This round steak recipe makes the juiciest seasoned steaks pan-seared in garlic butter. Afterward, they’re smothered in a rich, creamy Cognac pan sauce for a delicious steak dinner that’s ready in 20 minutes. Fancy enough to impress, and quick enough for weeknights!
For another weeknight-friendly steak recipe, try my chopped steak, classic Salisbury steak, or this French steak au poivre next.
This round steak recipe is my fancy-without-trying, one-pan dinner that never fails to impress, and it’s SO GOOD! Succulent eye of round steaks cooked in garlic butter and drenched in creamy Cognac pan sauce? Yes, it’s possible, and with very little effort. Consider this your sign to skip the steakhouse. You’ve got this! 👩🍳
Why You Should Make This Round Steak Recipe Tonight
- Better than the steakhouse. I’ll show you how to pan-sear round steak at home to get a perfect crust on the outside that locks in flavor and juiciness.
- Rich Cognac cream sauce. The sauce needs only 3 ingredients and literally melts into the steak, adding tons of flavor to an already flavorful cut of meat.
- One pan, 20 minutes. Best of all, you’ll cook the steak and prepare the sauce in the same skillet. It’s the secret to the best pan sauce, and it also means clean up is super quick!
What Are Round Steaks?
Beef rounds are cut from the hind leg of the cow, and include top round, bottom round, eye of round, and sirloin tip steaks. For this recipe, I use bottom round steaks.
Slice the steak to about ¼” thickness against the grain. You can also buy these steaks pre-sliced in the beef section at the grocery store, or ask your local butcher to cut them for you.
What Does It Mean to Cut Steak “Against the Grain”?
Cutting against the grain means to slice the steak ACROSS the muscle fibers (lines) running throughout a cut of meat, instead of along them. This shortens the fibers and makes the steak easier to chew.
Ingredients Needed to Make This Recipe
In addition to your round steaks, these are the ingredients you’ll need to prepare the steak and make the Cognac sauce. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the full ingredients list and recipe directions.
- Cooking Oil – For pan-searing, I recommend an oil with a higher smoke point, like vegetable oil or canola oil.
- Garlic – Fresh cloves, smashed.
- Italian Seasoning – If you don’t have an Italian herb blend, you can use any combination of dried basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, and rosemary.
- Spices – In addition to salt and pepper, I use onion powder, oregano, and paprika.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted.
For the Sauce
- Beef Broth – I prefer low-sodium broth or stock as it makes it easier to season the sauce to taste.
- Cognac – You don’t have to reach for top shelf brandy to make your sauce. Choose one you wouldn’t mind drinking on its own. Brands like St-Rémy, Hennessy, and Courvoisier offer good, affordable options. You could also use bourbon, like my bourbon steak recipe. If you’d prefer not to cook with alcohol, substitute teh Cognac with additional beef broth instead.
- Heavy Cream – For a lighter sauce, substitute cream with half-and-half.
Tips for Cooking Juicy Round Steak
- Choose the right oil. Use a cooking oil with a high enough smoke point. Olive oil has a low smoke point, and it’ll burn before it reaches the appropriate temperature for pan-searing.
- Sear the steak in batches. Avoid overcrowding the pan, which can cause the steaks to steam instead of sear. The beef needs plenty of room in the pan to sear and create that crisp, golden crust on the outside.
- Don’t overcook. These thin round steaks only need to cook for 1-2 minutes per side over medium-high heat. They’ll also continue to cook a little as they rest on the plate afterward. Overcooked steak will be dry and chewy.
- Rest the steaks. Rest the seared steaks until foil for a few minutes before serving. Resting allows the juices to redistribute, and the beef will be more tender when you cut into it.
What to Serve With Steak
This flavorful round steak recipe with Cognac sauce is great for entertaining. For the full steakhouse-at-home experience, I’ll serve it with fluffy mashed potatoes or a baked potato and creamed spinach. For a veggie, try roasted asparagus or crispy air fryer broccoli on the side. Or, go French bistro-style and serve this saucy round steak with a side of oven fries or hasselback potatoes.
One day, I was also thinking: You know what this round steak recipe needs? Pasta! Serve thinly sliced steak along with the cream sauce over a bed of fettuccine, linguine, or penne, stroganoff-style. It’s also great over mushroom rice with dinner rolls for a quick weeknight meal. Anything that soaks up that sauce!
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure thing. You can swap the round steaks in this recipe for another good searing steak, like flat iron, ribeye, New York strip steak, sirloin, or filet mignon. You could even prepare this recipe with steak bites!
For a leaner cut of beef like bottom round steak, I like to pair it with a mellow red, like Merlot or Pinot Noir. Malbec is another good option. A buttery, oaked Chardonnay also works nicely as a white wine pairing with the cream sauce.
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Preheat the skillet. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, use the heaviest skillet that you do have. Add vegetable oil and heat until shimmering.
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Season the steaks. In the meantime, prepare the steaks by seasoning them with coarse salt, pepper, onion powder, oregano, and paprika. Rub in the seasoning with your fingers.
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Melt the butter. Add 1/2 tablespoon butter to the skillet and stir in the Italian seasoning and smashed garlic.
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Cook the steaks. Add the steaks to the skillet and sear the steaks in batches for about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Use the remaining butter only if needed to finish cooking the second batch of steaks.
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Keep the steaks warm. Transfer the steaks to a plate and keep them covered. Discard the garlic from the pan, but don’t discard the pan juices.
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Make the cognac sauce. Return the skillet to the stove and set it over medium heat; carefully stir in the beef broth and cognac, and scrape up all the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes to reduce the liquid by half.
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Make it creamy. Whisk in the heavy cream and continue to whisk until completely incorporated. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened and creamy. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly.
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Put it all together. Return the steaks to the skillet. Spoon the sauce over the steaks and serve.
- Where to buy: You can buy round steaks already sliced in the steaks/beef section at the supermarket.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 112mg | Potassium: 464mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 825IU | Vitamin C: 0.8mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 2.8mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make This Round Steak Recipe
One-pan recipes like this round steak and smothered steak are some of my favorite ways to prepare dinner. Straightforward, no-fuss, with juicy steaks that are perfectly seared outside and infused with flavor. Pan-searing is the way to go.
Pan Fry the Steak
- Season the steaks. Heat up oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, season the round steaks with the salt, pepper, and spices.
- Prepare the garlic butter. Next, melt butter in the hot skillet and sprinkle in the Italian seasoning. Add the smashed garlic cloves.
- Cook the steaks. Add the seasoned steaks to the pan with the garlic butter. You’ll likely need to cook in batches. Sear the steaks quickly, about 1-2 minutes per side. Add more butter to the pan only as needed. Transfer the cooked steaks to a plate and keep them covered.
Make the Cognac Sauce
- Deglaze the pan. Discard the garlic cloves from the skillet, but save the pan juices. We’re turning them into the pan sauce! Return your skillet to the heat and pour in the beef broth and Cognac to delgaze the pan. Using a (non-metal) spatula, scrape up any stuck-on bits from the bottom of the pan. That’s where the flavor is.
- Simmer. Let the Cognac and broth cook and reduce for 3-4 minutes.
- Make it creamy. Last but not least, pour in the heavy cream. Simmer the sauce for another 3 minutes, or until it thickens. Adjust for seasonings if needed.
- Put it all together. Transfer the seared steaks back to the skillet with the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the beef, and serve.
How to Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store any leftover steak and sauce, together or separately, in airtight containers. Refrigerate the steak for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. Warm up the round steaks with the sauce in a skillet on the stove, or in the microwave.
