Country Fried Steak and Gravy

Country Fried Steak or Chicken Fried Steak whatever you call it, it is good. This is another in my southern classic recipes.  I don't make this very often because I make a HUGE mess when I make country fried steak.  If you don't believe me I have a picture to show you just part of the mess.  I have a crock pot country steak that is very good and makes a gravy to you can make biscuits and mashed potatoes to go with it.  I end up making it more often because it is less messy and probably healthier.

Can you believe something with so few ingredients can make such a mess.

Pour some milk into a bowl.  Soak the pieces of cube steak in the milk.  Cube steak is a relative inexpensive cut of meat.  There are many other uses for cube steak.  I have a really good sandwich that uses this cut.  You can leave them in the larger pieces or cut them into smaller pieces.  I usually cut them into smaller pieces but this time I thought I would leave them whole.

I use a pie plate for the flour because the sides help keep the flour in the plate.  Add a little salt and pepper to the flour.

Take the steak out of the milk and place in the flour.  Coat well with the flour.

Get the flour into all the little grooves.

Then dunk back in the milk.

The back into the flour.

Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet on medium heat.  I am using peanut oil but you can use whatever your oil of preference is.

When the oil gets hot, place the coated steak in the oil.

Go ahead and fill up the skillet. Turn when the side is golden brown. I will say this but it is a do as I say because I don't do this well myself.  Try not to turn it too often or the nice crunchies will come off in the skillet.

This is part of the mess that I created tonight.

After you fry all the steak drain off most of the grease.  Then scrap up the crusties.

I usually add the leftover flour from coating the steak.  I can add more if I need it.  Stir it around until it is brown.

It is just about ready.

I know a lot of people use milk at this point to make their gravy.  My mother always used water and that is what I use as well.  There is no accurate measurments.  I just keep going until it looks right.  The key is for it to not get too thick.  If it is too thick for you add more water.  The longer it cooks the thicker it gets.

The finished gravy.  You can salt and pepper it.

A classic Southern meal: country fried steak, biscuits and gravy, mashed potatoes and green peas.  It doesn't get much better than this.