Place the round steak on a cutting board and use a meat mallet to pound it until it’s about ½ inch thick. This step is key to making the meat tender. Don’t skip it — it truly makes all the difference.

In a bowl, mix flour, salt, and pepper. Coat each piece of steak in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. This light coating helps create that beautiful crust when searing.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steak and brown both sides until golden. You’re not cooking it through here — just building flavor.

In the same pan, sauté onions and bell peppers until softened. Add garlic and cook for another minute. The smell at this stage is absolutely irresistible.

Pour in diced tomatoes, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, and thyme. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. That’s where all the flavor lives.

Return the steak to the pan. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the meat is fork-tender. This is where the magic happens — the meat relaxes and absorbs everything.

Serve hot with mashed potatoes, rice, or crusty bread. Spoon that rich sauce generously over everything.