Hello, internet cowboys and cowgirls! The Bloggess is back in the saddle, and today we’re wrangling up a dish as quintessentially American as a bald eagle riding on a Harley Davidson, Chicken Fried Steak!

Now, before you laugh and pick up the takeout menu, hear me out. This ain’t your average cafeteria mystery meat mystery fry. No guys, it’s crispy golden perfection built upon the most tenderized juicy steak.

So grab your hats (because safety first even in the kitchen), blast some Hank Williams (because country music and chicken fried steak go together like peanut butter and jelly), and let’s get this chuckwagon rollin’!

Ingredients:

The Steaks of Destiny:

• 4 cube steaks (because lazy cowboys love pre-tenderized cube steaks)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (because the law of the land is aggressive seasoning)

The Dredging Debacle:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (because fancy flours are for fancy folks, we’re keepin’ it simple)
• 1 tbsp paprika (because just a sprinkle of paprika adds some smoky magic)
• 1 tsp garlic powder (because there are real vampires even in Texas)
• 1 tsp onion powder (because caramelized onions are actually very useful in any type of cooking fried including frying too)
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (Because never harm with little spice except for that time I ate an entire bag of ghost peppers.)
• 2 large eggs, beaten (the glue that holds this whole fried steak rodeo together)
• 2 cups buttermilk Every cowboy knows that buttermilk makes everything tender and delicious

The Greasy Glory:

• Vegetable oil because during frying vegetable oil is king even though olive oil looks down its nose

The Gravy Grandeur:

• Butter (because everything is better with butter, even gravy)
• All-purpose flour (because it’s the thickening agent of choice)
• Beef broth (because homemade is divine, store-bought will do in a pinch, and use that carton you were about to throw away that was used to water your wilting peace lily)
• Milk (splish splash of milk brings some smooth creaminess to the party)
• Salt and pepper because more taste can never hurt

The Great Chicken Fried Steak Caper: A Step-by-Step Escapade

1. Tenderizing the Titans:

Pat your cube steaks dry with paper towels (nobody wants a soggy steak, not even fried). Now think about these steaks as if they are grumpy cowboys who need some convincing.

Sprinkle them generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let them sit for a few minutes so that all the seasoning can work its magic.

2. Debauchery of dredging:

Into a large shallow dish, whisk all-purpose flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper together. These are just the dry rub which is the base flavor. Whisk together beaten eggs and buttermilk into another dish.

Now comes the fun part: dredging. Coat each steak in the flour mixture by dredging it. Shake off any excess flour before dunking it into the wet egg and buttermilk mixture so that it can get a good soaking this time round.

Finally, dredge it back in the flour mixture making sure that you coat it completely Repeat for all steaks because double-dipping is mandatory when dealing with chicken fried steak.

3. The frenzy of frying

Heat enough vegetable oil for frying (about 1/2 inch) in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil reaches an appropriate temperature (a drop of water should sizzle and pop), put in your breaded steaks carefully.

Don’t crowd your pan since you want them to fry not steam Fry steaks for 3-4 minutes on either side or until they are golden brown and crispy.

4. The finale of the gravy

Now drain your steaks which have been fried to perfection on a paper towel-lined plate Time to make that sweet sauce that brings everything together –gravy Melt butter in a used skillet.

Once melted and bubbly whisk in flour then cook it for about one minute creating a roux (it’s just a fancy name for flour plus butter friends).

Gradually pour beef broth and milk while stirring constantly until the thickened sauce becomes smoothest and pepper your gravy as desired.

Keep in mind seasoning is subjective so if you’re like me and loves flavors you wouldn’t shy away from adding more taste Allow the gravy to simmer for several minutes as flavors meld together

5. The feast grand

A Symphony of Creamy and Crunchy

Now, round up your troops (or don’t because it’s no big deal) and get ready for a taste bust. Put those crispy chicken fried steaks on plates with that deep creamy gravy all over them and just enjoy the moment.

You may also serve it with mashed potato and green beans to make it the ultimate comfort food experience. Alternatively, have it alongside a dish of grits and top it with a fried egg.

No brainer people! This is pure old-fashioned comfort food. So, grab yourself a fork, start eating, and relish every bite you take. Besides, don’t worry even if you sprinkle some gravy on your shirt; it’s a badge of honor.

That is how you make the best homemade chicken fried steak this side of the Mississippi River Go out there and conquer one crunchy bite at a time as you cover everything in gravy.

P.S: If you put ketchup on your chicken-fried steak then we cannot be friends.