Tender beef steak soaked in a buttermilk bath, coated in seasoned flour, and fried until crispy, golden, and seriously crunchy. Smother it in a creamy, flavourful gravy, and you’ve got yourself a classic southern meal! This recipe is simple, but has a few tips and tricks that take your southern chicken fried steak from good to incredible!
What is Southern Chicken Fried Steak?
As an Aussie, I must admit that when my husband first asked me to make ‘chicken fried steak’, I was baffled. I had no idea what that even meant! So I did some detective work, and it turns out southern chicken fried steak is steak that is fried in a coating that is very much like fried chicken. Hence, the name chicken fried steak! And you know what? It really does taste like the perfect mix of tender steak and beautifully seasoned fried chicken! The classic pairing is a creamy gravy to pour on top, and it’s utterly irresistible! Southern cuisine really does have some of the best comfort food.
My recipe for the best southern chicken fried steak calls for soaking the steak in a flavourful buttermilk bath. Then coat the steaks in perfectly seasoned flour before frying. But the techniques I use guarantee incredibly tender beef, and a super crispy coating that actually sticks on! And it passes the husband taste-test – yay! That’s a win in my books. Although, he did very patiently wait for many weeks until I perfected this recipe. All in the name of perfect southern chicken fried steak!
Ingredients for this Southern Chicken Fried Steak Recipe
Classic southern chicken fried steak uses a tougher cut of beef – usually round – because of its affordability. Round steak is cut from the hindquarter of the cow, which is why it’s tough (it’s a hard-working muscle!). But once we tenderise it, that’s no problemo!
For the buttermilk bath, you’ll need buttermilk, of course. You’ll also need eggs, salt and pepper, and your hot sauce of choice! I use Frank’s Red Hot, but pick your favourite.
For the flour coating, you’ll need flour, cornstarch (for extra crispiness), baking soda and baking powder (also for extra crispiness)! You’ll also need salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.
And finally, the gravy! For this, you’ll use some of the oil leftover in the pan after frying the chicken fried steaks, and leftover seasoned flour. You’ll also need milk, cream, and salt and pepper. A lot of the flavour comes from the leftover oil, and the seasoned flour anyway!
How to Make Southern Chicken Fried Steak
First, tenderise your meat by giving it a good bash with a tenderiser. Then, whisk the eggs, hot sauce, salt and pepper into the buttermilk. Soak the meat in the buttermilk bath for 1.5-2 hours. The acidity from the buttermilk is going to help tenderise the meat even further! But if you’re really in a rush, even just 10-15 minutes will make a noticeable difference.
Then, mix your spices in with your flour, and dip the buttermilk-soaked steaks in the seasoned flour. Make sure to press the flour into the steak with your hands to help it stay on.
Then, place your steaks on a wire rack, and set them aside for 30 minutes. This is crucial to helping the coating stick! When I’ve skipped this step, and head straight into frying my chicken fried steaks, the coating sticks on noticeably less.
Then, fry your southern chicken fried steaks in oil. I use beef tallow – but use what you personally prefer.
And this is important – set them on a wire rack to prevent them going soggy. You didn’t go through all this effort for sogginess at the point! Once they’re all cooked, it’s time to make the gravy! Add a few tablespoons of the seasoned flour into the remaining oil in your pan, to make a roux. Then whisk in your milk and cream, let the gravy thicken, and adjust for salt and pepper. This only takes a few minutes. Then pour on top of your southern chicken fried steak, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
I like to keep things classic with this recipe. Of course, be generous with that delicious, creamy gravy on top of your southern chicken fried steak. And to complete the meal, serve alongside some charred corn, seasoned green beans, and fluffy, buttery mashed potato. If that doesn’t scream comfort food to you, I’m not sure what will!
I truly hope you love this recipe! xxx
The Best Southern Chicken Fried Steak Recipe with Gravy
Description
Tender beef steak soaked in a buttermilk bath, coated in seasoned flour, and fried until crispy, golden, and seriously crunchy. Smother it in a creamy, flavourful gravy, and you've got yourself a classic southern meal! This recipe is simple, but has a few tips and tricks that take your southern chicken fried steak from good to incredible!
Ingredients
For the Buttermilk Bath
For the Seasoned Flour Coating
For the Gravy
Method
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Tenderise the steak with a meat tenderiser on both sides. In a shallow pan or tray, whisk all the ingredients for the buttermilk bath, and submerge the steaks. Leave to soak in the fridge, covered, for 1.5-2 hours (although 10-15 minutes is also fine if you're in a hurry).
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In a shallow bowl, mix all the ingredients for the seasoned flour coating. Grab a steak from the buttermilk bath, allow any excess to drip off, and coat it in the seasoned flour. Make sure to cover the entire steak on both sides, and to press in the flour firmly. Once all the steaks are coated, set on a wire rack and place in the fridge to allow the coating to set for 30 minutes. Do not throw away the excess flour (this recipe purposefully makes extra seasoned flour, which we will use for the gravy!).
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Heat a heavy-bottomed pan on medium, and add about a cup of cooking oil (I use beef tallow, but use what you personally prefer). Once the oil is hot, carefully place in your steak, and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until crispy and golden. Do not overcrowd the pan. In between steaks, top up the pan with oil if necessary.
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Once the steaks are cooked, place them on a wire rack, allowing any excess oil to drip off. If you wish, you can pop them in the oven at 100°C fan to keep them warm while you make the gravy.
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In the same pan you cooked the steaks in, turn the heat down to low. If there are any black bits of coating in the pan, remove them. Make sure there are roughly 4 tablespoons of oil left in the pan - get rid of any excess, and if there's not enough, add some more. Then add 4 tablespoons of the seasoned flour, and whisk into the oil to make a roux. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
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Whisk in your milk, and cream, salt and pepper, and continue to whisk for 2-3 minutes, or until your gravy has thickened to your liking. If it's too thick, add a splash more milk and whisk! Adjust for salt and pepper at the end.
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Pour the gravy over your southern chicken fried steak, with some extra freshly ground black pepper! Serve with charred corn, green beans, and buttery mashed potatoes for the ultimate comfort meal.
