensure thorough browning for added flavor. Adjust the amount of oil if needed.
If using fresh onion, sauté it in the pan with additional oil until tender. Carefully deglaze the pan with 1 cup of water, scraping up brown bits. Add remaining water, adjusting to almost cover the meat. Stir in beef base (Better Than Bouillon).
Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and roast in a preheated 325º oven for 1.5 to 2 hours until the meat is fork-tender. Adjust time-based on roast thickness.
Remove from the oven, place the round steak on a cutting board, and slice into thick individual serving portions.
For the gravy, mix ¼ cup cornstarch with ¼ cup water. Gradually stir into the pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat until it thickens. Adjust consistency with more cornstarch mixture or water. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve sliced round steak in a dish, topped with the gravy.
Tips for the Best Round Steak and Gravy
- Don’t skip the browning step; it builds flavor that carries through the entire dish.
- Don’t skip deglazing; scraping up the browned bits with water, broth, or wine adds lots of extra flavor to the gravy.
- Adjust your braise time to the roast; a thicker cut may need closer to 2 hours to become fork-tender.
- Slice against the grain; this keeps the lean cut from turning stringy or tough to chew.
- Build the gravy gradually; add the cornstarch slurry a little at a time so you don’t overthicken it.
- Season at the end; taste the gravy before adding salt, then gradually add it.
Variations and Substitutions
Slow Cooker Version: Brown the steak and sauté the onion on the stove, then transfer everything to a slow cooker with the water and beef base; cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, making the gravy on the stovetop once done or add the slurry directly into the slow cooker.
Wine Deglaze: Use a splash of dry red wine in place of the water when deglazing for extra depth.
Mushroom Gravy: Sauté sliced mushrooms along with the onion for a heartier gravy.
Different Bouillon: Beef bouillon cubes work in place of Better Than Bouillon if that’s what you have on hand.
Extra Vegetables: Add carrots and potatoes to the pot in the last hour of braising to have a fuller one-pot meal.
Gluten-Free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free when using beef bouillon cubes and cornstarch; as always, check all ingredients before using.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. It reheats well, and the flavor deepens after a day in the fridge. Store the meat and gravy together in an airtight container.
Yes. Cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Top round, bottom round, eye of round, or sirloin tip round steak all work well. These lean cuts turn tender with a long, slow braise.
It likely needs more time in the oven. Round steak is lean, so it depends on the low, slow braise to break down and become tender.
Yes, though you’ll want to make a roux first, rather than mixing it directly with cold water, which will leave lumps.
What to Serve with Round Steak and Gravy
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer
Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheat
Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, or microwave individual portions in 1-minute bursts, stirring in between.
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An inexpensive cut of beef and a little patience round steak and gravy into a meal that tastes like it took all day. Let the oven do the work, and you’ll have a tender, gravy-covered dinner the whole family will enjoy.
Round Beef Steak and Gravy
Ingredients
- 2 lbs round steak roasts top round, bottom round, eye of round, or sirloin tip round steak
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 cups of water
- 1.5 tablespoons beef base Better Than Bouillon* or substitute beef bouillon cubes
- 1 tablespoon ½ large yellow onion finely chopped
Gravy
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup cold water
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, brown the 2 lbs of round steak on all sides in a hot pan with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Ensure thorough browning for added flavor. Adjust the amount of oil if needed.
- If using fresh onion, sauté it in the pan with additional oil until tender. Carefully deglaze the pan with 1 cup of water, scraping up the brown bits. Add the remaining water, adjusting to almost cover the meat.
- Stir in beef base (Better Than Bouillon)
- Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and roast in a preheated 325º oven for 1.5 to 2 hours until the meat is fork-tender. Adjust time-based on roast thickness.
- Remove from the oven, place the round steak on a cutting board, and slice into thick individual serving portions.
- For the gravy, mix ¼ cup cornstarch with ¼ cup water. Gradually stir into the pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat until it thickens. Adjust consistency with more cornstarch mixture or water. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve sliced round steak in a dish, topped with the gravy.
