Chicken Fried Steak

Ingredients

• 4 cube steaks, each about 1/3 pound
• 1 ½ cups vegetable oil
• Buttermilk Marinade
• 2 cups buttermilk, see notes for substitutions
• 2 large eggs
• 3 teaspoons salt
• Breading
• 1 cups flour
• 1/3 cup corn starch
• 1 ½ teaspoons seasoned salt
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Gravy
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 3 Tablespoons flour
• 3 Tablespoons pan drippings
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 ½ cup milk
• ¾ cup half and half
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Steps

1. Chicken Fried Steak:

2. Place saran wrap over each cube steak and use the rough end of a meat tenderizer to pound it thin, about ½ inch thick or so. This really makes a nice difference in the consistency of the meat even though cube steak has already been tenderized.

3. Pat the steaks completely dry. Combine the marinade ingredients in a large casserole dish.

4. Cover and marinate the steaks in the fridge for 1-2 hours, or overnight. (The longer the better.)

5. Combine breading ingredients. Generously coat each steak just before you fry it.

6. Add enough oil to cover the steak by 1/3 and heat it to 350° F. (Make sure it’s properly preheated or the breading will fall off.)

7. Cook the steaks in batches of 2, leaving room around each. Fry for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Use kitchen tongs to carefully check the bottom and flip.

8. Remove and transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow excess oil to drip out from the bottom. This keeps the bottom nice and crispy.

9. Once all the steaks are fried, keep them warm in a 200° F oven while you prepare the gravy.

   Gravy:

10. Transfer the pan drippings into a small heat-proof bowl. Don’t clean the pan.

11. Allow the black flecks to fall to the bottom and skim 3 tablespoons of clean oil off the top. Set aside.

12. Melt the butter in the same pan over medium heat.

13. Whisk in the flour for 1 minute to cook off the raw flour taste.

14. Add the oil drippings and minced garlic. cook for 1 minute.

15. Add the seasonings, and then the chicken broth in splashes, stirring continuously.

16. Add milk and half and half in splashes, stirring continuously. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer.

17. Let it simmer and thicken until desired consistency is obtained.