Chicken Fried Steak with Creamy Gravy

Chicken fried steak is almost always yummy when eating at a good restaurant — but what about homemade? It can be messy but oh so good!

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Whether for breakfast or dinner, who can resist a good chicken fried steak drenched in creamy gravy?

It’s really not as hard to get right as it might seem. It’s a little bit tedious, but still doesn’t take very long.

One of the most important steps is the second dredging in the flour mixture. This allows for a crisper texture. Certainly, don’t skip that one!

Chicken Fried Steak with Creamy Gravy

Course:
Cuisine:
Difficulty:
Servings
4
servings
Prep time
20
minutes
Cook time
30
minutes
Total time
50
minutes

Ingredients

  • 4
    cube steaks
    about 0.33 pounds each
  • 1.5
    cups
    all-purpose flour
  • 2
    tsp
    black pepper
    divided
  • 2
    tsp
    sea salt
    divided
  • 0.5
    tsp
    smoked paprika
  • 0.5
    tsp
    onion powder
  • 0.5
    tsp
    garlic powder
  • 0.5
    tsp
    baking soda
  • 0.5
    tsp
    baking powder
  • 1.5
    cups
    buttermilk
  • 2
    tsp
    Tabasco sauce
  • 2
    large
    eggs
  • 1
    cup
    vegetable oil
  • 4
    tbsp
    grease
    leftover from frying steaks
  • 4
    tbsp
    all-purpose flour
  • 2.5
    cups
    whole milk
    adjust for consistency
  • 0.5
    cup
    heavy whipping cream
  • 0.5
    tsp
    sea salt
    or to taste
  • 1
    tsp
    black pepper
    or to taste

Directions

  • In a small casserole dish, whisk together flour, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

  • In another small casserole dish, whisk together buttermilk, Tabasco sauce, and eggs. Set aside.

  • Thoroughly dry the surfaces of the cube steaks with a paper towel. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Let sit for 5 minutes; if moisture returns, pat dry with another paper towel.

  • Dredge each cube steak in the flour mixture, shake off the excess, then dredge in the egg mixture, allowing the excess to drip off. Dredge again in the flour mixture, carefully shaking off the excess.

  • Place each cube steak on a sheet pan. Firmly press the remaining flour mixture into the steaks, ensuring they are completely coated. Let sit for 10 minutes.

  • Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

  • Heat vegetable oil in a large, heavy-duty skillet over medium-high heat. Make sure that the oil is about 0.25 inch deep. The oil should be about 33o degrees F, give or take 10 degrees.

  • Fry 2 of the steaks for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels, then place in preheated oven. Repeat.

  • For the gravy:

    Reduce the skillet heat to medium.

  • Pour all but 4 tablespoons of the remaining grease into a heat safe vessel. Do not remove the goodies from the pan! Leave those crispy nuggets in there to enhance the gravy.

  • Whisk in the flour for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Add about 2.5 cups of the cream and milk slowly into the skillet, whisking constantly. Bring it to a light simmer. Continue cooking until smooth and creamy, about 5 to 7 minutes. If the gravy gets too thick, add more of the cream and milk until just a little runnier than you want it to be, so you can allow it to cook in for another couple more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

  • Move the steaks to individual plates and drench with this lovely gravy. Serve with mashed potatoes (which should also be drenched in gravy) and something green.