← Nouns Cooking · American

Ingredients

• 600 g cube steaks (tenderised round steak), 4 pieces
• 190 g plain flour, for dredging
• 2 tsp Salt, divided
• 1½ tsp Black pepper, divided
• ½ tsp Garlic powder
• ½ tsp Onion powder
• ½ tsp Paprika
• ½ tsp Baking powder
• 240 ml Buttermilk
• 2 Eggs
• 250 ml vegetable oil, for shallow frying
• 3 tbsp plain flour, for the gravy
• 500 ml whole milk

Method

1. Pat the steaks dry and season with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. In a shallow dish, mix the flour with the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, baking powder and remaining salt. In another dish, whisk the buttermilk and eggs.
2. Dredge each steak in flour, dip in the buttermilk mix, then press firmly into the flour again so it’s thickly coated. Rest on a rack for 10 min so the coating sticks.
3. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron or heavy frying pan over medium-high heat to about 175°C (350°F); a pinch of flour should sizzle at once.
4. Fry 2 steaks at a time for 3–4 min per side, until deep golden and crisp. Drain on a rack set over a tray and keep warm in a low oven.
5. Pour off all but 3 tbsp of the oil, keeping the browned bits. Whisk in the 3 tbsp flour over medium heat and cook for 1 minute.
6. Slowly whisk in the milk and simmer, whisking, for 3–5 min, until thick and creamy. Season generously with the rest of the pepper and salt to taste.
7. Serve the steaks with the gravy spooned over, with mashed potatoes and green beans on the side.

Tips

• Cube steak is round steak run through a tenderiser; if you can’t find it, pound thin slices of topside to about 6 mm.
• Country-fried steak is the same idea with a brown onion gravy instead of white.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Jo Cooks Taste of Home