Equipment Needed
- Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid
- Meat mallet or heavy skillet (to pound steak)
- Shallow dish (for flour mixture)
- Tongs
- Wooden spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
Step-by-Step Instructions
My process begins with the steak. If I’m using round steak, I place it between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound it with the flat side of a meat mallet or a heavy skillet until it’s uniformly about 1/2-inch thick. This physical tenderizing is a key step for that classic “Swissed” texture. In a shallow dish, I mix the flour, salt, pepper, and paprika. I dredge each piece of steak thoroughly in this mixture, shaking off the excess. I’ve learned to do this right before browning to prevent a gummy coating.
In my heavy Dutch oven, I heat the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. I brown the floured steaks in batches, making sure not to crowd the pan. This takes patience. I let each piece develop a deep, golden-brown crust on each side, which takes about 3-4 minutes per side. This fond (the browned bits on the bottom of the pot) is pure flavor gold. Once all the meat is browned and set aside on a plate, I lower the heat to medium and add the sliced onions and celery to the same pot.
I sauté the vegetables, scraping up all those wonderful browned bits with my wooden spoon, until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Then, I add the minced garlic and cook for just one more minute until fragrant. The smell at this stage is absolutely heavenly. Now, I pour in the diced tomatoes with their juice, the tomato sauce, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce. I stir in the dried thyme and drop in the bay leaves. I bring this mixture to a gentle simmer, letting all the flavors start to mingle.(See the next page below to continue…)