Traditional Chicken Fried Steak Recipes

THE BEST CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• Pound the steaks to about 1/4-inch thickness. Place 2 cups of flour in a shallow bowl. Stir together the baking powder, baking soda, pepper, and salt in a separate shallow bowl; stir in the buttermilk, egg, Tabasco Sauce, and garlic. Dredge each steak first in the flour, then in the batter, and again in the flour. Pat the flour onto the surface of each steak so they are completely coated with dry flour.
• Heat the shortening in a deep cast-iron skillet to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Fry the steaks until evenly golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Place fried steaks on a plate with paper towels to drain. Drain the fat from the skillet, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid and as much of the solid remnants as possible.
• Return the skillet to medium-low heat with the reserved oil. Whisk the remaining flour into the oil. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to release solids into the gravy. Stir in the milk, raise the heat to medium, and bring the gravy to a simmer, cook until thick, 6 to 7 minutes. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Spoon the gravy over the steaks to serve.

THE ULTIMATE CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, whisk together flour, one teaspoon black pepper, one teaspoon salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
• In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together buttermilk , TABASCO® Sauce, and eggs. Set aside.
• Pat cube steaks dry with a paper towel, removing as much moisture as possible. Season with one teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of pepper. Let sit for 5 minutes and pat dry again with paper towel.
• Dredge the cube steaks in the flour mixture, shaking off excess, then dredge in the buttermilk-egg mixture, letting excess drip off, and then once again in the flour mixture, shaking off excess.
• Place breaded cube steaks on a sheet pan or metal rack and press any of the remaining flour mixture into the cube steaks making sure that the entire steak is completely coated. Let sit for 10 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 225 to 250 F.
• Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet or large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. How much oil you need depends on the size of your skillet. You want it to be about 1/4-inch deep. We aren't deep frying the steaks, just shallow frying.
• Test the oil by dropping a bit of the breading into in. The oil should sizzle and bubble around the breading. Look for the oil to be glistening but not smoking - about 320-340 degrees F. Now we're ready to fry.
• Place two steaks into the pan at a time and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Do not flip more than once or the breading will fall off. Do not fry more than two steaks or the pan will be too crowded and the breading will fall off.
• Remove steaks from pan and drain on paper towels. Place in preheated oven. Turn skillet heat to medium.

QUICK COUNTRY-FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• Beat 2/3 cup milk and eggs together in a bowl. Whisk crackers, 3/4 cup flour, and 1 teaspoon salt together in a shallow bowl.
• Heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat.
• Dip each steak into the milk-egg mixture; transfer to cracker mixture and press to coat evenly.
• Fry coated steaks in the hot oil until browned, about 6 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 140 degrees F (60 degrees C). Transfer cooked steaks to a serving platter, retaining drippings in the skillet.
• Stir 1/2 cup flour into steak drippings until dissolved and pasty, 3 to 4 minutes. Cook and stir onion into flour mixture until evenly coated, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour 2 3/4 cup milk into onion mixture; cook and stir until gravy is smooth and thickened, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup oil to gravy; cook and stir until incorporated and gravy is boiling, about 1 minute. Season gravy with 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper; serve alongside steak.

CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
• Cut the meat with the grain into 1/2-inch thick slices. Season each piece on both sides with the salt and pepper. Place the flour into a pie pan. Place the eggs into a separate pie pan. Dredge the meat on both sides in the flour. Tenderize the meat, using a needling device, until each slice is 1/4-inch thick. Once tenderized, dredge the meat again in the flour, followed by the egg and finally in the flour again. Repeat with all the pieces of meat. Place the meat onto a plate and allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before cooking.
• Place enough of the vegetable oil to cover the bottom of a 12-inch slope-sided skillet and set over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the meat in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook each piece on both sides until golden brown, approximately 4 minutes per side. Remove the steaks to a wire rack set in a half sheet pan and place into the oven. Repeat until all of the meat is browned.
• Add the remaining vegetable oil, or at least 1 tablespoon, to the pan. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of the flour left over from the dredging. Add the chicken broth and deglaze the pan. Whisk until the gravy comes to a boil and begins to thicken. Add the milk and thyme and whisk until the gravy coats the back of a spoon, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Season to taste, with more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve the gravy over the steaks.

CHICKEN-FRIED STEAKS

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, combine 1-3/4 cups flour, baking powder and seasonings. In another shallow bowl, combine egg and 3/4 cup buttermilk. Dip each cube steak in buttermilk mixture, then roll in flour mixture. Let stand for 5 minutes., In a large skillet, heat 1/2 in. of oil on medium-high. Fry steaks for 5-7 minutes. Turn carefully; cook until coating is crisp and meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes longer. Remove steaks and keep warm., Drain, reserving 1/3 cup drippings; stir remaining flour into drippings until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk and remaining buttermilk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with steaks.

CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• Salt the meat: Sprinkle a little salt over the meat. 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.

AS EASY AS IT GETS CHICKEN-FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• Mix the flour, salt and pepper together in a bowl; I use soup bowls. You may measure these, as I do, Rachael Ray style ~ in other words I eyeball the amounts. In a second bowl. whisk together the milk and egg until lemon colored. I a third bowl, add the dry bread crumbs. Line the bowls up assemble-line style.
• Dredge the meat in the seasoned flour, knocking off excess. Dip floured meat in the egg and milk mixture, coating well. Then dredge in the bread crumbs, again, coating well.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet (traditional but your own skillet will work) over medium-high heat. Add oil. When oil is hot enough to spit back at you if you sprinkle water on it, add meat and brown 2-1/2 minutes per side for rare, 4 minutes per side for medium and 6 minutes per side for well-done. Turn only once. As you see, this goes fast and the meat requires your full attention while cooking. Remove meat to a serving dish and keep warm.
• Notes: A traditional meal of chicken-fried steak includes:.
• Mashed potatoes: use a prepared mix or refrigerated potatoes.
• Country gravy: use an envelope of country-style gravy and prepare according to package directions.
• Green beans: canned beans work well, perhaps flavored with some bacon.
• Biscuits: use refrigerated baking powder style biscuits. These are a vital part of the Southerner's meal.
• Salad: A wedge of lettuce or tossed green salad goes well.
• Dessert: That's up to you. Mississippi Mud Cake was a fave in our home (recipe is posted).
• Remember to prepare as much as possible of the menu beforehand so that once the meat is cooked, you're ready to heat.
• To make CHICKEN-FRIED CHICKEN, I follow this same recipe, but I use pounded boneless skinless chicken breasts (your butcher will do this for you). I do like Panko on the chicken.

CHICKEN FRIED STEAK WITH GRAVY

Steps:

• For the steak: Begin with setting up an assembly line of dishes. Mix the milk with the eggs in one; the flour mixed with the seasoned salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, paprika and cayenne in another; and the meat in a third. Then have one clean plate at the end to receive the breaded meat.
• Work with one piece of meat at a time. Sprinkle both sides with kosher salt and black pepper, then place it in the flour mixture. Turn to coat. Place the meat into the milk/egg mixture, turning to coat. Finally, place it back in the flour and turn to coat (dry mixture/wet mixture/dry mixture). Place the breaded meat on the clean plate, then repeat with the remaining meat.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. Drop in a few sprinkles of flour to make sure it's sufficiently hot. When the butter sizzles immediately, you know it's ready. (It should not brown right away, if it does, the fire is too hot.) Cook the meat, 3 pieces at a time, until the edges start to look golden brown, about 2 minutes each side. Remove the meat to a paper towel-lined plate and keep them warm by covering lightly with another plate or a sheet of foil. Repeat until all the meat is cooked.
• After all the meat is fried, pour off the grease into a heatproof bowl. Without cleaning the skillet, return it to the stove over medium-low heat. Add 1/4 cup of the grease back to the skillet and allow it to heat up.
• For the gravy: When the grease is hot, sprinkle the flour evenly over the grease. Using a whisk, mix the flour with the grease, creating a golden-brown paste. Add more flour if it looks overly greasy; add a little more grease if it becomes too pasty/clumpy. Keep cooking until the roux reaches a deep golden brown color.
• Pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Add the seasoned salt and black pepper to taste and cook, whisking, until the gravy is smooth and thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Be prepared to add more milk if it becomes overly thick. Be sure to taste to make sure gravy is sufficiently seasoned.
• Serve the meat next to a big side of mashed potatoes. Pour gravy over the whole shebang!

CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• Combine milk and eggs in a shallow dish and whisk until well blended.
• Combine flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika and chili powder and whisk until well blended.
• Pat each steak with paper towel to remove excess moisture.
• Lightly salt and pepper each piece of meat on both sides.
• Place into the flour mixture. Turn to coat.
• Place into the egg mixture. Turn to coat.
• Place back into the flour and turn to coat.
• Place onto a clean plate.
• Repeat with the remaining pieces of meat.
• Place oil and butter in a large skillet to about 1/4" deep.
• Heat over medium heat. If oil smokes reduce heat.
• Cook the meat, several pieces at a time, about 2 minutes per side, until edges browned.
• Transfer cooked steaks to baking sheet in 200 degree oven to keep warm.
• Repeat with remaining steaks.
• Sprinkle flour over the pan contents.
• Whisk together to make brown paste.
• Cook until golden brown.
• Gradually add in the milk, whisking constantly.
• Add remaining ingredients and cook, still whisking, until gravy thickens.
• If mixture gets too thick gradually add a little more milk,

TRADITIONAL CHICKEN-FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• Trim fat from meat; cut meat into 4 portions. Place between pieces of plastic wrap. Pound to 1/4-inch thickness. In a shallow dish, combine buttermilk and egg. In another dish, mix the 1/2 cup flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Dip meat into egg; coat with flour mixture.
• In a 12-inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons hot oil over medium heat. Cook cutlets for about 8 minutes or until coating is golden and meat no longer is pink, turning once.
• For gravy: In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the 3 tablespoons flour and the garlic. Add 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Combine milk and bouillon. Stir in milk mixture all at once. Cook and stir until bubbly. Cook for 1 minute more. Serve with gravy.

CHICKEN FRIED STEAK W/ COUNTRY GRAVY

Steps:

• To season the tenderized steaks, mix together sea salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Season both sides of steaks. Set aside.
• In a large dish (I use a glass casserole dish) , whisk together flour, and all of the remaining coating mix seasonings until combined.
• In another large dish, place ½ cup of the seasoned flour into the dish. Add in the egg and enough milk to create a thick batter.
• Dip the steak in the flour mixture first, lightly coating both sides.
• Next dip the steak into the batter mixture, coating both sides and letting the excess drip off.
• Finally place the steak back into the flour mixture, being sure to press the flour into the steaks, coating both sides. Repeat until all steaks have been coated.
• Preheat your oven to 200 F. Place a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet and place it into the oven. (This will be where you will keep the cooked steaks to keep them warm until you are ready to serve).
• Fill a large deep skillet with about an inch of canola oil and heat to 350 F.
• Fry the steaks 1-2 at a time, (about 2-3 minutes per side) until golden. Place finished steaks on the cooling rack in the oven. Repeat until all steaks have been fried.
• Carefully drain the oil from the pan and wipe out the pan. (You can leave the flavorful brown bits in the bottom of the pan if desired. If you do, this will result in a tan and not white gravy though)
• Add butter to the pan over medium heat.
• Once the butter has melted, add flour to the pan.
• Cooked while stirring constantly until golden brown,(about 2-3 minutes). This will remove the raw flour taste.
• Gently whisk in the broth and milk a little at a time.
• Cook while stirring constantly to remove any lumps and until the mixture begins to thicken to your liking. (Cook longer if you want thicker gravy or add more milk if you want thinner gravy)
• Season gravy with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and a bit of thyme until your desired flavor is reached (Be sure to taste after each seasoning to prevent overseasoning the gravy. Let your tastebuds be your guide. The end result should taste good enough to eat plain!)