Description
Hearty Southern comfort flows through this chicken fried steak, blending crispy golden breading with tender beef that melts in your mouth. Rich gravy and classic sides complete this soulful dish that connects you to down-home cooking traditions.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 beef cube steaks (about 5.3 ounces or 150 grams each)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups milk
Coating Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup flour (for gravy)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Cooking Ingredients:
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
Instructions
- Carefully season cube steaks with salt and pepper, ensuring even coverage on both surfaces.
- Create a seasoned flour mixture by combining flour with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish.
- Whisk eggs and buttermilk together in a separate bowl to create a smooth, uniform coating liquid.
- Dredge each steak first in the seasoned flour, then completely submerge in the egg mixture, and return to the flour for a complete, crispy double coating.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet to medium-high temperature (around 350°F), providing enough depth to partially submerge the steaks.
- Gently place breaded steaks into hot oil, maintaining a consistent temperature to achieve a golden-brown exterior.
- Fry steaks for 3-4 minutes per side, ensuring they develop a crisp, rich crust and reach proper internal temperature.
- Transfer fried steaks to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil and maintain crispiness.
- Reduce skillet heat to medium and sprinkle flour into remaining oil, creating a roux by stirring continuously for 1-2 minutes.
- Slowly incorporate milk into the roux, whisking constantly to prevent lumps and create a smooth, creamy gravy.
- Season gravy with salt and pepper, adjusting to taste and achieving a rich, velvety consistency.
- Plate steaks immediately and generously ladle warm gravy over the top, serving hot for maximum flavor and texture.
Notes
- Always use a meat mallet to tenderize cube steaks before breading, ensuring even thickness and maximum tenderness.
- Double-coat the steaks by dipping in flour, egg mixture, and flour again creates an extra crispy, golden-brown crust that seals in moisture.
- Maintain oil temperature around 350°F for perfect frying, preventing greasy texture and ensuring a crunchy exterior while keeping meat juicy inside.
- For gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with almond flour or gluten-free breadcrumbs, and use cornstarch as a thickener for gravy.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Southern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 150mg