Diner-Style Chicken Fried Steak Recipe

To make this recipe, start with cube steaks. Cube steaks are inexpensive, tenderized pieces of thin steak that look almost like patties of ground beef. They are located near the steak in the grocery store, and are usually sold in packs of 4 or 6. If you can't find cube steaks, the next best thing is a thin-cut eye of round, but you will have to use a tenderizer (the little spikey hammer) before adding any breading. 

With either cut, you'll need salt to dry the steak, then flour for the first and last layer of breading. In between coats of flour, you'll need a little bit of milk, and an egg to bind the flour to the steak. Season the second coating of flour with cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper for flavor. You'll need a neutral oil, like canola for frying the steaks, and from there, you'll just need butter, extra flour, and a little milk to make the gravy.

Assemble 1 bowl with 1 cup of flour. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, and ½ cup milk, and set aside. In a third bowl, whisk together another 1 cup of flour, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, 1 tablespoon salt, and black pepper. Once those are ready, heat up a cast iron skillet with about ¼-inch of oil. You want enough oil that the steaks fry on both sides, but not so much that the steaks are submerged. You want to use a cast iron, or otherwise heavy-bottomed skillet, so that the oil heats evenly, and stays hot while adding the cold steaks. 

When the oil is hot and ready, pat the steak dry again, and start breading. You will know the oil is ready when you drop some flour into the pan, and it starts to sizzle. First, dip it in the flour and shake off the excess, then dip it quickly into the egg mixture, shaking off any excess. Finally, firmly press the steak into the seasoned flour, coating each side completely, then lightly shaking off the excess. 

Many southern cooks will swear by using pan drippings to make the gravy, but most diners will use a simple white pepper gravy to complement the steak. While you can start with lard, grease, or drippings, this recipe starts with plain unsalted butter. Melt the butter into a small skillet over medium heat, and whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour, cooking until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in 1 cup of milk, a little bit at a time, and bring to a simmer, until the gravy is at a desired thickness. Whisk constantly to avoid burning. Add a generous amount of black pepper and salt to taste, then remove from the stove. 

Diner-style chicken fried steak can be served with sunny-side-up eggs, crispy golden hash browns, fresh coffee, and toast. Serve immediately, or store in the oven on the lowest setting to keep warm until ready to eat. Leftovers aren't ideal, but can be saved in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and brought back to life in an air fryer or conventional oven.