Description
Hearty golden country-fried steak delivers Southern comfort straight to dinner tables with crispy, seasoned perfection. Creamy homestyle gravy drizzled over tender beef creates a classic meal that connects generations of home cooks with pure, satisfying flavor you’ll crave again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 4 beef cube steaks (about 0.33 pounds/5.3 ounces each)
Coating and Seasoning:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Cooking and Gravy Ingredients:
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 2 tablespoons reserved frying oil
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare a seasoned flour blend by combining flour with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish.
- Create an egg wash by whisking eggs with milk in a separate shallow container.
- Thoroughly coat each steak by first dredging in the seasoned flour, then dipping into the egg mixture, and finally returning to the flour mixture for a complete, crispy coating.
- Heat oil in a large skillet to medium-high temperature (around 350°F), ensuring the pan is hot enough for a golden, crisp exterior.
- Carefully place coated steaks into the hot oil, frying for approximately 4 minutes per side until achieving a rich, golden-brown crust and internal temperature reaches 145°F for medium-rare.
- Transfer fried steaks to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil, keeping them warm.
- Reduce skillet heat to medium and create a roux by whisking frying oil with flour until smooth and slightly golden.
- Slowly incorporate milk into the roux, continuously whisking to prevent lumps and scraping up flavorful browned bits from the pan.
- Simmer the gravy, stirring constantly, until it thickens to a creamy consistency and coats the back of a spoon.
- Season gravy with additional salt and pepper to taste, then generously ladle over the crispy country-fried steaks before serving.
Notes
- Maximize crispiness by ensuring the oil is hot enough before adding steaks, around 350-375°F for perfect golden-brown crust.
- Tenderize tougher cuts of meat by pounding steaks to an even 1/4-inch thickness before breading, which helps achieve uniform cooking.
- Create a gluten-free version by substituting all-purpose flour with cornstarch or gluten-free flour blend in both breading and gravy preparation.
- Reduce calories by using a wire rack after frying to let excess oil drip off, or opt for oven-baking the breaded steaks at 425°F for a lighter alternative.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 590 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 640 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 21 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 155 mg