How to Cook a Blade Steak

Less-expensive cuts, such as the blade steak, satisfy an appetite for red meat and respect your wallet.

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The heady flavors of steak aren't just for special occasions; cooking a blade steak brightens even an ordinary weeknight. Less-expensive cuts, such as the blade steak, satisfy an appetite for red meat and respect your wallet.

Also known as a petite steak and top chuck steak, this less-celebrated cut comes from the shoulder blade. A line of connective tissue runs through the center of the steak, rendering it tough if not prepared properly.

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Although braising is an ideal method of cooking your beef chuck steak recipes in the oven, grilling and pan-frying also work. Simply cut around the center line of fat before eating.

Braise Your Blade Steak

Step 1: Preheat the Oven

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2: Season Your Meat

Place the steak on a small plate and generously sprinkle one side with salt and pepper. Turn the steak over and season the other side.

Step 3: Heat Some Oil

Situate a Dutch oven on a stovetop burner and cover the bottom with cooking oil. Heat the oil on medium until water sprinkled into the pot sizzles and pops.

Step 4: Sear Your Blade Steak

Place the seasoned steak into the oil and sear it on one side for about four to six minutes, or until browned. Turn the steak with the tongs and sear the other side until browned. Searing seals in the juices, preserving the rich flavor of the beef.

Step 5: Remove From Heat

Remove the steak from the pot and place it on a clean plate.

Step 6: Add Some Liquid

Pour about a cup of seasoned tomato juice, beef stock, wine or water into the Dutch oven to deglaze the pan, scraping the delicious bits of steak from the bottom and sides of the pot to blend them with the liquid.

Cook for about two to three minutes, scraping and stirring occasionally. Once a rich broth is created, complete the meal, if desired, by adding diced potatoes, carrots and onions.

Step 7: Cook Until Tender

Return the steak to the pot, fit the lid tightly and place the pot in the oven for 45 minutes, or until the meat is fork-tender. Replenish the braising liquid as necessary, ensuring that the liquid at least comes midway up the steak.

Step 8: Remove and Serve

Cook your blade steak until the internal temperature reaches at least 145 F — the minimum safe temperature for beef consumption, according to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Remove the pot from the oven and place the meat on a clean plate. Allow the meat to rest for three minutes. Serve the steak with the braising liquid spooned across the top.

Pan-Frying Blade Steak

Step 1: Season Both Sides

Place the steak on a small plate and sprinkle one side of the steak generously with salt and pepper. Turn the steak over and sprinkle the other side with salt and pepper.

Step 2: Heat Your Skillet

Situate a heavy skillet on the stovetop and heat butter on medium heat until it melts.

Step 3: Saute Your Meat

Transfer the steak to the skillet and saute on each side for three to five minutes until the desired doneness is reached.

Step 4: Keep Meat Warm

Remove the steak to a clean plate and keep warm by covering with foil or placing in an oven set to a low temperature.

Step 5: Cook Your Onions

Melt additional butter in the skillet and add finely minced onions or shallots. Cook for about two minutes, or until the onions are clear.

Step 6: Add Some Wine

Pour wine into the skillet and heat through for about three to five minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by half.

Step 7: Top With Sauce and Serve

Spoon the sauce over the steak and serve.

Grilling Blade Steak

Step 1: Add Your Seasonings

Place the steak on a small plate and sprinkle one side of the steak generously with salt and pepper. Turn the steak over and sprinkle the other side with salt and pepper.

Step 2: Grill on Medium

Transfer the steak to a grill. A gas grill should be heated to medium heat, and the coals in a charcoal grill should be reduced to medium ash before placing the steak on the grill.

Step 3: Flip Halfway Through

Lower the lid to the grill and cook the steaks for six to 10 minutes, or until the desired doneness is reached. Flip the steak only once halfway through cooking with tongs.

Step 4: Serve and Enjoy

Remove the steak and serve.

Things You'll Need

Cooking oil
Dutch oven
Plate
Salt
Pepper
Tongs
Plate
Wooden spoon

Tip

Cut calories from your meal by pouring away any meat drippings before adding braising water. A small 6-oz. steak is only 396 calories, according to the USDA.

Transform your braising liquid into a gravy by adding flour or cornstarch to thicken the liquid. You can also add beef bouillon or granules to enrich the gravy.

Ask the butcher for a steak that has the connective tissue removed, which is commonly referred to as a flat iron steak.

Save leftovers for another meal. Refrigerate meat at 40 F and consume within one to two days. Discard any meat that has been at room temperature for more than two hours to reduce risk of foodborne illness, as advised by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Warning

Avoid getting splashed and burned with the hot oil, as it will pop and splatter with the introduction of the cold beef.