Swiss steak — tough round steak tenderized by long, slow braising in tomatoes — has nothing to do with Switzerland. The name likely refers to the 'swissing' technique of pounding or rolling meat to tenderize it. In Midwestern home cooking, it became a reliable way to make inexpensive cuts of beef into something worth eating — and Patty Hykes's slow cooker version makes the process entirely effortless.
Ingredients
1½ lbs. round steak, cut into serving pieces
2–4 tsp flour
½–1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 medium onion, sliced
1 carrot, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
14½ oz. can diced tomatoes, or 15 oz. can tomato sauce, or 1 package brown gravy mix
Instructions
Combine flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge meat in flour.
Put onion in bottom of slow cooker, put meat on top, then top with carrot, celery, and tomatoes or gravy.
Cover and cook on low for 8–10 hours or high 3–5 hours.
