Baked Steak — The First Meal in a Pan Seasoned with Love

CJ called with news I had been expecting but still received as a full piece of information: he and Shanice put an offer in on a house. In Huntsville, near the school district they want, with a yard that CJ said is big enough for a garden, which he mentioned specifically because he knows I will have opinions about what goes in it. The offer was accepted Thursday. They will close in October.

I asked him about the kitchen. He described it: gas stove, which is right, large enough for two people to cook side by side, with an island and natural light from a window over the sink. I said, a window over the sink is non-negotiable. He said, I know, Mama, I told the realtor. I laughed. A man who tells his realtor that the kitchen window is non-negotiable because his mother requires it is a man who was raised right.

I have been thinking about what I will give them when they move in. Not a gift from a registry — something that carries meaning. Probably a cast iron skillet. I have been seasoning one for them for the past year, cooking in it regularly so it builds up the layers that make cast iron worth having. You cannot buy this kind of pan. You can buy the pan but not what it carries. I've been making it for CJ and Shanice since last October without telling them, and it will be ready when they move in. A pan seasoned in my kitchen, moving into their first house. The chain continuing. The heat passing forward.

A cast iron skillet that’s been seasoned for a year needs to arrive with a recipe worth cooking first. I keep coming back to baked steak — it’s what I’ve been making in that pan more than anything else while building up its layers. Low heat, good browning, a gravy that holds. When CJ and Shanice unpack that skillet in their new kitchen with the window over the sink, this is what I want them to make: something slow and warm that fills the whole house and tells them they are home.

Baked Steak

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 2 hours | Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 pounds round steak, about 1/2 inch thick
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, sliced into rings
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

1. Prep the steak. Preheat oven to 325°F. Cut steak into serving-size pieces. Mix flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder in a shallow dish. Dredge each piece of steak in the seasoned flour, pressing it in on both sides.
2. Brown the meat. Heat vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the steak pieces on both sides, about 3 minutes per side, working in batches if needed. Remove and set aside.
3. Build the gravy. Reduce heat to medium. Add sliced onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in cream of mushroom soup, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
4. Bake low and slow. Return the steak to the skillet, nestling pieces into the gravy. Spoon some of the onion and gravy over the top. Cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil.
5. Cook until tender. Bake in the oven for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, until the steak is fork-tender and the gravy has thickened. Check halfway through and add a splash of broth if the gravy is getting too thick.
6. Rest and serve. Let the skillet sit for 5 minutes after removing from the oven. Serve steak with gravy spooned generously over the top, alongside rice, mashed potatoes, or biscuits.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 420 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 22g | Carbs: 14g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 980mg