The Pioneer Woman Chicken Fried Steak Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep breading from falling off chicken fried steak? ›

Another important tip is to place the breaded meat onto a sheet pan, cover and place back in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before frying. This will firmly adhere the breading onto the meat and help keep it from falling of when frying.

USDA Choice steak fried and topped with Sawmill Gravy.

Tips for Making the Best Chicken Fried Steak

That way, the coating will adhere better. Spoon hot oil over the steaks in the pan. You don't need to deep fry the chicken-fried steaks. You can easily shallow fry them in less oil.

The main difference between country-fried steak and chicken-fried steak is the gravy. Country-fried steak is slathered in brown gravy, whereas chicken-fried steak uses a white, peppery gravy. However, this distinction is not entirely set in stone as different restaurants will serve both with the same gravy.

Soak the meat in buttermilk. You can also use milk or a seasoned milk mixture. Let it sit for at least a half hour.

Cooking Tips

To make sure the breading doesn't fall off the chicken-fried steak, pat the meat dry before dredging. Shake off any excess liquid or flour, and let the steak rest for a few minutes before frying. Use oil that is hot—oil that is not hot enough will decrease your chances of a crispy coating.

Chicken fried steak is high in calories, fat, and sodium, which can contribute to weight gain and high blood pressure. Moreover, the added gravy can further increase the calorie and fat content of the dish, making it a less than ideal choice for those trying to maintain a healthy diet.

Chicken-fried steak, also known as country-fried steak, is an American breaded cutlet dish consisting of a piece of beefsteak (most often tenderized cube steak) coated with seasoned flour and either deep-fried or pan-fried.

Chicken Fried Steak gets its name from the breading used on the outside of the steak before it's fried in the same manner as traditional fried chicken — but instead of chicken, a tenderized piece of beef steak is used instead.

Make sure the oil is hot or else the meat will stick to bottom of pan. Turn meat once, the more you play with it the more likely the coating will come off. Don't overload the pan, which cools the fat and you get poor quality. Once cooked, hold on wire rack in oven to keep crisp and hot.

Can I prep chicken fried steak ahead of time? ›

Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Make ahead: The steaks can be made ahead and kept warm in a 200-degree oven one hour in advance (cover tightly with foil to prevent them from drying out). Spicy: If you love heat, serve your Chicken Fried Steak with plenty of hot sauce or Tabasco.

Putting the steak in the pan before it's screaming hot will lead to overcooking and, you guessed it, a tough steak. — Let it rest. You've heard it a thousand times before, but it is always worth repeating. Before you cut into that beautiful hunk of meat, let it hang out for at least 10 minutes.

Chicken Fried Steak (CFS for short) is thinly pounded out beef. People typically use the less expensive, less desirable cuts, such as cube steak, chuck, round steak, and occasionally flank steak. We use cube steak.

Lamesa, the seat of Dawson County on the Texas South Plains, claims to be the birthplace of chicken-fried steak, and hosts an annual celebration accordingly. The Virginia Housewife, published in 1838 by Mary Randolph, has a recipe for veal cutlets that is one of the earliest recipes for a food like chicken-fried steak.

If chicken-fried steak sounds suspiciously like Wiener schnitzel, you are correct in your assumption. German immigrants to Texas are credited with crafting this variation, but instead of using veal, these early Texans made it with the more readily available beef.

Meat is not properly dry

Most home cooks often struggle with getting the breading part right because they do not let their meat dry properly. If the meat is wet, it will make the flour soggy. In that case, breading will not stick properly and may fall off when deep frying.

It may be too watery. Dry the chicken first with paper towels. It helps to then coat it with a thin layer of flour, then in well-beaten egg whites which will help the coating stick.