Chicken-Fried Steak with Cream Gravy
Crisp, golden steak under a blanket of peppery cream gravy — the Texas plate-lunch icon.
Ingredients
- 4 tenderized cube steaks
- 1.5 cups flour
- 1 tsp each salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- Oil, for frying
- Cream gravy: 3 tbsp pan drippings, 3 tbsp flour, 2 cups milk, salt and plenty of black pepper
Method
- Season the steaks. Set up a dredge: seasoned flour, then egg whisked with buttermilk, then flour again.
- Dredge each steak flour–egg–flour, pressing to coat well.
- Fry in 1/2 inch of 350°F oil, 3–4 minutes per side, until golden and crisp; drain.
- For the gravy, whisk the flour into 3 tbsp drippings, cook 1 minute, whisk in the milk, and simmer until thick; season generously with pepper.
- Blanket the steaks in cream gravy and serve.
Serve with mashed potatoes and pour the gravy over everything.