This recipe almost got me… but I wasn’t about to get got! I persisted and ended up with one of the best Chicken Fried Steak recipes you will make! I wanted to make sure the steak stayed tender, the outside fried up crispy without burning, and it had to have stand-out flavor in the fried country steak AND the gravy. All I have to say is…NAILED IT!
I know you are going to love this Midwest classic as much as my family does. I like to serve it with Mashed Potatoes, peas or other green veggie, and dinner rolls (with salted butter).
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love this Fried Steak
- Ingredients for CHicken Fried Steak and Gravy
- How To Make Chicken Fried Steak
- Serving
- Variations
- Storing & Reheating Chicken Fried Steak
- Chicken Fried Steak FAQ’s
- More Midwest Comfort Dinners
- Did you make this recipe?
- Country Fried Steak Recipe
- Leave a comment and rate this recipe!
Why You’ll Love this Fried Steak
- The recipe uses an inexpensive cut of beef, cube steak, which saves you money at the grocery store!
- The recipe has a few steps, but the flavor payout is worth it.
- It is a classic Midwest recipe (that we specialize in).
- This is a hearty dinner that will fill up the hungriest in the bunch!
Ingredients for CHicken Fried Steak and Gravy
Cube Steaks
Cube steak is an inexpensive cut of beef, usually top round or sirloin. It’s been run through a mechanical tenderizer, giving it those little "cube" marks you see on the surface. This tenderizing process breaks down tough muscle fibers, making it perfect for quick-cooking, breaded recipes like chicken fried steak. You want the steaks to be about ¼ inch thick, so if they are thicker than that you will want to pound them to the right thickness.
Buttermilk
Buttermilk adds flavor and helps tenderize the meat. It also helps the breading stick better, giving you a thicker, crunchier crust.
No Buttermilk? Make Your Own
If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can easily make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 cup of milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. It won't be quite as rich as real buttermilk, but it still adds the tang and helps tenderize the steak and bind the coating.
Eggs
Eggs act as the "glue" that helps the breading cling to the steak so it doesn't fall off during frying.
Saltine Crackers
Using crushed Saltine crackers instead of just flour is what gives this chicken fried steak its classic diner flavor and texture. The crackers add seasoning and extra crunch that plain flour can't quite do. When crushed finely, they create a sturdy coating that fries up golden, crispy, and stays crunchy longer, especially when paired with cornstarch. This is one of those small things that makes this recipe “restaurant quality”.
Cornstarch
Cornstarch is the secret to extra crunch. It keeps the coating light and crispy instead of heavy or soggy.
Vegetable Oil
A neutral oil with a high smoke point is key for even browning and crisp frying without burning.
Salted Butter
Butter starts the gravy and adds rich, classic flavor and you know we only recognize salted butter here at Mom’s Dinner.
All-Purpose Flour
Flour thickens the gravy perfectly when added to the butter.
Whole Milk
Whole milk makes the gravy creamy and rich. Lower fat milk won't give you the same weight and creaminess.
Seasoned Salt (Lawry's)
Seasoned salt adds layers of flavor in one step.
How To Make Chicken Fried Steak
Step 1
Mix the buttermilk, kosher salt, black pepper and egg together. Add the cube steaks and marinate for 4 hours – up to 12 hours.
Step 2
Remove the steaks from the buttermilk/egg mixture, drain off some of the liquid and then coat in the crushed saltine mixture.
Step 3
Pan fry in oil until perfectly golden and cooked through.
Step 4
Lightly wipe out the pan, then add the butter and chicken base, when melted add the flour, stir around the pan for 1 minute. Add in the onion powder.
Step 5
Slowly pour in the milk and whisk until thickened. Season with Lawry’s and black pepper.
Step 6
Serve the Chicken fried steak with the white pan gravy drizzled over top.
Serving
This is a down home dinner that deserves some comfort food side dishes! Here are a few of our favorites:
Variations
We love it when readers take the original recipe and doctor it up to your liking. Here are a few renditions I think would be excellent!
Buttermilk Ranch Country Fried Steak Whisk 1-2 tablespoons dry ranch seasoning into the buttermilk/egg mixture. It adds tangy, herby flavor and pairs really well with the creamy gravy.
Spicy Chicken Fried Steak Add cayenne pepper or smoked paprika to the breading and a splash of hot sauce to the buttermilk/egg mixture. It keeps the comfort-food feel but gives it a little kick.
Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Fried Steak Mix finely grated Parmesan into the cracker coating. It adds salty richness and helps the crust brown beautifully.
Chicken Fried Pork Cutlets Use thin pork cutlets instead of cube steak. Pound them thin and follow the same process. Super tender and very budget friendly.
Country Fried Steak with Onion Gravy Add thinly sliced onions to the skillet after frying the steaks. Let them soften and caramelize, then proceed with making the gravy with the onions mixed in.
Storing & Reheating Chicken Fried Steak
Let the steaks cool completely before storing. Placing hot fried steak straight into a container traps steam and softens the coating.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- If possible, keep the steak and gravy stored separately. This helps the coating stay crisp.
- Place a paper towel in the container to absorb excess moisture.
For longer storage, country fried steak can be frozen:
- Wrap each cooled steak tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag.
- Freeze for up to 2 months for best quality.
- Freeze gravy separately in a freezer-safe container.
Reheating
Oven Reheating This is the best way to bring back the crunch.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Place steaks on a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
- Heat for 12-15 minutes, flipping once if needed.
- Heat gravy separately on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Using a rack allows hot air to circulate and keeps the bottom from getting soggy.
Skillet Reheating A good option when you don't want to heat the oven.
- Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium.
- Warm steaks for 2 to 3 minutes per side until heated through.
Chicken Fried Steak FAQ’s
Chicken fried steak and country fried steak are very similar and are often used interchangeably. The main difference usually comes down to the gravy and crispy coating. Chicken fried steak is typically coated in a crispier, cracker style or seasoned flour breading and served with creamy white gravy. Country fried steak may have a softer coating and is sometimes served with brown gravy or an onion gravy.
Cube steak is the most common and best choice for chicken fried steak and/or country fried steak. It has already been mechanically tenderized, which makes it perfect for quick frying. Top round or sirloin that's pounded very thin and tenderized can also work if you can't find cube steak. This OXO tenderizer can be used at home.
Breading usually falls off when the the coating isn't pressed on firmly, or the oil isn't hot enough. Make to follow the dredging steps in order, and press the coating into the meat. Letting the breaded steak rest for 5-10 minutes before frying also helps the coating set. Frying in oil that's around 350°F keeps the crust sealed and prevents it from breaking off the steak.
To keep chicken fried steak crispy, use cornstarch in the breading, don't overcrowd the pan, and fry in well heated oil. After frying, place the steaks on a wire rack instead of paper towels so steam doesn't soften the crust. If you're holding them for a short time, keep them warm in a low oven on a rack to keep everything crispity!
You can bread the steaks up to 24 hours in advance and store them covered in the refrigerator. This actually helps the coating stick better. For best results, fry them just before serving.
A neutral oil with a high smoke point works best, such as vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil. These oils handle high heat well without burning and won't overpower the flavor of the steak.
More Midwest Comfort Dinners
Did you make this recipe?
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Country Fried Steak Recipe
Ingredients
Country Fried Steak
- 4 to 5 – 6 ounce cube steaks - pounded to ¼ inch thick
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 35 Saltine Squares - finely crushed
- ⅓ cup cornstarch - keeps the coating crispy
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 cup vegetable oil - for frying
Gravy
- 2 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 Tbsp chicken base - we like Better Than Bouillon
- 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt - Lawry’s
- black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Mix buttermilk, eggs, kosher salt and black pepper.1 cup buttermilk, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 2 large eggs, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Add cube steaks to a Ziplock bag or shallow dish. Pour buttermilk mixture over steaks and marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours and a maximum of 24 hours. 8-10 hours is ideal.4 to 5 – 6 ounce cube steaks
- When ready to cook, remove marinating steaks from the refrigerator and let them rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
- Mix the crushed saltine crackers with cornstarch and seasonings in a shallow bowl or rimmed plate.35 Saltine Squares, ⅓ cup cornstarch, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- Pull steaks from the marinade and allow to drip well before adding directly to the cracker mixture.
- Press cracker crumbs into meat well, flipping and pressing into both sides and edges, making sure to cover every last bit of meat so there are no bare spots.
- Place coated steaks on a plate and rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes while preheating the oil at medium-low heat. Oil should just cover the bottom of the pan and not be too deep.1 cup vegetable oil
- Drop in a few sprinkles of flour to make sure the oil is sufficiently hot. When the flour sizzles immediately, you know it’s ready. (The steaks should not brown right away, if it does, the skillet is too hot.)
- Add one steak to the pan, then prep the next. Alternating the time steaks are added to the pan helps maintain a more even oil temperature.
- Fry for 3-4 minutes per side. Flip with flat tongs, being careful not to scrape the coating off.
- Drain on a cooling rack at room temperature while you fry the other steaks.
- Wipe excess grease from the pan. Add the butter and chicken base and melt. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk stir it into the butter, cook for about 1 minute. Sprinkle in the onion powder. Now slowly whisk the milk into the roux.2 tablespoon salted butter, 2 tablespoon all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 ½ cups whole milk, 1 tablespoon chicken base
- Simmer until it is thickened, about 5-8 minutes depending on your preference. Season with Lawry's and pepper.½ teaspoon seasoned salt, black pepper
- Serve the country fried steak with gravy smothered over top, mashed potatoes, peas and dinner rolls on the side.
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