YUM! Here is what we had for dinner tonight. I posted this over a year and a half ago, and I think I’ve only made it once or twice since then. Indulgent, but oh so satisfying! Here is the recipe in case you weren’t a follower that long ago:
Chicken Fried Steak with Cream Gravy, Yumm!
Amazingly, my daughter announced last night she would be glad to help make dinner tonight. My plan was to teach her how to make some good old-fashioned chicken fried steak with cream gravy, mashed potatoes, and green beans. I even bought some cubed steaks a couple of days ago because I was craving some good Texas food. (I haven’t tenderized a round steak in years for this. It doesn’t help that the head of my cheap wooden tenderizer flies off every time I use it. My mom has this fantastic solid metal one, which I’m sure she got from her mother.)
The recipe came from my mind, because any true Texan just “knows” how to make it. Since my daughter was born and raised in Oregon, I guess this osmosis effect never transferred this particular ability to her. Unfortunately, when I told her it was time to make dinner, her idea of “helping” to make dinner was to peel the potatoes and put them in the pot to boil. I practically had to force her to watch me bread the steaks, and off she went on her iPod Touch to chat with her friends. No matter, she’ll come around eventually. This recipe is for two, but it is easily multiplied. This is an “eyeball” recipe, as amounts really depend on how many steaks you are cooking and how much gravy you want to go with them.
Chicken Fried Steak with Cream Gravy
2 cubed steaks, or round steaks tenderized
Flour
Black pepper
Cayenne pepper
Paprika
Salt to taste
1 egg
Milk
Oil for skillet
On a plate or in a bowl, mix together about a half cup of flour and the seasonings to taste. I liberally add a lot of black pepper. Since my no-salt hubby is gone, I added a little bit of salt tonight! Beat the egg with some milk in a bowl. Dredge the steaks in the flour mixture until coated, then dip in the egg mixture to coat. Dredge the steaks once again in the flour until coated well (your fingers will get nice and clumpy at this part) and set aside on another plate. Reserve the extra flour mixture for the gravy. Heat about a quarter- to half-inch of oil in a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, until hot, but not smoking. Very carefully set each steak in the hot oil with a spatula. It will splatter, so watch out!
Let the steaks sizzle in the oil for about four or five minutes, until you see red juice bubbling out of the top. Carefully slide the spatula under each steak and gently flip them over. Fry for about another five minutes until crispy brown. Remove the steaks from the skillet and drain on paper towels.
Sizzling Steaks
For the cream gravy, pour all but about two tablespoons of oil out of the skillet and make sure the crispy bits stay in the pan. Add about two tablespoons of the reserved flour mixture to the skillet and stir and mash it down to remove lumps until just starting to brown. Slowly add about a cup of milk, stirring constantly, until the gravy starts to thicken. Add lots and lots of more pepper at this point, and salt to taste. Continue stirring until the gravy is the consistency you want, adding more milk or water if it gets too thick.
Put the chicken fried steaks on each plate, pour a generous amount of cream gravy over them, and serve with mashed potatoes and more cream gravy, and a vegetable of choice. I’ve always enjoyed green beans with this meal. Now that’s a taste of Texas, isn’t it?
anotherfoodieblogger 
I cannot stand white gravy. But I make this and use brown gravy.
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Hey Melanie! But brown or white, either way, it’s all good. Thanks for the comment!
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Yummy! And you’re right- lots of pepper in the gravy.
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Absolutely Sheila! Lots and lots. The only way to go. Thanks for your comment!
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You forgot the biscuits!!!!! 😉 I love chicken fried steak and, to be authentic, it has to be pan (cast iron skillet) fried. Deep fat fried ‘aint chicken fried steak. It’s lazy man, trying to make a buck fried steak. There is a huge difference between pan fried and deep fat fried, especially when it comes to the gravy. I like to add chicken stock, reduce it and then finish it with the cream but the traditional way is just cream/milk and lots of freshly, coarse ground black pepper. You might say this is Texas style steak au poivre. Guaranteed to irritate any French cook. 😉
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Hahahaha Richard! Of course I used a cast iron skillet for this, where the heck do you think I was raised? I didn’t deep fry it this time, just used a thin layer of oil. We have been trying to eat a bit healthier, hence the long periods between making this. And yes, I used the traditional method of just milk with a ton of pepper. My husband is of French descent but in no way has he ever been bothered by my way of cooking it, in fact he requested it today! lol 😉 Yes, I forgot the biscuits on purpose. I don’t do any bread with meals anymore, unless it’s integral to sop something up like soup. As always, I appreciate your comments Richard!
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Kathryn, I saw the cast iron skillet in the photo and knew you did this one right. 🙂 You got the pan fried chicken fried steak, the mashed taters and green beans. Perfection on a plate. Now, did you have sweet tea with it? 😉
I may eat chicken fried streak once every 2 years or so because we try to stay away from fried foods as much as possible. It sure is good though.
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As ubiquitous as sweet tea is in Texas, I cannot stand sugar in my iced tea! I always order it plain. I do not think I could go two years without chicken fried steak, though… 😉
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