These thinly pounded steaks smothered in a rich, flavorful gravy are quick to come together. Minute-steak recipes originally used high-quality cuts of beef (most commonly sirloin) that were hand-pounded and flash-seared in a hot skillet. In some cases, the dish has evolved to include more affordable cuts of beef; here, we prefer top round, bottom round, or eye round.
We found that soaking the pounded steaks in a simple baking soda solution allowed these cuts of beef to remain succulent and tender after searing. We patted the soaked steaks dry and coated them in flour, which helped absorb excess liquid and promote additional browning while searing.