Fried Chicken Steak Served with Homemade Country Gravy
Let's Dish Up Some Classic Comfort Food: Chicken-Fried Steak with a Southern Twist
Craving something hearty and scrumptious? Look no further! This Chicken-Fried Steak recipe, with its zesty country gravy, will hit the spot every time. Sink your teeth into a tender, flavorful batch of crispy breaded beef, drenched in a rich, velvety, spice-kissed sauce. Serve it up with some creamy mashed potatoes or fluffy buttermilk biscuits to soak up all that luscious gravy.
Ingredients:
- Gravy:
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 3 cups whole milk
- Steak:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 lb beef round, trimmed of excess fat and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil, for frying
Yield: 4 servingsDifficulty: EasyCooking Time: 40 minutes
Let's Get Cooking:
For the Gravy:
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat until it foams. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Cook, whisking frequently, until the mixture is a deep golden brown and tastes toasted, about 6 minutes.
- Gradually add the milk while continually whisking, taking care not to form lumps. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and let it cook until it thickens slightly, about 1 minute. It will thicken further as it stands. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed, then keep warm over low heat while making the steak.
For the Steak:
- Combine the milk in a shallow dish and set aside. In another shallow dish, whisk together the flour, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and cayenne pepper.
- Place a piece of beef between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound it with a meat mallet until it's about 1/8 inch thick. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper, then repeat the pounding process. Transfer the pounded steak to a plate or baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pieces.
- Coat each piece of beef first in the flour mixture, followed by the milk, and then re-coat it in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess flour.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers but doesn't smoke. Arrange the breaded steaks in the skillet, being careful not to overcrowd it. Fry the steaks for 2-3 minutes per side, or until they're golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the cooked steaks to a wire rack and season them with more salt. Repeat with the remaining steaks.
- Serve the chicken-fried steaks smothered with the gravy.
Enrichment Data:
This dish, originally known as "Salisbury steak," was adopted by the Southern states during the Great Depression. It was a budget-friendly way to make tougher cuts of meat more palatable by tenderizing them with a pounding process and creating a crunchy breading. The dish then evolved into the well-known "chicken-fried steak" we know today. It gained popularity at diners and restaurants across the region, making it a staple of Southern cuisine.
To save time, you can use pre-tenderized cube steaks, also known as "cdn steaks," for this recipe. These steaks have already been partially tenderized, making the pounding process easier and requiring less time. You can find pre-tenderized cube steaks in the meat section of your grocery store.
For a quick and tasty finishing touch, consider Southern-style garnishes like crispy fried onions, pickled jalapeños, or cream gravy drizzles.
Ready to transform your dinner with a hearty steak recipe? Look no further than the Chicken-Fried Steak, serving as a perfect complement to your nutritional needs and cravings for comfort food. Aside from the classic ingredients like flour and milk, this recipe includes a Southern twist with spices like cayenne pepper. With the gravy prepared using teaspoons of salt and butter, your steak will be ready to enjoy in just 40 minutes, making it a simple yet elevated option for any meal.
