Dad's Favorite Chicken-Fried Steak

Time :1

Yield :6 servings

Recipe Background

He is such a special guy, and he really does deserve the very best. With Dad's Favorite Chicken-Fried Steak, your very own dad will never be this happy again! With just one bite of the fork-tender cubed steaks smothered in creamy gravy goodness, well, let's just say you will be able to ask him for just about anything you want, and he will be a willing accomplice. So, the next time you want something, ahem, we mean, you want to make your dad happy, just whip up Dad's Favorite Chicken-Fried Steak and you will have him eating out of the palm of your hand. Oops, we meant he will happily be eating everything off of his plate. Do it! He is certainly worth it!

Ingredients

For the chicken-fried steak:

3 pounds tenderized cube steak extra tenderized
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour plus more, to taste
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
black pepper to taste
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
kosher salt to taste
1/2 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter

For the gravy:

1/3 cup all-purpose flour plus more, to taste
4 cups whole milk plus more, to taste
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
black pepper to taste
mashed potatoes to taste, cooked and warm, for serving

Directions

Prepare an assembly line of four shallow dishes.
In the first dish, place the cubed steak.
In the second dish, whisk 1 1/2 cups of the milk and the eggs together.
In the third dish, combine 2 cups of the flour, 2 teaspoons of the seasoned salt, the black pepper, the paprika, and the cayenne pepper.
Leave the fourth dish clean.
Season both sides of the cubed steaks with the salt and the pepper.
Working in batches, transfer the cube steaks to the flour mixture and turn them to coat both sides.
Transfer the cubed steaks to the egg mixture and turn them to coat both sides.
Transfer the cube steaks back to the flour mixture and turn them to coat both sides.
Transfer the breaded cube steaks to the clean dish.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add the canola oil.
Add the butter to the oil and heat until it has melted.
Drop a few sprinkles of the extra flour into the butter mixture and when it sizzles immediately, the skillet is ready. Slightly decrease the stovetop temperature if the butter mixture browns immediately.
Working in batches, add the breaded cube steaks to the butter mixture and cook, three pieces at a time, until the edges are golden-brown and their internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F, about 2 minutes per side.
Transfer the cooked cube steaks to a paper-towel-lined plate and lightly cover it with foil to keep the steaks warm.
Transfer the grease from the skillet to a heatproof bowl.
Transfer the skillet, without cleaning it, back to the stovetop over medium-low heat and add 1/4 cup of the grease, about 1-2 minutes.
Evenly sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup of the flour over the hot grease and constantly whisk it until a deep golden-brown paste forms. If the flour mixture looks overly greasy, slowly add the extra flour; if the flour mixture becomes too pasty or clumpy, slowly add more of the grease.
Whisk the remaining 4 cups of the milk into the paste mixture and stir constantly.
Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of the seasoned salt and the black pepper to the paste mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the gravy is smooth and thick, about 5-10 minutes. Add the extra milk if the gravy is too thick and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Serve the cubed steaks next to the mashed potatoes and top them with the gravy.