Chicken fried steak and gravy is a beloved dish in Arkansas—and frankly, across the South. But don’t confuse it with country fried steak. They may look similar, but trust me, they’re not the same. The key difference? The gravy.
When it comes to chicken fried steak, it’s all about that creamy white gravy, poured on top right before serving. Country fried steak, on the other hand, is simmered in a savory brown gravy during cooking. So no, they’re not interchangeable—and now you know.
What’s in a Name?
Ever wonder why it’s called “chicken fried” when there’s not a shred of chicken involved? Simple. It’s breaded and pan-fried just like traditional fried chicken. That’s it. Mystery solved.
Where Did It Come From?
The small town of Lamesa, Texas (pop. 9,422) claims to be the official birthplace. They were even recognized by Governor Rick Perry and host a Chicken Fried Steak Festival every April. Case closed?
Not quite, it’s another example of fake news. The reporter that wrote the original story admitted he fabricated the entire thing. Does that sound familiar? He probably worked for the failed New York Times. I’m just kidding folks – about his connection to the NYT.
The roots of chicken fried steak are firmly planted in Wiener schnitzel, the breaded veal or pork cutlet brought over by European immigrants. They’d been making it for centuries before arriving in America, and there’s a good chance someone decided to swap out the veal for beef somewhere along the way.
Did it happen in 1917? Doubtful. Was it in Lamesa? Also doubtful. Maybe it was my own great-great-great- grandmother who brought the recipe over with her. In fact, I’m sure my family is responsible for introducing chicken fried weiner schnitzel to America. Yeah, that’s the ticket! Before I get carried away let’s leave it at this. Somewhere at sometime, someone got the idea to substitute beef in the weiner schnitzel and created chicken fried steak.
Enjoy Your Chicken Fried Steak and Gravy
This recipe makes a crispy and flavorful breading for the steak and a delicious gravy. I love it with a side of purplehull peas, mashed potatoes or okra. It’s part of our culture and I call that an Arkansas Original.
Chicken Fried Steak and Gravy
Cube steak fried in buttermilk batter, topped with white gravy and served with a side of purple hull peas!
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
Cube Steaks
- 4 cube steaks (about 1/3 lb each)
- 1–1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp ground black pepper – divided
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp kosher or sea salt – divided
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp tabasco sauce
- 1–1/2 cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
Gravy
- 4 TBL reserved grease
- 4 TBL flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225
- Whisk together flour, paprika,onoin powder, garlic powder, baking soda, baking powder, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp salt in a bowl and set aside
- In a separate bowl whisk together buttermilk, tabasco sauce and eggs and set aside
- Pat cube steaks dry with paper towels, then season both sides with salt and pepper
- Dredge the steaks in the flour mixture and shake off the excess, then dredge in the egg mix. Let the excess drip off and then dredge in the flour mix again
- Place the cube steaks on a sheet pan and press in any remaining flour mixture into the cube steaks to make sure they are completely coated. Let set for 10 – 15 minutes to ensure the breading will adhere to the steaks
- Pour the vegetable oil to a depth of 1/4″ in a heavy skillet
- Heat on medium high until the oil is shimmering and test it by dropping a bit of the breading into it. If the oil sizzles and bubbles around the breading it is ready
- Place two steaks at a time into the pan and fry for 3-4 minutes on the first side then turn and fry for 2-3 minutes on the flip side until golden brown.
- Remove steaks and place on paper towels on a sheet pan. Place the pan in the preheated oven while cooking the remaining steaks and making the gravy
Gravy
- Combine the milk and cream and set aside
- Pour the oil and grease into a heat safe glass measuring cup
- Add back 4 tablespoons of the grease to the skillet
- Over medium – low heat whisk in 4 tablespoons of flour and cook for 2-3 minutes
- Drizzle in the milk/cream mixture, whisking constantly
- Lower heat to low, continue whisking and bring the gravy to a simmer. Cook until it’s smooth, about 3-5 minutes
- Thin with milk if necessary and season with salt and pepper to taste
- Plate the steak, ladle the gravy over it and serve with a side of purplehull peas.