Weekend Recipe: Baked Steak with Onions and Mushrooms

These braised steaks are also known as smothered steaks. Layer the meat with onion and mushrooms, pop them in the oven to cook for two hours, and voila! Dinner. Thanks, America's Test Kitchen!

Baked Steak with Onions and Mushrooms
Serves 6

6 (6- to 8-ounce) beef blade steaks, 1 inch thick, trimmed
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 onions, halved and sliced thin
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Pat steaks dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Spread cornstarch in shallow dish. Working with 1 steak at a time, dredge steaks in cornstarch, shaking off excess, and transfer to plate.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add 3 steaks at a time and cook until browned, about 3 minutes per side, then return to plate. Repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and remaining 3 steaks.

Remove skillet from heat and discard oil. Combine water, soy sauce, and tomato paste in now-empty skillet, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in onions, mushrooms, garlic, rosemary, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place steaks in single layer on top of onion mixture and add any accumulated steak juices.

Cover skillet, transfer to oven, and bake for 2 hours. Uncover and continue to bake until steaks are browned and fork tender, about 30 minutes longer. Transfer steaks to platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Season onion mixture with salt and pepper to taste and spoon over steaks. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve.