Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy
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You can’t get more down-home cooking than Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy. Perfect for hearty, Meat-and-Potato food lovers, like my husband, my father, and my brothers. Comfort food deluxe!
(Post modified on 7/11/23.)
To make this dish you begin with a package of round steak. These can be from your local grocer or butcher, tenderized or not. If not, then you’ll want to sprinkle on some tenderizing salt and pound them with a meat tenderizing mallet.
What makes this recipe extra special is the crushed cracker and flour mixture along with the buttermilk batter the steaks are dipped in. This gives the steaks such wonderful flavor. Then add a spoonful or two of the homemade gravy, full of little bits of fried steak. Oh so good. Can you say yummy?
More Steak Dinners to Enjoy
Ingredients for Chicken Fried Steaks
(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
- round steak
- crushed saltine crackers
- all-purpose flour
- seasoned salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- large eggs
- buttermilk
- vegetable oil
Gravy
- all-purpose flour
- whole milk
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions for Making This Recipe
Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare your Ingredients
Using a meat tenderizing mallet, pound the round steaks to tenderize.
You can either buy steaks that are already tenderized, or tenderize them yourself at home.
Place saltine crackers in a gallon freezer bag and crush the crackers using a rolling pin (or the cleaned mallet).
In a shallow bowl, stir together the crushed saltine crackers, all-purpose flour, seasoned salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
In another shallow bowl mix together the large eggs and buttermilk.
Dredge each steak first in the cracker mixture, then in the egg batter, and then a second time in the cracker mixture. Pat cracker mixture onto the surface of each steak until completely coated.
It helps to prepare your ingredients ahead of time and have them on the counter, ready to use. This includes your work station for making the steaks. One bowl for crackers and flour, and another for the egg and buttermilk mixture. Dredge your steaks in the flour, soak in the buttermilk, and then dredge again, to get a nice good coating on the steaks.
Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet. Fry steaks until golden brown, approximately 8-10 minutes on each side. When done, keep warm on paper towels.
Make sure your skillet it good and hot before you sear the steaks. Cook to brown on one side before turning to brown on the other.
Make the Gravy
Scrape the bottom of the skillet with a metal spatula to release crumbs for gravy. Add the vegetable oil to the skillet and heat for 1-2 minutes on medium heat.
Stir the all-purpose flour into the oil to make a paste. Add whole milk and whisk until thickened. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Meal Prep Tips on Gravy
Have the rest of your meal ready to serve before starting the gravy, as it doesn’t take long for the gravy to cook.
Prepare your mashed potatoes at the beginning of this process, along with any other vegetables. I like serving this entre with green beans, or peas for a pop of color, yet still very traditional.
Once you have your other sides ready, prepare your gravy, whisking it as it cooks and thickens. Add whole milk as needed until you have the desired consistency.
To serve, pour the gravy generously over your Chicken Fried Steak and mashed potatoes. Oh my! Yummy, yummy.
This recipe will serve 4 people.
See more Comfort Food Recipes Here. View Main Dishes Here. Browse Beef Recipes Here.
Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy
Ingredients
- 2 pounds round steak
- 2 cups crushed saltine crackers
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
Gravy
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3-4 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Gather all your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare the Ingredients
- Using a meat mallet, pound steaks to tenderize, if necessary.
- Place saltine crackers in a gallon freezer bag and crush with a rolling pin or "cleaned" meat mallet.
- In a shallow bowl, stir together the crushed saltine crackers, all-purpose flour, seasoned salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- In another shallow bowl mix together the large eggs and buttermilk.
Prepare the Steaks
- Dredge each tenderized round steak first in the cracker mixture, then in the egg batter, and then a second time in the cracker mixture. Pat cracker mixture onto the surface of each steak until completely coated.
- Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet. Fry steaks until golden brown, approximately 8-10 minutes on each side. When done, keep warm on paper towels.
Make the Gravy
- Scrape the bottom of the skillet with a metal spatula to release crumbs for gravy.
- Pour more oil in the skillet if needed and heat for 1-2 minutes on medium heat.
- Stir the all-purpose flour into the oil to make a paste. Add whole milk and whisk until thickened. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- To serve, spoon hot gravy over steaks and mashed potatoes. Serves 4
Nutrition