West Virginia Baked Steak {Almost Heaven}

Here's a super simple recipe that I grew up eating and now make for my family several times a year.  I'm calling it WV Baked Steak because West Virginia is where I grew up eating it. This inexpensive cut of meat is baked until super tender in a delicious mushroom gravy.
 

The key to making this steak dish as delectable as possible is to be sure you get cubed or tenderized steak.  (It should look like it's been given a few good whacks with a meat mallet.) Then you cook the steak low and slow in the oven.  It makes the meat so tender you won't need a knife.

The gravy is the perfect amount for 4- 1/4 pound steaks.  If you like tons of gravy, you might want to double that part of the recipe.  Personally, I love to serve the extra gravy over creamed potatoes or if I'm in a hurry, over baked potatoes.

I've lightened it up from the original version that is fried in shortening and covered with a full fat gravy.  You don't miss the extra fat.

Recipe
Ingredients
1 lb cubed or tenderized steaks (4)
1/3 c flour
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp kosher salt
olive oil
1 can 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup
1/2 soup can  low fat milk
1/2 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  With cooking spray, lightly mist a 9x9 or 11x7 dish (or whatever size your steaks will fit into without overlapping much).
2.  In a bowl combine soup, milk and Lipton's Onion Soup Mix.  Spread about 1/2 cup of mixture over the bottom of your baking dish.  Set the rest aside.
3.  Mix flour, pepper and salt on a plate or in a shallow dish.  Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat, and lightly spray it with olive oil or swirl about 2 teaspoons of olive oil around the skillet.  Dredge each steak in flower mixture and place in skillet.  I like to lightly spray the top of the steaks with olive oil at this point.  (Some fat is necessary to brown the meat.)  Brown steaks on each side and place in baking dish.  The steaks don't have to be cooked through, just browned.
4.  Pour remaining soup mixture over steaks, spreading gravy to cover all of your meat.  Cover the pan with aluminum foil.
5.  Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees.  Turn oven down to 300 degrees and continue baking 1 hour. 

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