Chicken Fried Steak Recipe

Prepare steaks

If your cube steaks are not already thin and tenderized, place each between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound gently with a meat mallet to an even thickness of about 1/4 inch. Trim any large excess fat.

Season the steaks lightly on both sides with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

In a shallow dish large enough to hold the steaks, whisk together 2 cups buttermilk and 1 tablespoon hot sauce. Submerge the steaks in the buttermilk mixture, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours. This tenderizes and flavors the meat.

Set up a three-stage breading station: In a wide shallow bowl combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 1.5 tsp kosher salt; whisk until even.

In a second shallow bowl whisk together 2 eggs and 1/2 cup milk until smooth (this is your egg wash).

Place the additional 1 cup flour in a third shallow dish for the initial dry dredge before the egg wash.

Remove one steak from the buttermilk, allowing excess to drip off. Dredge briefly in the plain flour (third station), shaking off excess. Dip into the egg wash, letting excess drip back into the bowl, then press both sides into the seasoned flour mixture so the coating clings. For an extra-crispy crust, repeat: dip again in egg wash and press again into the seasoned flour. Place breaded steaks on a wire rack and let them rest 10–15 minutes to set the crust. Repeat with remaining steaks.

Pour about 3 to 4 cups of neutral oil into a heavy skillet (cast-iron preferred) to a depth of about 1/2 inch. Heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a pinch of the seasoned flour in — it should sizzle and brown slowly.

Working in batches (do not crowd the pan), carefully add breaded steaks to the hot oil. Fry 3–4 minutes per side, or until a deep golden-brown crust forms and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 145°F (63°C). Adjust heat to maintain oil between 325–350°F so the crust cooks through without burning. Transfer cooked steaks to a wire rack set over a sheet pan to drain. Keep warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) while frying remaining steaks.

Make pan gravy

After frying the last steak, pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of oil from the skillet. (If the pan is excessively greasy, wipe out most oil leaving browned bits.) Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to the hot pan and melt over medium heat. Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and whisk continuously to form a roux, scraping up browned bits; cook 1–2 minutes until the raw flour taste is gone and the roux is golden.

Slowly whisk in 2 cups beef or chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate browned pieces. Add 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a simmer and cook 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened. For a richer, creamier gravy, stir in 1/4 cup heavy cream and heat through, adjusting seasoning to taste.

If the gravy is too thick, thin with additional stock by tablespoons until desired consistency is reached. Strain the gravy through a fine mesh sieve into a small saucepan if you prefer a very smooth finish.

Return steaks to the pan briefly (optional) to coat bottoms with gravy or serve steaks on plates and ladle gravy over each portion. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges, mashed potatoes, or biscuits.