Chicken Fried Steak with milk Gravy and Mashed Potatoes

The first time I ever ordered Chicken Fried Steak in a restaurant, I didn’t actually know what I was ordering. What will come out from the kitchen? Chicken or steak or both? Once it arrived and I had my first bite, I didn’t actually care what protein it was because it was delicious. Crispy, crunchy shell wrapped around this juicy piece of protein smothered in a thin gravy. It was heaven! Later on, I discovered it is a cheap cut of beef that is tenderized yet fried like chicken. It is seriously one of my favorite dishes. Give this quick and easy recipe a try and join me in my Chicken Fried Steak Club.

Chicken Fried Steak with milk Gravy and Mashed Potatoes

Prep time: 30 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1 pound all purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed

Kosher salt

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

2 large eggs

1 pound cubed steaks*, about 2-3 pieces

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 3/4 cups whole milk

Vegetable oil

2 teaspoons hot sauce

Instructions:

Place potatoes, garlic and 1 tablespoon Kosher salt in a large saucepan. Fill with cold water until potatoes are covered with 1-inch of water. Bring to a boil and lower heat to medium-low. Let simmer until potatoes are knife tender, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk 1 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika, white ground pepper and 1 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish. Beat the eggs in another shallow plate. Place a piece of steak on a cutting board and sprinkle with a pinch of baking soda.** Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. Using a meat tenderizer, pound steak until it is about 1/4-inch thick. Repeat with the remaining piece(s). Lightly season both sides with salt. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Drain water from the potatoes and garlic clove. Return saucepan back on low heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 1/4 cup milk. Mash until desired consistency. Season with salt. Turn off heat and keep lid on until ready to serve.
Fill a large skillet halfway with vegetable oil over high heat. While oil is heating up, dip the thin steak into the flour mixture until it is fully coated. Remove from flour and dip into egg mixture. Finally dip the steak back into the flour mixture. Carefully slide the steak into the hot oil and fry until golden brown and cooked through, 2-4 minutes per side. Transfer fried steak to a paper-towel lined plate and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Repeat with remaining steak. Adjusting the heat if steak browns too quickly.
Pour all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the skillet. Add the remaining butter to the skillet and let melt fully. Sprinkle in the remaining flour. Whisk until flour and fat and combined and forms a light golden brown roux. Continuing to whisk, slowly add the remaining milk. Adjust heat to medium-low and simmer until gravy thickens, about 3 minutes. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and hot sauce.
When ready to serve, spoon a mound of mashed potatoes on the side of the plate and lay the crispy steak on the side. Drizzle with gravy and enjoy while warm.

Cook’s Note

*What is cubed steak?

Cube steak or cubed steak is a cut of beef, usually top round or top sirloin, tenderized and flattened by pounding with a meat tenderizer. The name refers to the shape of the indentations left by that process. It is a usually a cheaper cut of meat that has ton of flavor but because of the lack of fat it can be super chewy. However, by tenderizing the meat, it become more versatile to quick cooking.

**Why sprinkle baking soda on the steak?

Baking soda is actually a tenderizing agent for the protein. However, a little goes a long way. If too much is used, it changes the texture of the steak.

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