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I was born in Texas, and lived there for less than a year, but I’m still a Texan at heart. I especially love the food there, and unfortunately I can only get some of my favorite foods when I go and visit my family in Texas. The food anywhere else just doesn’t compare! Every time I visit, I have a list of restaurants that I must go to. My favorite food is stuffed crab, and the only place that I like it from is Pappadeux Seafood Kitchen in Texas. One of my other top favorites is chicken-fried steak, and although you can find it in restaurants all over the US, it just doesn’t compare to true Texan chicken-fried steak.

This recipe comes pretty close to the delicious Texas experience. A crispy fried steak served with mashed potatoes and biscuits, all covered in a thick cream gravy. Mmm-mmm good!

If you don’t plan on using the gravy for the anything other than the steaks, I’d recommend halving the gravy recipe. As written, it makes about 3 cups, which is an ample amount to pour over the steaks and mashed potatoes.

Chicken-Fried Steak with Cream Gravy

Chicken-Fried Steak:
1½ pounds cubed steak, cut into 4 individual steaks
2 cups flour
2 large eggs
½ cup milk or buttermilk
½ teaspoon cayenne
Salt and pepper
Canola or vegetable oil

Cream Gravy:
¼ cup pan drippings
¼ cup flour
3 cups milk
2 teaspoons black pepper
Salt to taste

To make the chicken-fried steaks: Place flour in a shallow plate or pie plate and season with salt and pepper, about 1 teaspoon each. Mix eggs in another shallow plate with milk. Season both sides of steaks with salt and pepper. Dredge the steaks in flour, covering completely in flour and shaking off the excess. Dip coated beef into egg mixture and then dip back into flour again.

Over medium heat, heat enough oil to fill about an inch up the sides of a cast-iron skillet. When a drop of water makes the oil sizzle, it’s ready for frying. Place up to 2 steaks in the skillet. When the blood starts bubbling out of the top of the steak, about 3 to 4 minutes, gently turn it over with a long fork or tongs. Cook another 5 minutes and then take the steaks out of the pan and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Repeat process for remaining steaks. Keep the fried steaks in a warm oven while the other steaks cook and you make the gravy.

Once steaks are done cooking, remove pan drippings from the skillet, reserving ¼ cup for the gravy.

To make the gravy: Combine pan drippings with flour in a hot skillet over medium heat, stirring continuously with a whisk. Cook for a couple of minutes until a dark roux is formed.

Add milk slowly to the roux in the skillet, whisking continuously until smooth; press out any lumps. Turn heat to low and continue stirring until mixture is thickened, a couple more minutes. If gravy is too thick for your taste, thin it by adding more milk a tablespoon at a time. Add pepper and salt to taste.

Source: Adapted from Homesick Texan

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