Is there anyone out there that doesn’t enjoy a good southern chicken fried steak? If there is such a person, they are surely few and far between, that’s for sure!!!
This is classic southern comfort food that’s been around for centuries. I’ve tried several versions of this recipe trying to get it just right. Some were much too bland, and others produced a mushy, soggy breading. Cube steak, which is traditionally used resulted in a tough finished product that we did not enjoy. So I kept playing around with the recipe until I came up with this delicious version. What really makes this recipe so special are the 7 herbs and spices in the crust.
Plus using a Sirloin steak instead of a tougher, cheaper cut of meat produces a nice and tender finished product that’s tasty and melt in your mouth delicious…yum, yum, yum!
Prepare Sirloin steaks by cutting into 1/4 pound pieces.
Using a meat mallet pound each piece to a 1/4 inch thickness. Sirloin steaks are tender cuts, so the purpose of pounding the steaks so they are nice and thin is not for improving their tenderness, it’s to ensure they have cooked through when the breading is golden brown. A thick steak will not have time to cook through before the crust burns.
Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. When skillet is hot add vegetable oil.
While skillet is preheating, whisk together egg whites with a tablespoon of water in a shallow bowl. Set aside.
In another shallow bowl combine, the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley flakes, mustard powder, and paprika. Set aside.
Place one cube steak in the egg white to coat.
Then place in the flour mixture, pressing the meat into flour to coat completely.
Place coated steaks in the hot skillet. Continue coating the remaining steaks and add them to the skillet.
Cook steaks until coating is a rich golden brown color.
Remove steaks from the skillet and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Keep warm by placing them in the oven set at 200 degrees while you finish the gravy.
Pour off any excess oil from the skillet.
Add a pat of butter and diced yellow onions to the skillet.
Cook until onions are soft, stirring often to prevent them from burning, about 4-5 minutes.
Stir in 3-4 rounded tablespoons of the seasoned flour mixture.
Slowly add milk and, if using, the adobo seasoning. Stir until you have a smooth gravy and no lumps remain.
If gravy gets too thick, thin with more milk or some water as needed.
Cook and stir until you have a smooth rich gravy. This will only take a couple of minutes.
Serve chicken fried steaks over a bed of mashed potatoes and cover with gravy.
To serve, top with a sprinkle of green onions if desired.
Chicken Fried Steak & Gravy
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb Sirloin steak
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 2 egg whites
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 tsp adobo seasoning, optional
- 2 sliced green onions, as garnish
Instructions
- Cut beef into 4-6 equal sized pieces.
- Using a meat mallet, pound each piece of beef to ¼ inch thickness.
- Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. When skillet is hot add vegetable oil.
- While skillet is preheating, whisk together egg whites with a tablespoon of water in a shallow bowl. Set aside.
- In another shallow bowl combine, 1 cup of the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley flakes, mustard powder, and paprika. Set aside.
- Place one piece of beef in the egg white to coat.
- Then place in the flour mixture, pressing the beef into flour to coat it completely.
- Place coated steak in the hot skillet. Continue with remaining cube steaks.
- Cook steaks until coating is a rich golden brown color.
- Remove steaks from the skillet and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Keep warm.
- Pour off any excess oil from the skillet.
- Add a pat of butter and diced yellow onions to the skillet. Cook until onions are soft, stirring often to prevent them from burning, about 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in 3-4 rounded tablespoons of seasoned flour.
- Slowly add milk and adobo seasoning. Stir until you have a smooth gravy and no lumps remain. If gravy gets too thick, thin with more milk or water if needed.
- Serve chicken fried steaks over a bed of mashed potatoes and cover with gravy.
- Top with a sprinkle of green onions to serve.
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