Pour canned diced tomatoes over frozen beef cube steaks, along with 3 ingredients, into slow cooker for a weekend meal that's always a yes in my house

This slow cooker 5-ingredient poor man Swiss steak is the kind of no-fuss, stick-to-your-ribs meal that has fed farm families for generations. Instead of fancy steak cuts, we use humble beef cube steaks right from the freezer and let canned diced tomatoes and a few pantry staples do the rest. It reminds me of the old church potlucks where every crockpot on the table smelled like home—simple ingredients, slow-cooked until the meat is fork-tender and the tomato gravy begs for a pile of mashed potatoes. You literally pour canned diced tomatoes over frozen beef cube steaks, add three more ingredients, put the lid on, and let the slow cooker work while you enjoy your weekend.

Serve this poor man Swiss steak spooned over creamy mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or plain white rice so they can soak up all that tomato gravy. A side of green beans, corn, or a simple lettuce salad balances the richness nicely. Warm dinner rolls or a slice of crusty bread are perfect for mopping up the last bit of sauce in the bottom of the bowl.

Servings: 4

2 pounds frozen beef cube steaks (do not thaw)

Lay the frozen beef cube steaks in an even layer in the bottom of a large slow cooker, overlapping just as needed to make them fit.

In a medium bowl, stir together the dry onion soup mix, condensed cream of mushroom soup, and Worcestershire sauce until mostly blended. It will be thick.

Spread the soup mixture evenly over the frozen cube steaks, using the back of a spoon to cover as much of the meat as you can.

Open the can of diced tomatoes and pour the entire can, juices and all, over the cube steaks and soup mixture in the slow cooker. The tomatoes should mostly cover the meat and form a loose sauce.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the cube steaks are very tender and easily cut with a fork.

Once cooked, gently stir the sauce in the slow cooker to combine the tomatoes and creamy mixture into a chunky tomato gravy. Taste and add a pinch of salt and black pepper if desired.

Serve the cube steaks hot, spooning plenty of the tomato gravy over each serving.

You can swap the cream of mushroom soup for cream of celery or cream of chicken if that’s what you have on hand; the texture will stay similar, but the flavor will change slightly. For a little extra vegetable goodness, scatter a sliced onion or a handful of sliced bell peppers over the frozen cube steaks before adding the soup mixture and tomatoes. If you like a bit of zip, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or an extra splash of Worcestershire sauce. To make the sauce thicker, remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of cooking on HIGH, or stir in a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water and cook until thickened. For a lower-sodium version, choose low-sodium canned tomatoes and a reduced-sodium soup, and use only part of the onion soup mix packet. Because this recipe starts with frozen meat, be sure to use a slow cooker that heats reliably and cook on HIGH for the first hour if your model tends to run on the cooler side; the dish should move through the temperature danger zone (40°F–140°F) in a reasonable time. Always check that the beef is fully cooked and tender before serving, and promptly refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours to keep them safe.