Family Recipe Friday: Swiss Steak

I remember my grandmother making this Swiss Steak and when Skeet shared her recipes with us, I found out it was her grandmother’s recipe.  What I didn’t really know was that Swiss Steak isn’t really Swiss… but it is good.  If you grew up with it. 

Swiss Steak

3 to 4 lbs. round steak                            Kitchen Bouquet

Onion to taste – cut in rings                 ¼ c green pepper cut into rings          

Salt and pepper to taste                         shortening

Cut round steak in serving sized pieces.  Prepare a bowl of flour (about 1½ cups I think) and add salt and pepper - stir up (I use a fork to mix the salt and pepper in the flour).  Coat each piece of steak in flour and brown in melted shortening in large frying pan.  Brown both sides and remove from pan and place in roaster.  You may have to add more shortening to get all pieces browned.  Then add enough shortening to make a thin layer of melted shortening in bottom of frying pan; sprinkle flour to cover the shortening and add salt (takes quite a bit of salt to flavor it).  Brown this and slowly add cold water stirring continuously while doing so.  This will take about 3 to 4 cups of water and will be very thin. Add 3 or 4 drops of Kitchen Bouquet to gravy and stir in.  Pour over steaks.  Add onions and peppers if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for 1½ to 2 hours. 

We always had mashed potatoes and corn with this.