Also known as chicken fried steak or country fried steak, this breaded cutlet is an iconic Southern dish. A flattened piece of beef is coated with seasoned flour and pan-fried, chicken-style. The preparation has roots in the Italian dish milanesa, tenderized veal or pork cutlet coated with flour, eggs, chicken stock, and breadcrumbs and fried, and other European variations. The American version was developed in the 19th century; the town of Lamesa, Texas, claims itself as the birthplace. A popular recipe for a similar breaded veal cutlet was published in 1838 by Mary Randolph in the popular cookbook, The Virginia Housewife, which led to many imitators. The dish is traditionally served with a peppered milk gravy, but some regional variants prefer brown gravy.
Recipe Servings: 4
Ingredients
Steak:
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp seasoned salt
- 1½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 3 lbs cube steaks
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup oil
- 1 Tbsp butter
Gravy:
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 3–4 cups whole milk
- ½ tsp seasoned salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
- Whisk together the milk and eggs in a medium bowl.
- Whisk together the flour, seasoned salt, black pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.
- Place the meat in a third bowl.
- Sprinkle a steak with kosher salt and black pepper on both sides, coat it in the seasoned flour, dip it into the milk-egg mixture, and then coat it in the flour again before placing it on a plate. Repeat this process until all the steaks are breaded.
- Combine the oil and butter in a large skillet and set it over medium heat.
- Add the meat to the hot oil, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, and fry for 2–3 minutes before flipping and cooking the other side for 2 minutes until the edges start to turn golden brown.
- Transfer the meat to a paper towel-lined plate and cover to keep warm.
- Repeat the cooking process until all the meat is fried.
- Drain the grease from the skillet into a heatproof bowl and return the skillet to the stove over medium-low heat.
- Pour ¼ cup of the grease back into the skillet.
- Sprinkle the flour evenly over the hot grease and whisk until a golden-brown paste forms. Add more flour or grease as needed to reach the desired consistency. Continue to cook until the roux reaches a deep golden-brown color.
- Add the milk, seasoned salt, and pepper while whisking constantly. Cook, whisking, for 5–10 minutes, until the gravy is smooth and thick.
- Plate the meat, pour the gravy over it, and serve immediately.
For Steak:
For Gravy:
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