The Budget Version With Its Own Following

Cube steak is mechanically tenderized round steak. A machine with small blades or needles passes through the beef, breaking down the muscle fibers that make round steak tough. The result is a cut that fries quickly, holds breading well, and costs significantly less than tenderloin. It's been on finger steak menus across Idaho since at least the 1970s.

The texture is different from tenderloin. Not worse — different. The mechanical tenderizing produces a finer-grained interior that some people prefer over the more open texture of a tenderloin strip. The coating tends to stick more evenly to cube steak because of the dimpled surface from the tenderizing process. It picks up seasoning and crust in a way that is hard to replicate with other cuts.

This is a recipe worth knowing even if tenderloin is your usual preference. For large groups, the cost difference adds up fast. And on its own terms, a well-made cube steak finger steak is a genuinely good plate of food.

Cube Steak Finger Steaks

Prep15 min
Cook20 min
Total35 min
Serves4
Calories~460
Recipe Photo
Ingredients
For the Beef
  • 1.5 lbs cube steak, cut into strips 3/4 inch wide and 3 to 4 inches long
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the Coating
  • 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch (adds extra crunch to the crust)
  • 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
For the Egg Wash
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
For Frying
  • Neutral oil, enough to fill your pot 3 to 4 inches deep
For Serving
  • Idaho Fry Sauce (recipe here) or cocktail sauce
  • Lemon wedge
Equipment
  • Heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven  
  • Instant-read thermometer  
  • Wire rack set inside a sheet pan
  • Two shallow bowls (one for egg wash, one for flour)
  • Tongs
Instructions
  1. Cut the cube steak into strips about 3/4 inch wide and 3 to 4 inches long. Pat completely dry. Season on all sides with salt and pepper.
  2. Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, paprika, pepper, onion powder, thyme, and cayenne in a shallow bowl. In a second bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together until combined.
  3. Heat oil in your pot to 355°F. Cube steak benefits from a slightly lower temperature than tenderloin — the extra cook time lets the interior heat through without burning the crust.
  4. Working one strip at a time: dredge in the flour mixture, dip in the egg wash, then dredge in the flour again. Press firmly on all sides. The double dredge produces a thicker crust that holds up to the denser texture of cube steak.
  5. Let coated strips rest on a wire rack for 5 minutes before frying.
  6. Fry in batches of 5 to 6 strips for 3 to 3.5 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown. Internal temperature should reach 160°F — cube steak is from the round and benefits from being cooked slightly beyond the 145°F minimum.
  7. Rest on a wire rack 2 minutes. Serve immediately with fry sauce or cocktail sauce.

Why a double dredge: The dimpled surface of cube steak can cause a single flour coating to have thin spots. The egg wash between coats fills those gaps and the second flour layer bonds to it, producing a more even crust.

On cornstarch: Adding cornstarch to the flour produces a lighter, crispier crust. If you don't have it, all flour works fine — the result is a slightly denser coating with a more bread-like texture.

Cutting Cube Steak the Right Way

Cube steak comes in flat pieces, usually 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. Cut them into strips across the width of the piece, not lengthwise. You want strips that are roughly uniform in width so they cook at the same rate. Uneven strips mean some are overcooked before others are done.

The mechanical tenderizing marks on cube steak run in one direction. Cut perpendicular to those marks when possible. This shortens the already-broken muscle fibers even further and produces the softest result.

Serving With Cocktail Sauce

The denser texture of cube steak pairs particularly well with cocktail sauce, which has more acidity and a sharper horseradish kick than fry sauce. The contrast cuts through the crust better than the richer mayo-based sauce. Both work — see the cocktail sauce recipe if you want to make it from scratch.

Have Questions?

Common questions about technique, cuts, oil temperature, storage, and dietary adaptations are all covered on the Finger Steak FAQ page.