Chicken Fried Steak

The thick, crunchy crust is one of our favorite things about this classic Southern-style chicken fried steak.

  • Serves

    serves 4

Ingredients

  • 2 cups plus 3 tbsp. flour
  • 2 tsp. paprika
  • Freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt, to taste
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp. Tabasco, plus more to taste
  • 1 egg
  • 4 (4-6-oz.) cube steaks, pounded to ¼" thickness
  • Canola oil, for frying
  • 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 2 cups milk

Instructions

Step 1

Heat oven to 200˚; put a baking sheet fitted with a rack inside. In a shallow dish, whisk together 2 cups flour, paprika, pepper, and salt. In another dish, whisk together buttermilk, 1 tsp. Tabasco, and egg. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Working with one steak at a time, dredge in flour mixture, then egg mixture, and again in flour; shake off excess. Transfer to plate.

Step 2

Pour oil into a 12" cast-iron skillet to a depth of ½"; heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 320˚. Working in 2 batches, fry steaks, flipping once, until golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Place steaks on rack in oven to keep warm.

Step 3

Melt butter in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in remaining flour; cook until golden, 1-2 minutes. Whisk in milk; cook, whisking, until thick. Season with Tabasco and salt and pepper. Serve steaks with gravy.
  1. Heat oven to 200˚; put a baking sheet fitted with a rack inside. In a shallow dish, whisk together 2 cups flour, paprika, pepper, and salt. In another dish, whisk together buttermilk, 1 tsp. Tabasco, and egg. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Working with one steak at a time, dredge in flour mixture, then egg mixture, and again in flour; shake off excess. Transfer to plate.
  2. Pour oil into a 12" cast-iron skillet to a depth of ½"; heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 320˚. Working in 2 batches, fry steaks, flipping once, until golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Place steaks on rack in oven to keep warm.
  3. Melt butter in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in remaining flour; cook until golden, 1-2 minutes. Whisk in milk; cook, whisking, until thick. Season with Tabasco and salt and pepper. Serve steaks with gravy.
Recipes

Chicken Fried Steak

  • Serves

    serves 4

The thick, crunchy crust is one of our favorite things about this classic Southern-style chicken fried steak.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups plus 3 tbsp. flour
  • 2 tsp. paprika
  • Freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt, to taste
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp. Tabasco, plus more to taste
  • 1 egg
  • 4 (4-6-oz.) cube steaks, pounded to ¼" thickness
  • Canola oil, for frying
  • 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 2 cups milk

Instructions

Step 1

Heat oven to 200˚; put a baking sheet fitted with a rack inside. In a shallow dish, whisk together 2 cups flour, paprika, pepper, and salt. In another dish, whisk together buttermilk, 1 tsp. Tabasco, and egg. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Working with one steak at a time, dredge in flour mixture, then egg mixture, and again in flour; shake off excess. Transfer to plate.

Step 2

Pour oil into a 12" cast-iron skillet to a depth of ½"; heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 320˚. Working in 2 batches, fry steaks, flipping once, until golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Place steaks on rack in oven to keep warm.

Step 3

Melt butter in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in remaining flour; cook until golden, 1-2 minutes. Whisk in milk; cook, whisking, until thick. Season with Tabasco and salt and pepper. Serve steaks with gravy.
  1. Heat oven to 200˚; put a baking sheet fitted with a rack inside. In a shallow dish, whisk together 2 cups flour, paprika, pepper, and salt. In another dish, whisk together buttermilk, 1 tsp. Tabasco, and egg. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Working with one steak at a time, dredge in flour mixture, then egg mixture, and again in flour; shake off excess. Transfer to plate.
  2. Pour oil into a 12" cast-iron skillet to a depth of ½"; heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 320˚. Working in 2 batches, fry steaks, flipping once, until golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Place steaks on rack in oven to keep warm.
  3. Melt butter in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in remaining flour; cook until golden, 1-2 minutes. Whisk in milk; cook, whisking, until thick. Season with Tabasco and salt and pepper. Serve steaks with gravy.

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