Smothered Steak and Onion Cornbread Skillet
This is the cast iron dinner that makes everyone lean over the skillet before you’ve even had a chance to serve it. Sirloin steak seared and smothered in a rich Dijon cream gravy with caramelized sweet onions, a can of peas stirred through, and then Jiffy cornbread batter dolloped over the top and baked until golden and buttery while the gravy bubbles up through the gaps. It’s a complete meal in one skillet and it’s the kind of thing people remember eating.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Smothered Steak and Onion Cornbread Skillet (Easy Cast Iron Recipe)
- Main Ingredients: The Smothered Steak and Onions, 1/2 lbs sirloin steak or steak tips, olive oil, Salt and cracked black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Creole Trinity and Herb seasoning, butter
- Why You'll Love It: This smothered steak and onion cornbread skillet sears sirloin in a rich Dijon cream gravy with caramelized onions and peas then tops it with Jiffy cornbread and bakes in a cast iron skillet until golden.
The cornbread topping is what takes this from a great smothered steak situation to something completely unique. It soaks up the edges of the gravy as it bakes and the underside gets this slightly soft, gravy-soaked texture while the top stays golden and slightly crispy. Brushed with melted butter the second it comes out of the oven. Every single bite has steak, gravy, and cornbread together and it is really, really good.
Ingredients Needed To Make A Cornbread Skillet
The Smothered Steak
Sirloin steak or steak tips cut into bite-size pieces and seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and CTH seasoning. Seared in olive oil and set aside before the onions go in. A large sweet onion caramelized in butter until soft and golden is the foundation of the gravy. Worcestershire, flour, beef broth, heavy cream, Dijon mustard, dried thyme, and a can of small young peas round out the filling.
The Cornbread Topping
One box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, an egg, milk, and melted butter stirred just until combined. Dolloped over the filling before baking and brushed with extra melted butter straight out of the oven. Jalapeños on top for garnish and a little heat.
How to Make Smothered Steak and Onion Cornbread Skillet
1
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pat the steak pieces dry and season well. Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and sear the steak for 2 to 3 minutes until browned on the outside. Remove to a plate.
2
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter and sliced onion to the same skillet. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until the onions are soft, golden, and starting to caramelize. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
3
Stir in the Worcestershire and flour and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the beef broth slowly while stirring, scraping up every browned bit from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the heavy cream, Dijon, and thyme. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the gravy begins to thicken. Stir in the drained peas. Taste and adjust seasoning.
4
Add the steak and any accumulated plate juices back to the skillet. Stir everything together. The gravy should look slightly thinner than you want the finished dish… it thickens more in the oven. Remove from heat.
5
Stir together the Jiffy mix, egg, milk, and melted butter just until combined. Dollop spoonfuls of the batter over the steak and gravy leaving some gaps throughout. Bake uncovered for 18 to 22 minutes until the cornbread is golden brown and cooked through. Brush immediately with melted butter. Rest 5 minutes before scooping.
Smothered Steak and Onion Cornbread Skillet (Easy Cast Iron Recipe)
Ingredients
The Smothered Steak and Onions
- 1 1/2 lbs sirloin steak or steak tips cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp Creole Trinity and Herb seasoning
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 large sweet onion thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 can small young peas drained
The Cornbread Topping
- 1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 tbsp butter melted, plus more for brushing
- Jalapeños for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Pat the steak pieces completely dry. Season with salt, pepper, CTH, garlic powder, and onion powder. Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the steak for 2 to 3 minutes until browned — it doesn’t need to cook through at this stage. Remove to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter and sliced onion to the same skillet. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and golden. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the beef broth while stirring and scrape up every browned bit from the bottom of the skillet.
- Stir in the heavy cream, Dijon, and thyme. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the gravy begins to thicken. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Stir in the drained peas.
- Return the steak and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Stir to combine. The gravy should be a little looser than you’d normally want — it’ll thicken in the oven. Remove from heat.
- In a bowl, stir together the Jiffy mix, egg, milk, and melted butter just until combined. Don’t overmix.
- Dollop the cornbread batter over the steak mixture. Leave some gaps — the gravy bubbling up through those spaces while it bakes is half the appeal.
- Bake uncovered for 18 to 22 minutes until the cornbread is golden brown and cooked through.
- Brush the hot cornbread immediately with melted butter. Let the skillet rest for 5 minutes before scooping and serving.
