Chicken – Fried Steak Recipe
bevette, mushroom red eye gravy, sunny egg
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Ingredients
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For the Steak
For the Mushroom Red-Eye Gravy
For the Sunny Eggs & Garnish
Method
For the Steak
- 1
Prepare steaks
Pat the 4 pieces of beef dry with paper towels. If not already thin, place each steak between two sheets of plastic and pound gently with a meat mallet to about 1/4 inch thickness. Season both sides lightly with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- 2
Setup dredging station
In a shallow bowl whisk together 2 cups buttermilk and 2 eggs. In a wide plate or shallow dish combine 1.5 cups flour, 1/2 cup cornmeal, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Have a wire rack ready over a baking sheet.
- 3
Dredge steaks
Working one at a time, dip each steak into the buttermilk-egg mixture, let excess drip, then press into the flour-cornmeal mixture ensuring an even, thorough coating. Shake off excess and set on the wire rack. Let rest 10 minutes to help the crust adhere.
- 4
Fry steaks
Heat 2 cups neutral oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high until oil registers 350°F (or a breadcrumb sizzles but doesn't burn). Add 1–2 steaks at a time without crowding. Fry 3–4 minutes per side until golden-brown and internal temperature reaches 145–160°F (depending on thickness). If oil darkens, reduce heat. After flipping the second side, add 2 tbsp butter to the pan and spoon melted butter over the steaks for 30 seconds for flavor. Transfer cooked steaks to a paper towel-lined plate or clean wire rack while you finish remaining steaks.
For the Mushroom Red-Eye Gravy
- 5
Sauté mushrooms & aromatics
After removing steaks, carefully pour off excess oil leaving about 1–2 tbsp of fond and fat in the pan (or wipe out pan leaving brown bits if too greasy) and return to medium heat. Add 2 tbsp unsalted butter. When melted, add 8 oz sliced mushrooms and 1 finely chopped shallot. Sauté 4–5 minutes until mushrooms are browned and shallot softened.
- 6
Deglaze with coffee
Pour in 1/2 cup hot strong brewed coffee to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits (these are the ‘red-eye’ flavor base). Let the coffee reduce by about half, 1–2 minutes.
- 7
Build the gravy
Add 1/2 cup bevette (reduced beef jus) and 1 cup beef stock to the pan. Stir in 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce and 1 tsp fresh thyme (if using). Bring to a simmer and let reduce gently 4–6 minutes until slightly thickened and flavors concentrate.
- 8
Finish and adjust
Taste and season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. If the gravy needs more body, whisk 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp cold water and stir into simmering gravy; cook 1 minute until glossy and thickened. Keep warm on very low heat.
- 9
Combine with pan juices (optional)
If you reserved any steak resting juices, spoon them into the gravy and stir to incorporate for extra richness.
For the Sunny Eggs & Garnish
- 10
Cook sunny-side eggs
In a nonstick skillet over medium-low, add 2 tsp butter or oil. Crack 4 eggs into a bowl and gently slide into the pan. Cook until whites are set but yolks remain runny, about 2–3 minutes. For a slightly set yolk top, cover the pan for the last 20–30 seconds. Season each egg with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- 11