Braised Steak with Capers (Hearty and Budget Friendly)
My Braised Steak with capers combines top round steaks that are seared and braised until tender in a rich tomato sauce with olives, capers, and cherry peppers. Perfect with pasta and crusty bread.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 pounds top round
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 large onion chopped
- 10 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 4 medium hot cherry peppers seeds and stems removed, chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers rinsed
- 1/4 cup pitted Sicilian green olives chopped
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
Instructions
- Cut the top round into 4 equal size pieces then pound with a meat mallet to approximately 1/2" thick.
- Pat the steaks very dry and liberally season with salt and pepper on both sides. Dredge the steaks into the flour and shake off the excess. Heat a large heavy pan to a touch higher than medium heat with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the steaks to the hot pan and sear until well browned on both sides then remove the steaks to a plate.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the remaining oil to the pan along with the onions and a pinch of salt. Saute until very soft (about 10-15 minutes) then add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes or until lightly golden and fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste and a splash of water and saute the paste for 5 minutes.
- Add the wine and bring to a boil while scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge any brown bits. After 2 minutes, add the plum tomatoes, cherry peppers, capers, olives, and sugar to the pan and stir together. Bring the sauce to a lively simmer. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the steaks to the pan and cover with the lid. Cook over low heat until very tender (90-120 minutes). Flip the steaks every 30 minutes to ensure even cooking. If the sauce starts to dry out during the braising process, just add a 1/2 cup of water to the pan.
- Once the steaks are very tender, turn off the heat and taste test one more time, adjusting salt and pepper if required. Mix in the parsley and served with crusty bread to mop up the amazing sauce. Alternatively, a portion of the sauce could be used for a 1/2 pound of pasta. Enjoy!
Notes
- Beef. Bottom and eye of round along with chuck steaks all work well for this dish.
- Cherry peppers. These small peppers are moderately spicy, but it's recommended to check the spice levels before using the full amount. Or use more if you want a spicier dish.
- Sauce. The sauce can easily be doubled for a full pound of pasta, while still having enough left for the steaks.
- Alternate cooking method. After adding the steaks to the sauce, cover, and place in a 300°F oven and cook until tender, checking at the 60 minute mark and then 30 minute intervals. If the sauce drys out, add a 1/2 cup of water.
- Serve over. This dish is great over rice, a 1/2 pound of pasta, or polenta. Or just serve with a crusty loaf of bread.
- Leftovers. Braised steak with capers can be saved for up to 3 days and can be reheated on the stovetop or in the oven.
Nutrition
Calories: 732kcal | Carbohydrates: 25.6g | Protein: 75.6g | Fat: 31.1g | Saturated Fat: 6.7g | Cholesterol: 25.6mg | Sodium: 738mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9.8g | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 9mg
QR code
Scan this QR code with your phone's camera to view this recipe on your mobile device.
