Deviled Swiss Chuck Steak Recipe in a Crockpot: A Family Fave

Pinterest Hidden Image

Sneak Peek: Make this colorful chuck steak in a Crockpot recipe with carrots, onions, and tomatoes added to the mix. The result will be fork-tender meat bathed in a savory and colorful gravy.

Slow Cooker Deviled Swiss Steak--in white serving dish; ready-to-servePin

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Swiss steak sounds like something retro that Beaver’s mom (from the old TV show “Leave it to Beaver”) would cook up in her fit-and-flare dress, apron, and heels, doesn’t it? But something that never gets old is the smell of this dish cooking in your kitchen when it welcomes you home after church or a long day at work.

My mom made a Deviled Swiss Steak recipe for Sunday dinner all of my growing-up years without wearing heels. It’s too bad she didn’t have a slow cooker back then.

We make this recipe with a chuck steak or sometimes, a small roast, whatever is on sale.  No matter what you call it, this is comfort food for me. My family sees it the same way.

Happy Cooks Speak Up

“I just finished making this in the crockpot and wow! it is good! And if you, like me, find out your onion has gone bad, onion powder worked just fine. if it’s this good right now, I can’t wait to taste it tomorrow! (Dry mustard is a miracle ingredient, just saying. Deviled eggs, this recipe. and it goes on. Yum!)”CEE O.

What Is “Swiss Steak?”

According to Wikipedia, “Swiss” refers to a process whereby the cook pounds meat to make it tender-–which does apply to this recipe, especially when using round steak.  

Does anybody pound their meat anymore?  Maybe to make it thinner.

Do you even own a meat mallet? Just curious.

My mother frequently used her mallet. When the meat is cooked long enough, it falls apart regardless.

What does “deviled” mean in this recipe?

The Oxford Companion to Food says that “devil” as a culinary term first appeared in the 18th century as a noun and in the early 19th century as a verb,  “meaning to cook something with fiery hot spices or condiments.” The Oxford Companion presumes the connection is related to “the devil and the excessive heat in hell.”

Where in the Devil Did This Culinary Term Go?

This recipe contains dry mustard, the spice many people use in deviled eggs. You may taste a mild spiciness, but you won’t detect a mustardy flavor.


Ingredients and Substitutions

  • BEEF STEAK: Use round steak or chuck steak. We also use chuck roast occasionally because it serves more people. Chuck eye steaks or beef stew meat are other options. Any cut of beef that requires long and slow cooking is a possible candidate.
  • DRY MUSTARD: Powdered mustard adds spice. We make this recipe often enough that it’s worth buying a jar. We also use it in our deviled eggs
    • If you don’t want to invest in a whole bottle, buy a little from the bulk bins at the grocery store. Prepared mustard or Dijon mustard can also substitute for dry mustard.
    • Erin Huffstetler lists three other ideas for substitutes for powdered mustard: turmeric, wasabi powder, or horseradish powder. Sorry, I can’t vouch for any of them. Yet.
  • ONIONS: I use yellow onions for almost every recipe that calls for cooked onions. White onions would be good, too.
  • CARROTS: Baby carrots or regular carrots are chopped to add color and flavor. The amount is not extremely important. It’s a good time to clean out the fridge.
  • TOMATOES: Canned diced tomatoes give the gravy some textural interest and color. If tomato-haters sit at your dinner table, use crushed tomatoes.
  • WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE: This popular sauce found in most American kitchens adds umami. Substitute a favorite chuck steak marinade or steak sauce.

Deviled Swiss Roast older photo often seen on PinterestPin
Old picture from 2009.

How To Make Deviled Swiss Chuck Steak in a Crockpot or Slow Cooker

covering steak with flour + mustardPin
Rub the flour, mustard, salt, and black pepper into the chuck steak, or use a meat mallet to pound it in.
browning steakPin
Pour the oil (I use olive oil or avocado oil) into a large skillet set on medium-high heat. Brown both sides of the meat.
moving steak into a slow cookerPin
Move the meat to a slow cooker pot.
browning diced onions and carrotsPin
Fry the onions and carrots in the empty skillet for 2-3 minutes to soften and put some color on them.
adding brown sugar, tomatoes, and worcestershire sauce to veggies in skilletPin
Add brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and tomatoes to the vegetables and stir.
chuck steak in the crockpot with chopped veggiesPin
Pour the tomato mixture over the steak in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on SLOW for 8-10 hours until the meat is fork-tender. You don’t need a meat thermometer. Cook the meat until it’s nearly falling apart.
pan drippings from Deviled Swiss SteakPin
Remove meat from the Crockpot and make gravy with the pan juices.
Slow Cooker Swiss Steak Ready to ServePin
I know you’re going to enjoy our favorite chuck steak recipe!

FAQ About This Chuck Steak Recipe

1. Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes. It will be good for 2-3 days. After that, reheat in the microwave for the best flavor.

2. Can I make this beef chuck steak recipe in the oven?

Depending on the thickness of your steak, it will take about 2-3 hours to roast in the oven. This is a tender beef recipe. Don’t stop baking until the meat is falling apart and fork-tender.

One cautionary note when using the oven: Watch the water level. Don’t let the meat cook dry. Be especially observant if your pan is not very heavy and the lid doesn’t seal tightly.

3. What should I serve with this?

Mashed potatoes or rice are traditional. However, Mashed cauliflower or cauli-rice is a low-carb option. Our current favorite is plain fresh corn polenta without tomatoes on top.


Happy Cooks Speak Up

Comfort food Sunday Supper for sure!!! I remember this dish fondly from my (very poor) childhood. Had an itching to make it, and regretted not getting my mother’s recipe. — It came off as a hit! It’s as good as I remembered it being!“–OPIE

What Can I Do With Leftover Chuck Steak?


Recipe Help at Your Fingertips: For questions or suggestions, email Paula at saladinajar.com. If you need help, I’m happy to troubleshoot via email (faster than leaving a comment). Attach pictures and as many details as possible for the best advice.


deviled swiss steak in a serving dishPin
Yield: 10 servings

Deviled Swiss Chuck Steak Recipe in a Crockpot

This recipe is a traditional Sunday or celebration dinner at our house–beef chuck steaks cooked with carrots, onions and tomatoes result in a fork-tender beef with savory, colorful, and rich gravy.

Rate this recipe

(5 stars if you loved it)

5 from 31 votes
PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE SEND EMAIL

Video

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 8 hours
Total time: 8 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • cup (40 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon dry mustard
  • ½ teaspoon salt I use Kosher
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 2 pounds (908 g) chuck steak, trimmed of excess fat (or roast, if you prefer)
  • 2 tablespoons (27 g) vegetable oil + more if needed
  • ½ medium (26 g) onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium (61 g) carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 14 oz. can (400 g) diced or crushed tomatoes

Gravy

  • 2 ¼ cups (511 g) pan drippings + water
  • ¼ cup (57 g) cold water
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  • Combine 1/3 cup (40 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon dry mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper. Coat 2 pounds (908 g) chuck steak, trimmed of excess fat on both sides with the flour mixture.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons (27 g) vegetable oil in a heavy skillet. When the oil is hot, brown meat on both sides.
  • Place browned steak in a slow cooker or large roaster.
  • Add another tablespoon of oil into the now-empty skillet. Add 1/2 medium (26 g) onion, finely chopped to the skillet and cook until softened–about 3 minutes
  • Add 1 medium (61 g) carrot, finely chopped to the onions, and brown for a couple more minutes. Combine 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and 14 oz. can (400 g) diced or crushed tomatoes with the carrots and onions. Stir together and pour over meat.
  • If using a slow cooker, set to low for 6-9 hours. Or bake in an oven at 325˚F (190˚C) for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
  • When the meat is fork-tender, remove it from the pot and set aside on a serving platter to rest. Cover with foil.

Gravy in the microwave:

  • Skim as much fat as possible off the top of remaining pot juices.
  • In a large glass bowl or Pyrex 2-qt pitcher, combine 2 1/4 cups (511 g) pan drippings + water and 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Add pan juices to the cornstarch mixture. Add more water if necessary for a total of 2 1/4 c. liquid.
  • Mix well with a whisk. Microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes and stir well. Microwave for 3 more minutes or until mixture thickens and boils for 1 minute. Whisk again. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Alternate instructions for gravy on the stove

  • Skim as much fat as possible off the top of remaining pot juices.
  • Combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1/4 cup (57 g) cold water Add to the pot juices and whisk until smooth.
  • Cook the gravy over medium-low heat until it thickens. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper as desired.

Notes

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 580mg | Potassium: 452mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1075IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 3mg

All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com

5-Star Ratings Are My Favorite!Help others find this recipe in search results on the web.
logo for saladinajar
Join our community of adventurous cooks, and start creating homemade food worth sharing.

If you want inspiration and exclusive tips, add your email and press the button. (Don't worry. I won't sell your email.)

My Amazon Store

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




19 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I just finished making this in the crockpot and wow! it is good! And if you, like me, find out your onion has gone bad, onion powder worked just fine. if it’s this good right now, I can’t wait to taste it tomorrow! (Dry mustard is a miracle ingredient, just saying. Deviled eggs, this recipe. and it goes on. Yum!)

  2. I am making tonight with a couple variations, but I think it will be good! Added 3 cloves of garlic smashed and a large can of crushed tomatoes, and 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, also ground thyme, oregano and crushed bay leaf! I will send pics ! Smells amazing when done!

    1. Melinda,
      Your variations sound delicious. I hope you remembered to take a picture. You can send it to my email: Paula at saladinajar.com.

  3. Karen Chuplis says:

    5 stars
    I did a .75lb chuck steak in the instant pot. 16 min manual and 10 min npr. I could have gone 20. No dried mustard so instead I put prepared in with the tomatoes. Very good. Nice and fast. Cozy. Good flavor.

    1. Hi Karen,

      I hope this recipe gives you as many good memories as it has our family. So happy you liked it. I like your substitution as many people don’t have dried mustard on hand. Thanks for writing.

  4. 5 stars
    Comfort food Sunday Supper for sure!!! I remember this dish fondly from my (very poor) childhood. Had an itching to make it, and regretted not getting my mother’s recipe. Young’ns had a little apprehension at first, but it came off as a hit! It’s as good as I remembered it being!

    1. Just reading about your childhood memory makes me want to go make this for dinner myself. Your letter but a smile on my face. Thank you.

  5. mary p jones says:

    5 stars
    This was great! Needed an idea for small chuck steaks that I ordered because they were on sale and beef has gotten so expensive. Didn’t realize that they can be a tough cut. I added quartered Yukon Gold potatoes. Also subbed a tablespoon of brown mustard from the fridge as I had no powdered mustard…delicious! My crockpot has an automatic setting that starts it on high for an hour, then reduces to low. I cooked mine for 7 hours and it was fork tender. Saving this one…

    1. I’m so happy to hear you liked it. This really is a family favorite. It’s so cozy and comforting–kinda like a favorite blanket on a cold and snowy day.

  6. Pingback: 13 Beef Chuck Steak Recipes - Insanely Good
  7. madhuri Shirke says:

    hii i like ur posts

  8. Judith Humphrys says:

    How would I adapt this to an electric pressure cooker?

    1. Hi Judith,

      I haven’t specifically made this in my Instant Pot, but thinking it would work really well. Brown everything on the Sautè setting instead of on the stove. When you have loaded everything back into the pot, I would cook on high pressure for 30 minutes, then natural release for 15 min. Follow directions in the recipe for making gravy. If you are cooking a roast (which I often do with this recipe), it will most likely require more time under pressure–up to 1 hour. As soon as I try it myself, I’ll add the instructions to the notes in the recipe.

  9. 5 stars
    Yes, a comfort food indeed! I like the carrots on top.

  10. 5 stars
    Yes, a comfort food indeed! I like the carrots on top.

  11. Rachael Warrington says:

    Love your site. Found it through a pinterest….can’t wait to do the lettuce thing!

    This roast sounds homey and wonderful. As soon as I buy my next set of chuck roast this is the way I will prepare it for a Sunday Dinner.

    1. Hi Racheael,
      This roast is “homey and wonderful.” Just writing about it makes me want to go take a roast out of the freezer for dinner tomorrow. 🙂

      1. Desly Dan says:

        5 stars
        Hi Paula,
        I think this roast is especially great, I thought I might add them to my Christmas Eve dinner recommendation?