Despite the fact that I've lived in the north my whole life, my favorite food is traditional southern cuisine. There's a soul to this type of food that is so present from the first bite. It's mom's cooking, family dinners, passed down family recipes and just really really good food. I'm slowly working these types of dishes into my repertoire and I'm starting with a classic Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy.
What makes a good gravy for chicken fried steak
Gravy can make or break a dish. We've all had bad gravy, but good gravy is not hard to make. My favorite gravies are made by using the drippings from the meat and scraping up the browned bits from the pan. Doing this gets more flavor into the gravy and it will taste less like paste. To make a gravy I add flour to the oily drippings and whisk until thickened and flour has cooked. Then I add in cream or stock (sometimes both!) and continue to whisk until the sauce has thickened to my likening. From here it's easy to balance out the seasoning by adding salt, pepper etc. And there you have a simple and delicious gravy!
I served this chicken fried steak with gravy and mashed potatoes. It is definitely a filling sunday supper type meal, so if you want to lighten it up, fresh roasted or sauteed green vegetables are a great option. I'd pair this with roasted brussels sprouts or sauteed spinach, and maybe switch out the mashed potatoes for roasted red potatoes. Any side option sounds delicious!
Frying the steak is not as difficult as it seems. I'm horrible at frying food, but this was easy to better and fry in oil in my cast iron skillet. A few minutes on each side until it was golden and it came out perfect. The trick is to use cube steak and season generously! I tried with a different cut of steak the first time around and could not get the breading to stick at all and it just slid off and was a sloppy mess. It was so horrible I just threw it out and heated up a frozen pizza for dinner, don't we all have those days?
Make it a Meal
- Blistered Brown Butter Shishito Peppers
- Creamy Parmesan Polenta
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
- Homemade Mac and Cheese
- Cajun Mac and Cheese
- More Side Options
Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy
Equipment
Ingredients
Steak
- 3 Pounds Cube Steak
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 ½ Cups Flour
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
- 2 Eggs
- 1 ½ Cups Flour
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 2 Tsp Pepper
- 2 Tsp Paprika
- 3 Tsp Cayenne
- ½ Cup Canola Oil
Gravy
- ⅓ Cup Flour
- 3-4 Cups Milk
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
Steak
- Season cube steak with salt and pepper generously. Prepare area by setting up a bowl of flour, a bowl of milk and eggs mixed together and a final bowl of flour with salt, pepper, cayenne and paprika stirred in. This creates your assembly line.
- Dredge steaks in unseasoned flour, then dip into the milk mixture, then coat in the seasoned flour mixture. Shake off any excess and make sure all areas are covered.
- Heat oil in a cast iron pan or other thick bottomed skillet on a medium-high heat. Add steaks and cook 4-5 minutes per a side or until batter has turned golden brown. Remove and let rest on a cooling rack with a paper towel underneath to catch the drippings.
Gravy
- Reduce skillet heat to low. Stir in ⅓ cup of flour and cook until flour begins to turn golden. Whisk in milk until gravy is thickened. Season generously with salt and pepper. Serve over chicken fried steak and enjoy!
Nutrition
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Arya's Corner
Arya like's being the center of attention at all times, even when I'm trying to work on my blog! Also why does she always sleep on her back? What a weird cat!
About Michelle
Hello! I'm Michelle Boulé. I'm a photography nerd, cat mom and all around foodie. Join me in making some of my favorite comfort foods!
Claudia Lamascolo says
my husbands favorite meal is white gravy over chicken fried chicken.. I never made steak guess its time to time it!
Marisa Franca says
This is comfort food pure and simple. My MIL used to make chicken fried steak all the time and her family loved it -- me included. I haven't tasted it in a long time. I think I'll surprise Hubby by making it.
Veena Azmanov says
That looks so gorgeously rich and delicious. I love a good gravy and I agree a gravy can make or break a dish. Love how simple this is. Can't wait to try it.
Jenni LeBaron says
Chicken fried steak is one of my favorite comfort foods to eat for a good hearty brunch! I always love a good country gravy like this and agree that the drippings always make the most flavorful gravy.
Mirlene says
This dish looks AMAZING! I love chicken fried steak. It's one of my ultimate comfort food. I am sure I will enjoy your recipe just as much. Thanks for sharing!