Old-Fashioned Chicken Fried Steak

Ingredients

Tick each one off as you go.

• For the steaks and crust
• 4 beef minute steaks (cube steak), about 150 g each
• 1 ⅔ cups (200 g) all-purpose flour, for dredging
• 1½ tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder and 1 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp cayenne and ½ tsp baking powder (optional)
• 2 eggs, beaten with 120 ml buttermilk and a dash of hot sauce
• vegetable oil, for shallow frying (about 250 ml)
• For the cream gravy
• 2 ⅛ cups (500 ml) whole milk, warmed
• 3 tbsp reserved drippings and 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt and ¾–1 tsp black pepper (plenty)
• mashed potatoes, to serve

Method

1. Season and set up. Pat the steaks dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. In a wide dish, mix the flour with 1½ tsp salt, the pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne and baking powder. In a second dish, beat the eggs with the buttermilk and hot sauce.
2. Dredge flour, egg, flour. Coat a steak in the seasoned flour, then the egg wash, then back into the flour — pressing the flour on firmly so it clings in craggy patches. Set on a tray and repeat with the rest. Let them rest 10–15 minutes so the coating sets.
3. Heat the oil. Pour oil about 1 cm deep into a large heavy skillet and heat to 180°C — a pinch of flour should sizzle at once. Get it properly hot; cool oil gives a greasy, soft crust.
4. Fry. Fry two steaks at a time for 3–4 minutes each side until deep golden and crisp. Don't crowd the pan or turn them too soon. Drain on a wire rack and keep warm in a low oven.
5. Build the gravy. Pour off all but 3 tbsp of oil, keeping the browned bits in the pan. Whisk in 3 tbsp flour and cook 1–2 minutes to a pale roux, scraping up all the fond. Gradually whisk in the warm milk and simmer, whisking, until thick and glossy, 3–5 minutes.
6. Pepper and serve. Season the gravy with salt and plenty of black pepper — it should be properly peppery. Serve the steaks over mashed potatoes, smothered in the cream gravy.