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Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy

By Britney
Prep: 45 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 8
country fried steak on top plate with mashed potatoes covered in a white gravy.
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The BEST chicken fried steak with gravy! Crunchy on the outside, juicy inside, and smothered in rich pepper gravy. A Southern staple done right.

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowls
  • Meat Mallet (optional), can also use a rolling pin
  • Heavy Bottom Skillet
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Ingredients 

  • 2 lbs Cube Steak, (about 4-5 steaks)

Buttermilk Marinade

  • 4 cloves Garlic, (peeled)
  • 1 large Yellow Onion, (cut into chunks)
  • 2 tbsp Hot Sauce
  • 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper
  • 2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 2 cups Buttermilk
  • 2 tsp Seasoned Salt, (or kosher salt)

Flour Coating/Dredge

  • 2 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 cup Cornstarch
  • 2 tsp Seasoned Salt
  • 2 tsp Ground Mustard
  • 2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 2 tsp Smoked Paprika
  • 2 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 3 cups Vegetable Oil, (for frying)

White Gravy

  • 1/2 cup Salted Butter
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 1/2 tsp Thyme
  • 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
  • 2 cups Whole Milk
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  • 1 tsp Chicken Bouillon Paste
  • 1 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp Seasoned Salt, (or kosher salt)

Instructions 

  • (optional but recommended!) Using a meat mallet (meat tenderizer) or rolling pin to pound cube steak, then cut into desired size (a lot of cube steaks are quite large, cut them smaller if you’d like!)  2 lbs Cube Steak
  • Add garlic, onion, and hot sauce to a food processor. Blend until smooth.  4 cloves Garlic 1 large Yellow Onion 2 tbsp Hot Sauce
  • In a large bowl, add steak, garlic mixture, cayenne pepper, black pepper garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, seasoned salt, and buttermilk. Toss to coat, then cover with plastic wrap. Allow the steak to marinated for least 30 minutes, up to 4 hours.  1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper 1 tsp Black Pepper 2 tsp Garlic Powder 1 tsp Smoked Paprika 1 tsp Onion Powder 2 cups Buttermilk 2 tsp Seasoned Salt
  • While the steaks are marinating, make the white pepper gravy.  Add butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the garlic and thyme cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant, then add all purpose flour and chicken bouillon paste. Whisk together until the flour is combined with the butter and is lump free (about 2-3 minutes).  1/2 cup Salted Butter 2 cloves Garlic 1/2 tsp Thyme 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour 1 tsp Chicken Bouillon Paste
  • Pour in the whole milk and heavy cream, whisk constantly. Reduce the heat to medium low and stir frequently until the mixture thickens into a gravy, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in black pepper and seasoned salt. Set aside.  2 cups Whole Milk 1 cup Heavy Cream 1 1/2 tsp Black Pepper 1 tsp Seasoned Salt
  • Combine all of the ingredients for the dredge i na shallow bowl - flour, baking powder, cornstarch, seasoned salt, ground mustard, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and thyme. Whisk together and set aside. 2 cups All Purpose Flour 2 tsp Baking Powder 1/2 cup Cornstarch 2 tsp Seasoned Salt 2 tsp Ground Mustard 2 tsp Black Pepper 2 tsp Garlic Powder 2 tsp Smoked Paprika 2 tsp Onion Powder 1 tsp Dried Thyme
  • Remove the steaks from the buttermilk marinade and blot off as much moisture as possible using paper towels. Add eggs to the buttermilk and whisk together. 2 large Eggs
  • Dip the steaks into the seasoned flour mixture, then dip into the buttermilk/egg mixture, and then back into the dry ingredients. Ensure that the entire steak is coated in the flour, then gently shake off any excess flour. 
  • Place onto a wire rack to set while the oil is heating. 
  • Add vegetable oil (or any high smoke point oil) to a dutch oven or deep skillet. You’ll need about 3 inches of oil. Heat to 350-375 degrees F. 
  • Add 1-2 steaks at a time to the hot oil and cook for 3-5 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy. Place onto a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate or wire rack to drain any excess oil. 
  • Just before serving, if the gravy has stiffened, add a few tbsps of milk to loosen it up, then pour on top of the chicken fried steaks. Top with additional pepper and scallions or chopped parsley for garnish.

Notes

    • Don’t crowd the pan when frying! Add 1–2 steaks max. Crowding drops the temperature of the oil and ruins the crispy crust.
    • Pound evenly for tenderness. Aim for ¼-inch thick so the steak cooks quickly and stays juicy. Uneven thickness = uneven cooking.
    • Cut steaks smaller for easier frying. Smaller portions are easier to flip and less likely to break apart in the oil. Keep in mind, the smaller the steak, the faster it'll cook.
    • Let the dredge rest before frying. After coating, let the steaks sit on a rack for 10–15 minutes. This helps the crust stick like glue and get extra craggy.
    • Use an oil thermometer. Maintain 350–375°F while frying. Too cool and the steaks will become greasy. Too hot? It'll burn before the meat cooks.
    • Serve immediately! Fried steak waits for no one. Plate, smother in that gravy, and run to the table.

Nutrition

Calories: 715kcal, Carbohydrates: 51g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 41g, Saturated Fat: 22g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 206mg, Sodium: 1411mg, Potassium: 783mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 1650IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 295mg, Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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