If you are unfamiliar with the dish, chicken-fried steak is a Southern favorite. Tenderized beef cutlets are dipped in egg and flour and fried, much like fried chicken, but with steak.
Video! How To Make Chicken Fried Steak
What Cut To Use to Make Chicken Fried Steak
Chicken fried steak is made most often with cube steak, or steak that has already been tenderized, or a cheap cut like round steak. It was originally created to make a cheap cut of meat taste better. No matter which cut you use, you have to pound it thin with a meat mallet. Although most chicken fried steaks are made with beef, you can substitute with a thin cut of pork.
Tips for Making the Best Chicken Fried Steak
Pound the steak thin. We use a meat hammer for this, but you could use a rubber mallet, a rolling pin, or even an empty wine bottle. A thin steak will cook quicker and be less chewyPress the flour into the meat. We dredge the steak cutlets in flour twice, first before, then after an egg wash. The first time you dredge the steaks into the flour, use the heel of your hand to really press it in. That way, the coating will adhere better.Spoon hot oil over the steaks in the pan. You don’t need to deep fry the chicken-fried steaks. You can easily shallow fry them in less oil. Help firm up the coating on top by spooning hot oil over the top before flipping the steaks.Use a warming oven. After you fry the steaks, keep them warm in a 200°F oven while you make the gravy.
Use the Drippings in the Pan To Make Gravy
Isn’t it all about the gravy? Chicken fried steak is usually served with a creamy country gravy, made with some of the drippings from the pan. After you cook the steaks and while you are keeping them warm, remove all but a few tablespoons of fat from the pan. Add an equal amount of flour and cook for several minutes, until it turns a warm brown color. Then stream in milk and cream to finish the gravy. Of course, as is the case with almost any regional dish, variations abound. If you make chicken fried steak at home, what is your favorite way to prepare it? Please tell us about it in the comments.
Simple Side Dishes for Chicken Fried Steak
Perfect Mashed Potatoes Southern Cornbread Stewed Okra and Tomatoes Southern Style Collard Greens Black Eyed Peas Salad
3 tablespoons pan drippings
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 3/4 cups milk (a little more or less, depending on your preference)
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Place each steak between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, rubber mallet, rolling pin, or empty wine bottle, pound the steak until it is very thin, less than 1/4 inch. As you pound the steak, turn it over often and spread out the plastic wrap, which tends to wrinkle as you work. Repeat with all the steaks. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Put a wire rack over a baking sheet and place in the oven. You’ll use the oven to keep the finished steaks warm and crisp while you cook the gravy. Working one at a time, dredge a steak in the flour. Using the heel of your hand, press the flour into both sides of the steak. Lift the steak, shake off the excess flour, and dip the steak into the egg wash, coating it on both sides. Lift the steak out of the egg wash, shake off the excess egg wash, and then dredge the steak in the flour a second time. Again, press the flour into the steak on both sides. Set aside on a plate. Repeat with the remaining steaks. Working one at a time, lay a coated steak into the hot oil. Use a metal spoon to spoon some of the oil over the steak. This sets the coating. Fry until you see the edges of the steak turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Carefully turn the steak over in the pan, and fry for 2 more minutes. Once both sides of the steak are golden brown, tip the steak up with a metal spatula to drain the excess oil. Remove it from the pan and place if on the wire rack in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining steaks and leave them in the oven while you make the gravy. Cook until it’s the color of milk chocolate, about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add milk to your desired thickness for gravy. If the gravy is too thick for you, add more milk. If it’s too thin, let it cook longer. Season with salt and lots of black pepper, to taste.
