Once brown, remove the steaks from the skillet and put them on a plate with a shallow rim. This rim is necessary since it prevents any juices from running off the side of the plate.
As before, consider using tallow or lard instead of butter to enhance the flavor. For a healthier alternative, replace the butter with a vegetable oil.
The onions should be tender and fragrant when done. The garlic should be toasted and fragrant when ready. Garlic cooks faster than onion, so the two should not be added simultaneously. Moreover, garlic burns easily, so you will need to keep a close eye on it to prevent that from happening.
It is a good idea to combine the sauce ingredients before returning the steak pieces to the skillet. If the steak remained in the skillet, they would create an obstruction, and you would have a harder time blending the sauce ingredients together.
Make sure that you also return to the skillet any juices from the steak that seeped out onto the plate. These juices are valuable, both in terms of moisture and flavor.
Stir the contents of the skillet occasionally as the steaks cook. Uncovering the skillet during the final part of the cooking process will allow the sauce to reduce and become thicker. Slow braising is an ideal cooking method for round steaks, which tend to be fairly lean and not very tender. The slow cooking process helps the meat break down more, and the liquid involved in braising prevents the beef from drying out.
If you have a large, heavy-bottomed, oven-proof skillet, you do not need to prepare a separate baking dish. The entire meal can be prepared in this oven-proof skillet.
Tenderizing and flattening the beef helps the final product to have a less chewy, less tough texture.
Alternatively, you could combine the flour and salt in a wide bowl with shallow sides. Make sure that the bowl is shallow enough and wide enough for you to place a piece of steak in. Sift the ingredients together to ensure that they are well-combined.
If using a bowl instead of a bag, add the steak pieces to the seasoned flour in the bowl and turn them over a few times, dredging all the sides completely.
Remove the steak from the skillet once brown. Place it on a plate with a slight rim, to collect any juices it loses, and keep warm.
When done, the vegetables should be tender-crisp. They should be soft enough to bite into but should still have a little crunch.
After this addition, you should stir the contents of the pan to loosen any browned bits and pieces stuck to the bottom. These bits are valuable because they contain a lot of flavor. As the mixture simmers, keep the skillet uncovered.
If using your skillet for the oven portion of this dish, as well, simply return the steak to the skillet and ladle some of the vegetable mixture on top of it.
Slow baking in liquid is another ideal cooking method for round steaks, which tend to be fairly lean and not very tender. The slow cooking process helps the meat break down more, and the liquid prevents the beef from drying out.
You could add more cheese than the recipe calls for, if desired, but adding more cheese may increase the amount of cooking time since a thicker layer will require more time to melt.
You may also want to prepare your slow cooker by coating the bottom and sides with nonstick cooking spray or by inserting a special slow cooker liner. This is not strictly necessary, but without taking either precaution, the steak pieces may end up burning and sticking to the slow cooker, making cleanup a mess.
Alternatively, you could combine the flour and seasonings in a wide bowl with shallow sides. Make sure that the bowl is shallow enough and wide enough for you to place a piece of steak in. Sift the ingredients together to ensure that they are well-combined.
If using a bowl instead of a bag, add the steak pieces to the seasoned flour in the bowl and turn them over a few times, dredging all the sides completely.
You could skip the skillet steps from a technical standpoint, but they are strongly recommended. Browning the steak before cooking it in a slow cooker enhances the flavor. Once brown, remove the steak from the skillet and place the pieces directly in the slow cooker.
Cooking the sauce in a skillet beforehand is not strictly necessary, but it is a good idea. Adding the liquid ingredients to the pan and stirring the contents allows you to deglaze the bottom and pick up all the brown, flavorful bits previously stuck to the pan. The flour can also cause the sauce to thicken once it boils.
Slow cooking round steak in liquid is another great cooking method to use. Round steaks tend to be fairly lean and not very tender, and the ultra slow cooking provided by a slow cooker helps the meat break down more, making it very tender when done. The liquid it cooks in prevents the beef from drying out, as well.
Note that you should remove the bay leaf before dishing out the steaks and sauce.
