Slow Cooker Smothered Steak

By Patlynn

The slow cooker was made for recipes like this––or so we thought. The steaks and onions let out so much liquid that, when combined with the stock or wine called for in most recipes, they left us with a watered-down sauce and washed-out meat flavor. We found that adding no extra liquid turned out a more flavorful, concentrated sauce and better-cooked meat. Browning the meat and onions before putting them in the slow cooker was messy and time-consuming. Dusting the meat with cornstarch helped it brown in the steamy environment of the slow cooker, and macerating and microwaving the onions drew out some of their liquid and deepened their flavor.

Ingredients

• Arrange the steaks so the cornstarch-rubbed sides face up during cooking to ensure adequate browning. Blade steaks have a thin line of gristle running through the center. Some people eat it; others eat around it.
• 1 3/4 pounds onions, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 1/2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• Salt and pepper
• 6 (6- to 8-ounce) blade steaks, 3/4 to 1 inch thick, trimmed
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Preparation

Step 1

1.Toss onions, sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in large bowl and let sit for 30 minutes. Combine steaks, remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt in large zipper-lock bag and let sit for 30 minutes, turning once.
2. Microwave onion mixture until onions are softened and beginning to dry around edges, about 10 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Drain in colander, shaking to release moisture. Transfer onion mixture to slow cooker and stir in 2 tablespoons cornstarch, garlic, thyme, and 1 teaspoon pepper.
3. Pat steaks dry with paper towels and rub 1 side with remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Arrange steaks, cornstarch side up, in single layer on onions. Cover and cook on high until steaks are completely tender, 5 to 6 hours (or 7 to 8 hours on low).
4. Transfer steaks to platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Pour contents of slow cooker through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator; reserve onions. Defat sauce and top steaks with onions and 1/2 cup sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with remaining sauce.


Slow-Cooker "Searing"?


Searing meat in a hot skillet gives it a tasty browned crust. To avoid the work of searing the blade steaks before putting them in the slow cooker, we devised a technique that allows the meat to brown in the moist, low-heat environment of the slow cooker. The secret: We rub the meat with cornstarch, which breaks down into sugars that react with the meat juices to cause browning in the slow cooker.