Chicken Fried Steak and Country Gravy

Today I want to share with you how I make chicken fried steak. There are many recipes for this delicious breakfast (typically) and I won’t even profess mine is the best – but I will say it is satisfying and has never received a complaint! This dish is easy to prepare – it is very much like a beef version of schnitzel – except this dish has a different breading. This is my go-to breakfast when out and I don’t know why since I am typically disappointed by the results. I think it must be the deep fat frying most restaurants use for this dish. I won’t be deep frying anything, but I will shallow fry it. Are you ready for some crunchy breaded beef goodness smothered in a country gravy? I thought so… let’s get cooking!

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Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients

For the steaks:

2 beef cube steaks
½ cup flour, divided
1 egg
¼ cup of milk
1 tbsp cornmeal
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp paprika
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried parsley

For the gravy:

1 cup milk
1 tbsp flour
1½ tbsp oil used for cooking steaks with the 'brown bits'

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees.
Place a cooling rack over paper towels in a baking sheet.
Place baking sheet in oven.
Prepare the 3 stage breading station per the steps below:
The first station is just flour.
The second station is the egg and milk mixture.
The third station is the flour, cornmeal, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne.
In a large heavy bottom skillet, heat ¼ inch of oil over medium.
As the oil heats, begin breading the first steak using these steps:
Pat the steak dry with fresh paper towels.
Dredge in the flour only station, coating the steak thoroughly, shaking off any excess.
Lay the steak in the egg and milk mixture and coat it on both sides.
And last dredge the egg coated steak through the seasoned flour and cornmeal mixture, coating thoroughly.
At this point the oil should be shimmering and will sputter with a flick of water. Ease the steak into the hot oil and fry 3 to 4 minutes on each side until the desired doneness is reached and the breading is a light golden brown.
Remember, the steak will continue to deepen in color after it is removed from the pan.
When fried, remove steak to warming rack in oven and repeat the same breading and frying process on any additional steaks.
When ready to make the gravy, reduce the heat to Low/Medium Low and drain all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the pan. Reserve any brown bits as that is flavor!
Sprinkle the flour over the oil and cook stirring constantly until the raw smell and taste is gone, approximately 2 to 4 minutes.
Add the milk and cook until thickened, approximately 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and spoon gravy over plated steak removed from the oven.
Serve with mashed potatoes, hash browns, or by itself!

Notes

I like using the leftover seasoned flour for the gravy when possible. Waste not, want not and think of all that flavor!

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees. Place a cooling rack over paper towels in a baking sheet and place baking sheet in oven. Prepare the 3 stage breading station per the steps below:

The first station is just flour.
The second station is the egg and milk mixture.
The third station is the flour, cornmeal, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne.

In a large heavy bottom skillet, heat 1/4 inch of oil over medium. As the oil heats, begin breading the first steak using these steps:

Pat the steak dry with fresh paper towels.
Dredge in the flour only station, coating the steak thoroughly, shaking off any excess.
Lay the steak in the egg and milk mixture and coat it on both sides.
And last dredge the egg coated steak through the seasoned flour and cornmeal mixture, coating thoroughly.

At this point the oil should be shimmering and will sputter with a flick of water. Ease the steak into the hot oil and fry 3 to 4 minutes on each side until the desired doneness is reached and the breading is a light golden brown.

Remember, the steak will continue to deepen in color after it is removed from the pan.

When fried, remove steak to warming rack in oven and repeat the same breading and frying process on any additional steaks. When ready to make the gravy, reduce the heat to Low/Medium Low and drain all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the pan. Reserve any brown bits as that is flavor! Sprinkle the flour over the oil and cook stirring constantly until the raw smell and taste is gone, approximately 2 to 4 minutes. Add the milk and cook until thickened, approximately 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and spoon gravy over plated steak removed from the oven. Serve with mashed potatoes, hash browns, or by itself!