Chicken Fried Steak

A Southern classic, this Chicken Fried Steak recipe only needs a few ingredients to make. Cube steak coated with flour and egg before fried to golden perfection and topped with creamy gravy, you’ll love how comforting and hearty this recipe is. This restaurant-quality dish comes together quickly and easily at home in a few simple steps!

Equipment

• Baking Sheet
• Wire rack
• Cast iron skillet

Ingredients

• 4 beef cube steaks or tenderized round steaks (about 1 pound/450g)
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt divided
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2¼ cups whole milk divided (540mL)
• 2 large eggs beaten
• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour divided (150g)
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 cup canola oil (240mL)
• ¼ cup pan drippings
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream (120mL)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 200°F. Place a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and place it in the oven.
• Season the steaks with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Let stand for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a shallow dish, whisk together ¼ cup milk and the eggs. In another shallow dish, whisk together 1 cup flour, 2 teaspoons salt, garlic powder, and red pepper.
• Dredge the steaks in the flour mixture pressing firmly on each side to coat. Dip the steaks in the egg mixture, then dredge again in the flour mixture, pressing firmly to coat. Set aside on a plate.
• In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until the temperature registers 350°F on a deep-fry or candy thermometer.
• Place 2 steaks into the skillet. Cook until golden brown on the edges, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove the steaks from the skillet and place in the oven on the wire rack to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 2 steaks.
• Very carefully pour out the pan drippings, reserving and returning 1/4 cup to the skillet. Whisk in ¼ cup of flour and place over medium heat. Cook until the mixture turns light brown in color, about 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the remaining 2 cups of milk and the cream. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and remaining black pepper.
• Remove the steaks from the oven and serve immediately with the gravy.

Notes

• Use the palm of your hand to press the flour into the meat to help the coating adhere better.
• Don’t skip seasoning both the steaks and flour mixture. Seasoning both the steak and coating ensures each bite is full of flavor.
• If you can’t get cube steak, use what you have but use a meat tenderizer to flatten your steaks beforehand.
• If you thawed frozen steaks for this recipe, pat it dry with a paper towel before dredging it to remove any excess moisture, this will help the coating stick to the steak.
• A thermometer is a great tool to help get the temperature of the oil right. The exterior coating will burn before the interior cooks if the oil is too hot. The chicken fried steaks will become greasy if the oil isn’t hot enough.
• Letting the salted steaks stand for 10 minutes helps tenderize the meat even more.

From: The Preppy Kitchen