I am sure that you have ‘heard’ me say that my dad would only eat meat (any meat) that had gravy. Even his fried chicken had to be placed in gravy until it was tender and gravy-filled. Chicken fried steak was always a treat at our house.

INGREDIENTS

6 beef cubed steaks*
1 cup flour
1 egg
1 cup milk
1-1/2 vinegar
3 tbspn cold water
1/2 tspn salt
1/2 tspn ground black pepper
1/2 tspn cayenne pepper
1/4 tspn Coleman’s Dry Mustard
Vegetable oil

Gravy

4 Tbsp. flour
2-1/2 cups milk
1/2 to 1-tspn Coleman’s Dry Mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Place one cup of flour, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper in a wide bowl and mix together. Set seasoned flour aside.

In another bowl add the following: milk, vinegar, egg, water and Coleman’s dry mustard. Whisk to mix thoroughly.

Pat steaks dry and dip each one into the seasoned flour. Pat both sides to shake off excess flour. Dip the floured steaks into milk mix, shake; and dip the steaks into the seasoned flour once more. Set steaks aside on a plate and get your vegetable oil ready for frying.

Pour 2-1/2 to 3 inches of oil in skillet. Heat oil over medium high heat until the oil starts to ripple on the surface (360°F. if using a thermometer). Place steaks in hot oil (be careful to lower steaks in oil away from you, they may splatter grease) one at a time and cook 3 to 5 minutes on each side until steaks are golden brown. Lower heat and remove steaks immediately from skillet, place on a brown paper bag or paper towels to drain. Cover steaks and keep them warm while you make gravy.

Gravy

Remove all oil except four or five tablespoons.

Bring heat back up to medium and add 4 tablespoons of flour. Stir to mix flour into the oil to make a roux. Add Coleman’s Dry Mustard and blend with roux.

Cook and stir briskly until flour starts to brown to a light golden color. Lower heat and slowly add 2-1/2 cups of milk, bringing heat up once more. Continue stirring and simmering until gravy thickens. Do not allow to boil. Season gravy with salt and black pepper to taste. Return steaks to skillet and cover with gravy. Cook 5 more minutes, turn heat off and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Hint
*What is cubed steak? Cubed Steak is a term that means the steak has been tenderized. If you have not purchased cubed steak from your supermarket, you most likely have seen it. These steaks are cut square and look like they have been pounded with a metal mallet. This steak generally comes from the “Round“ area, the meat is very lean and best prepared with moist heat or cut stir-fry.
*What is a roux? Roux is a mixture of any fat and flour.