American
Crispy Chicken Fried Steak with Pepper Gravy
Tender cube steaks with a craggy seasoned crust and creamy black pepper milk gravy.
4 servings · 35 minutes prep · 25 minutes cook
Ingredients
Steak
- 4 cube steaks, 6 oz each, 6 oz each, patted dry
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, for seasoning steaks and flour
- 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tbsp hot sauce, optional for mild heat
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, for dredging
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
- 2 cups avocado oil, for frying
Gravy
- 3 tbsp frying oil, reserved from frying
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, for roux
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
Directions
Season and Bread the Steaks
- Pat cube steaks dry. Season both sides with about half of the salt and the pepper, then rest 20 minutes so the surface seasons and dries slightly.
- Whisk buttermilk, egg, and hot sauce in a bowl. In breading dishes, mix flour, paprika, granulated garlic, and the remaining salt and pepper.
- Dredge each steak in the seasoned flour, dip in the buttermilk mixture, then dredge again, pressing until the coating looks craggy. Rest on a rack for 10 minutes so the crust hydrates and adheres.
Fry the Steaks
- Heat avocado oil to 350F. Fry the steaks in batches until deep golden and crisp and the center reaches 145°F, about 3-4 minutes per side, keeping the oil near 325-350F. Drain on a wire rack and rest for 3 minutes before serving.
Make the Pepper Gravy
- Pour off the frying oil, reserving 3 tbsp and the browned bits. Whisk reserved frying oil with flour in a skillet and cook until pale tan and nutty, about 2 minutes.
- Whisk in whole milk gradually, scraping up the browned bits. Add black pepper and kosher salt, then simmer until spoon-coating but pourable, 4-5 minutes.
Sauce and Serve
- Spoon the hot pepper gravy over the steaks immediately so the crust stays crisp at the edges.
