A lot of us love to enjoy a good steak dinner every now and again. There are so many different varieties of steak to choose from too. Just to name a few, there is the Ribeye, Poterhouse, Filet Mignon, Sirloin and the New York Strip steak. That being said, perhaps the most budget-friendly of all steak types is the Cube Steak. Cube steaks are known for their dimpled surface, and are most commonly used to prepare the classic comfort dish known as Chicken Fried Steak, aptly named because it is prepare in a similar fashion as fried chicken. In this post, I’m only to share my recipe for this crispy and flavorful entree that is quick and easy to make.
Key Ingredients for Chicken Fried Steak
This Chicken Fried Steak recipe is made up of your standard ingredients: flour, a blend of spices, oil for frying and table salt. That said, what makes this recipe stand out from the rest is the exclusion of Buttermilk, plus the use of Ground Mustard as well as Self-Rising Flour.
- Buttermilk vs. Eggs: Most Chicken Fried Steak recipes call for using both eggs and buttermilk for a wet batter. With eggs being an emulsifier, they help bind the flour to the steaks once they’re coated. Meanwhile, the acid in buttermilk helps to break down the protein in the steak and tenderize the meat. The thing is, it can take time for this process to happen. With this type of meal, things are moving quickly and the buttermilk doesn’t really have enough time for tenderization before frying. Furthermore, we’re already tenderizing the meat with a meat mallet prior to coating the batter & frying. Thus, for my recipe, I opt to leave out the Buttermilk entirely and only use eggs for binding.
- Ground Mustard: This is yet again a somewhat unusual ingredient for this dish, but similar to the self-rising flour above, it does serve a couple purposes with the Chicken Fried Steak. For one, like eggs, ground mustard is also an emulsifying ingredient that helps to bind the flour to the meat and prevent separation while frying. It is for this same reason that the ground mustard helps to give the chicken fried steak a crispy and crunchy crust. In addition, Ground Mustard is also an acidic ingredient that gives the chicken fried steak a subtle tangy undertone. Furthermore, the nice part about Ground Mustard is that when used in moderation, it doesn’t actually make the dish taste like Mustard.
- Self-Rising Flour: Why? For a couple of reasons. The nice part about Self-Rising Flour is that it’s flour that already contains both baking powder and salt. So in a way, you’re kind of killing 3 birds with 1 stone by simply using it. Aside from ther added flavor of the salt, when the baking powder reacts to both the heat and the moisture in the steak, it will dissolve and create carbon dioxide which will leave tiny air pockets in the batter. This will give the Chicken Fried Steak a coating that’s more on the lighter plus fluffier side and not so dense. Also, the baking powder helps the batter to brown more quickly and evenly while it’s frying.
And that’s all there is to it. While this has been categorized as a dish for dinner, it it often enjoyed by many for lunch as well. By the time you finish reading this post, you will also be a pro at making this dish yourself. There are many restaurant chains that serve a variation of this dish, but when your family begs you to take them there, you can tell them “We got Chicken Fried Steak at home!”
Tips for Making this Recipe
Don’t overcrowd the pan. This is the most common cause of soggy Chicken Fried Steak skin. When you place the relatively cool steaks into the hot skillet, because the cooler air is much denser, it will cause the temperature of the oil to drop. When the oil temperature drops too much, the breading will struggle to brown evenly and quickly. This is why you should only add so many steak into the skillet at a time and make sure they have plenty of space for breathing room. If necessary, it’s best to cook the steak in batches to ensure the ideal outcome. Using multiple skillets at once to cook the chicken fried steaks at the same time works as well.
Dry the meat before coating. In all likelihood, when you’re ready to prepare the Chicken Fried Steak (whether from the grocery store or thawed out from the freezer), the steaks will be wet. To ensure efficient coating of the batter, you want your cube steaks to be as dry as possible before attempting to dredge them in the flour and eggs. This will ensure the batter doesn’t become soggy (aiding with crispiness) as you fry it, and this will make it easier for the batter to stick to the steak. The most effective way to accomplish this is by patting the steaks dry with a paper towel, to soak up all of the excess liquid / moisture they may have.
Ensure ingredients are room temperature. This tip is imperative for a number of reasons. For one, making sure that all of the ingredients that were frozen/refrigerated are room temperature will help to ensure the Chicken Fried Steak(s) fry evenly once you place them in the skillet with hot grease. When the ingredients are too cold, that will cause too much of a rapid drop in the temperature of the oil in the skillet, which can lead to other issues that will prevent the steaks from cooking the right way. Room temperature ingredients will help to minimize grease absorption into both the meat & the skin, as well as guarantee that you end up with both crispier and juicier results.
User thermometer to check / monitor oil temp. Back in the day, our grandmas would often use the back of a wooden spoon or even flick a bit of flour into the grease to check & see if the oil were ready. This is in part because thermometers for cooking weren’t nearly as accessible nor affordable. And while all of those methods will work in a pinch, they’re also far from precise. To ensure you’re getting a completely accurate reading of the oil temperature as it warms up and while the steaks are frying, I recommend using a meat thermometer. A good meat thermometer should run you no more than $25, which is well-worth the investment for the best results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are the best sides to serve with Chicken Fried Steak?
As far as what’s considered the best sides with Chicken Fried Steak, this is very much subjective. If you ask me, the best side (which is my favorite) would be mashed potatoes. There are people would also serve chicken fried steak with starches such as french fries or macaroni & cheese along with some kind of vegetable (the most common vegetables being green beans, sweet peas, corn or broccoli). Regardless of which sides you choose, they would all be best if made fresh from scratch (in my humble opinion).
Can you substitute the Half & Half with Whole Milk for gravy?
While this substitution is fine, just note that Whole Milk has a lowere fat content than Half & Half. What this means is that the cook time will vary, as it will take longer for the gravy to thicken with the use of Whole Milk. The gravy may also not be as rich & creamy.
Are there any good alternatives to seed oils?
The answer to this question always gets tricky.
I do understand that there are varying opinions on the use of seed oils in the cooking process. In such cases, there are several alternatives that you *COULD* use for frying, but with a couple of important caveats. While animal fats such as lard can been used for Chicken Fried Steak, the biggest issue is they have a relatively lower smoke point than many of the commonly used seed oils, which leaves them susceptible to smoking (thus setting off alarms) as you cook, and even possibly burning the chicken. Beef Tallow does have a somewhat higher smoke point than the 2 aforementioned fats, but the biggest prohibiting factor with it for many individuals is cost (it’s quite expensive).
The other caveat is that the use of non-seed oils will change the flavor profile of the steaks. Seed oils (I.E. Peanut Oil, Canola Oil, etc.), are known to be neutral-tasting (meaning they have no flavor). While refined coconut and avocado oil are considered *MORE* neutral compared to other non-seed oils, they still tend to have a very distinct flavor that can be imparted into your steaks and overpower the spices/herbs.
All of that said, the short and sweet answer I can give you is I don’t recommend it. For a more detailed answer, see above.
How can I keep my Chicken Fried Steak warm after frying?
For those who have yet to master the art of cooking all of your food at the same time, or for those who may not be ready to eat immediately, it’s never fun having to eat cooled-off food that should be enjoyed hot. That said, something you can do with help prevent this from happening is by preheating your conventional oven to 200*F (93*C) and then placing the finished Chicken Fried Steak inside the oven until you’re ready to eat or serve it. Be careful not to abuse this though, as keeping the steaks in the oven for too long will cause the hot and arid air to dry it out.
How long can you store Chicken Fried Steak?
As long as the Chicken Fried Steak is stored in a airtight container or bag, they should be safe to eat for at least 3 days. After 3 days, they may begin to lose their flavor & texture. Once 5 days have passed, I would advise that you dispose of the steak as it may no longer be edible.
Try These Other Dinner Recipes
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Easy Homemade Hamburger Helper Italian Shells
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Easy Homemade Hamburger Helper Cheesy Macaroni
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Best Crispy Fried Chicken Recipe
Best Chicken Fried Steak Recipe
Equipment
- 2 8 x 8 Baking Dish
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Small Mixing Bowl
- 1 Large Cast-Iron Skillet, Electric Skillet or Saute Pan (12-14")
- 1 Cooling Rack
- 1 Tongs
- 1 Meat Mallet (Tenderizer)
- 1 Pair of Gloves (optional)
- Measuring Cups/Spoons
- Plastic Wrap
- Butcher Block (optional)
Ingredients
- 4 Cube Steaks
- Seasoned Salt (to taste)
- 2 - 2.5 Cups Frying Oil (neutral tasting)
Wet Batter
- 4 Extra Large Eggs
Dry Batter
- 2 Cups Self-Rising Flour
- 1 TBSP Garlic Powder
- 1 TBSP Onion Powder
- 1/2 TBSP Iodized Salt
- 1 TSP Ground Black Pepper
- 1 TSP Ground Mustard
- 1/2 TSP Lemon Pepper
- 1/2 TSP Cayenne Pepper
- 1/2 TSP Ground Paprika
White Gravy
- 1/4 Cup Reserve Steak Grease
- 1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
- 2 Cups Half-and-Half
- 1 TSP Garlic Powder
- 1 TSP Onion Powder
- 1/2 TSP Iodized Salt
- 1/2 TSP Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 TSP Dried Parsley
- 1/8 TSP Rubbed Sage (or 1/16 TSP Ground Sage)
Instructions
Chicken Fried Steak
- In small mixing bowl, beat eggs for 30 seconds
- Place cube steaks atop plastic wrap on clean flat surface or butcher block and cover the steaks with another sheet of plastic wrap
- Beat steaks with meat mallet in order to tenderize for 1-2 minutes, until steaks are only 1/4" thick.
- Remove top sheet of plastic wrap and sprinkle both sides of steaks with seasoned salt to taste.
- In one 8 x 8 baking dish, add self-rising flour along with spices for dry batter only, then whisk until well combined.
- In separate 8 x 8 baking dish, add beaten eggs.
- Carefully dip steaks (one at a time) in dry batter until well-coated, dip into eggs until well-coated, then finally dip once more in dry batter until well-coated.
- Place battered steaks on cooling rack and allow them to rest for 15-30 minutes
- While battered steaks are resting, add oil to skillet and warm on medium heat until it reaches 350*F (177*C)
- Once oil in skillet has reached 350*F (177*C), carefully lay steaks down in skillet and allow to cook on first side for 3-4 minutes (or until edges start to brown). Do *NOT* cover skillet.***
- Use tongs to flip the steaks and allow it to cook on other side for an additional 3-4 minutes (or until internal temp reaches at least 130°F).***
- Carefully remove steaks from skillet and place it on cooling rack (be sure to cover bottom of cooling rack with paper towel to account for any excess oil dripping), allowing them to cool/rest for 10-15 minutes.
White Gravy
- Once steaks are done, use cooking spoon to remove and separate reserve steak grease, then clean out the rest of the grease & flour from the skillet
- Once skillet is clean, add reserve grease back to skillet and warm skillet on medium to medium-low heat
- Slowly gradually add all-purpose flour while stirring constantly to ensure no clumping
- Once flour has been full incorporated, continue stirring constantly and heat for 2-4 minutes, making a roux.
- Slowly and gradually add 2 cups of half-and-half while stirring constantly. The roux may seize up initially, but will thin out as you continue to stir and add more liquid.
- Once all of the half-and-half has been added, add seasonings for gravy and continue heating for 1-3 minutes while stirring constantly.
- Remove gravy from heat and serve immediately.