Country Chicken Fried Steak

Whether you call them country fried or chicken fried steaks, these are delicious.  My mother called them minute steaks because these cubed pieces of meat only take a couple of minutes to cook.  Here
is the recipe that I learned from her.

MEAT INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ cups whole milk

2 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons seasoned salt

Freshly ground black pepper

¾ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon nutmeg (don’t laugh—it gives it a pop of flavor)

3 pounds cube steak (tenderized round steak that's been extra tenderized)

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup canola or vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon butter

GRAVY INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 to 4 cups whole milk

½ teaspoon seasoned salt

½ Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

½ tablespoon sugar

Freshly ground black pepper (you want large pieces of pepper in the gravy!)

1. There are key steps to good country-fried steaks.  First, make an assembly line of ingredients.  I like to use disposable pie plates so I can toss after.  In bowl, lightly beat eggs and pour into one pie plate and add milk.  Mix well.   In another pie plate, add flour, seasoned salt, garlic powder, pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg.  Mix with fingers to blend well.  Place meat on a long baking pan, lightly sprinkle some seasoned salt, pepper, and garlic powder on both sides of meat.

2.  Working with one piece of meat at a time, place it in the flour mixture. Turn to coat. Place the meat into the milk/egg mixture, turning to coat. Finally, place it back in the flour and turn to coat (dry mixture/wet mixture/dry mixture). Place the breaded meat on the clean plate, then repeat with the remaining meat. 

3.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. Drop in a few sprinkles of flour to make sure it's sufficiently hot. When the butter sizzles immediately, you know it's ready. Meat should not brown right away, if it does, the fire is too hot.  Remove from heat and reduce the temperature.  Cook the meat, 3 pieces at a time, until the edges start to look golden brown, about 2 minutes each side. Remove the meat to a paper towel-lined plate and keep them warm by covering lightly with another plate or a sheet of foil. Repeat until all the meat is cooked. 

4. After all the meat is fried, pour off the grease into a glass measuring cup or bowl that will take the hot temp of the grease.  It is time to make the gravy.  Without cleaning the skillet, return it to the stove over medium-low heat. Add 1/4 cup of the grease back to the skillet.  Heat for about 30 seconds.  Sprinkle in 1/3 cup of flour. Stir it constantly for about 2 minutes.  Don’t let it brown.  You want white gravy.  Slowly pour in milk, one cup at a time.  Stirring constantly.  Once you have the gravy constancy you prefer, add seasoned salt, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and cracked pepper.  Bring to a quick bubble boil.  Add an additional 1/3 cup of milk, if the gravy is too thick. 

Place a country fried steak on a plate aside some mashed potatoes or biscuits or both.  Ladle gravy on top of steak, potatoes and/or biscuits.  ENJOY!