Chicken-fried Steak
If you've got beef cube steaks and bacon drippings, you're most of the way to this beef: about 65 minutes of cooking across 7 steps. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and saucepan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: contains meat, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Gluten Dairy Egg
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Pat the cube steaks dry and season them on both sides with about half of the salt and pepper.
- Set up a dredging station: whisk the flour with the smoked paprika and the remaining salt and pepper in one shallow dish, and beat the eggs with 1/4 cup of the milk in another.
- Dredge each steak in the seasoned flour, dip it in the egg wash, then press it firmly back into the flour a second time for a thick coating, and let the breaded steaks rest on a rack for 10 minutes.
- Heat the bacon drippings in a large heavy skillet over medium-high until shimmering, then fry the steaks two at a time for about 3 to 4 minutes per side until deep golden and cooked through to at least 71 C (160 F), and drain them on a rack.
- Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of the fat, leaving the browned bits, then whisk in 3 tablespoons of the seasoned flour and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes to make a blond roux.
- Gradually whisk in the remaining 2 cups of milk and simmer, stirring constantly, until the gravy thickens enough to coat a spoon, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Season the cream gravy generously with more black pepper and salt to taste, then spoon it over the hot steaks and serve immediately.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Saucepan · Whisk
Ingredient substitutions
- Eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking) · 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
Tips & common questions
How long does Chicken-fried Steak take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 8 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of eggs?
Try ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Chicken-fried Steak is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: CountryFriedSteak.jpg by No machine-readable author provided. Bloodshedder~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.