Southern US · Dinner

Chicken-fried steak with cream gravy

Name: Chicken-fried steak with cream gravy
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Southern US
Ingredients: 6 beef cube steaks, about 5 ounces each and 1/4 inch thick; 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided; 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, divided; 2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided; 1 teaspoon sweet paprika; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 2 cups buttermilk; 2 large eggs; 1 teaspoon hot sauce; 6 cups peanut or neutral frying oil; 3 cups whole milk, warmed

Tenderized beef cutlets with a craggy buttermilk crust, fried crisp and served immediately beneath peppery milk gravy made from the skillet drippings.

About 1 hr 25 minTotal

About 1 hr 5 minActive

$$Cost

AdvancedDifficulty

Makes 6 servings

Equipment

Preheat a 9-inch metal cake pan; the crust will be lighter but still valid.
Best starting skillet
Lodge 10.25-Inch Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet · L8SK3
View at Amazon
Another workable path: Preheat a 9-inch metal cake pan; the crust will be lighter but still valid.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, Kwilt earns from qualifying purchases.
How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We matched the recipe’s diameter and preheating method, then checked material, heat retention, cooktop fit, weight, care, stable model identity, and exact destination. Kwilt has not cooked with this skillet.
Lodge 10.25-Inch Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet · L8SK3: The 10.25-inch seasoned surface matches the recipe footprint and retains enough heat to create the crisp cornbread edge promised by a preheated skillet method. Trade-off: It weighs more than five pounds, the handles become hot, and avoiding rust requires prompt hand washing, drying, and light oiling.
Another workable path: Preheat a 9-inch metal cake pan with the recipe’s fat; the crust will be lighter but the crumb and flavor remain valid.
Sources
Lodge cast-iron material and care
Amazon exact product listing

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 6 servings

6 beef cube steaks, about 5 ounces each and 1/4 inch thick
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, divided
2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon hot sauce
6 cups peanut or neutral frying oil
3 cups whole milk, warmed

Instructions

Pat steaks dry and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Whisk 2 cups flour with paprika and garlic powder in a shallow dish. In another dish whisk buttermilk, eggs, and hot sauce.
Dredge each steak in flour, press it into the buttermilk mixture, then return it to the flour and firmly pack on a rough second coat. Set on a rack for 15 minutes so the crust hydrates and adheres.
Heat 1/2 inch oil in a to 350°F. Fry steaks without crowding, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deep golden and at least 145°F; transfer to a rack and rest at least 3 minutes. Keep warm in a 225°F oven while frying the remainder.
Carefully pour off the oil, leaving 3 tablespoons browned frying fat and fond in the skillet. Whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in warm milk and simmer until the gravy coats a spoon, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with the remaining salt and pepper and spoon over steaks only at the table.

American SouthSouthern American cooking traditions

From the table

About this recipe

Chicken-fried steak is a Southern and especially Texan preparation that applies a flour-and-buttermilk fried-chicken crust to tenderized beef, then turns the browned frying fat and fond into peppered cream gravy.

Chicken-fried steak contains beef; “chicken-fried” describes the seasoned-flour frying method. It is especially associated with Texas and the Southern Plains. Cream gravy is the expected partner here, while country-fried steak is often served with brown gravy. Holding gravy back until service protects the crust. This Kwilt version follows the reviewed household adaptation: Preserve the Texas-associated double-dredged steak and cream gravy, while specifying coating rest, oil temperature, rack draining, and a safe endpoint for mechanically tenderized beef.

Sources

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Southern US · Dinner

Buttermilk fried chicken

Southern-style bone-in chicken brined overnight in seasoned buttermilk, craggy double-dredged with flour and cornstarch, then fried in batches for crisp crust and juicy meat.

About 13 hr 45 min6 servings