A thick hamburger patty, dredged in a seasoned flour, dunked in a milk + egg mixture, coated in flour again, and then fried to a golden, crispy perfection in a hot cast-iron skillet full of oil…
Well, that was a mouthful!
But seriously though, these things are delicious and a favorite of ours! If you were to ask my husband, it’s all we eat. (Not quite!)
We like a thick, white gravy to go on top and either fried potatoes or fresh mashed potatoes piled high on the side.
I originally started making these awhile back, simply because I was tired of messing with tenderized round steak every time we wanted to have chicken-fried steak. We had plenty of hamburger in the freezer, so I decided to try using it in place of the steak. And now? It’s all we eat! It’s more tender than the steak and makes for a quick meal when you add leftover mashed potatoes or green bean casserole on the side!
You’ll Need:
Burgers:
1-1 1/2 lbs. ground beef, thawed
1 c. flour
1 1/2 t. seasoned salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
1 egg
1/3 c. milk
Oil for frying
Gravy:
2 T. drippings (Oil from skillet)
2 T. butter
1 t. seasoned salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
1/4 – 1/3 c. flour
1- 1 1/4 c. milk
Start by filling a skillet with about 1/2 an inch of oil and put over medium heat. Shape your hamburger into 1/2 – 3/4 inch thick patties. You should get at least 4 -5 patties per pound of beef.
In a bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and pepper. In a separate bowl, beat the egg and stir in the milk.
Coat patties individually in flour, dip in the milk mixture, and then coat again in flour.
Add to the skillet and let cook on each side until golden brown and just starting to burn in spots. The time will vary from stove to stove, but about 5 minutes a side. Cut one open to be sure it’s done inside. When thoroughly cooked, set aside on a paper towel-lined plate to drip.
For the gravy, stir together the drippings and butter in a small saucepan. Add the salt, pepper, and flour.
Slowly stir in the milk. Stir often and heat until thickened.
Serve with mashed potatoes and green bean casserole on the side for a meal that your family is sure to love!
Mary says
I do believe Prairie Girl cooking and Appalachian girl cooking is a lot alike! Thank you! I’m enjoying browsing!
Terri Bomhak says
I have been making the poor man chicken fried steak for 30 years or more my husband thinks they’re the best and you never have to worry about getting a tough piece of meat. I like to add a little more spice in with my flour mixture just spice it up a little. You can’t go wrong with this comfort food!
Melissa Kohler says
Made this tonight. Very bland. Even the kids, who normally like things bland, thought they were flavorless. I kept thinking that it didn’t seem like enough seasoning but I always like to follow a recipe exactly the first time. Thank goodness for the gravy which helped give it some flavor. Next time I make these, I will season the patties as well as had more salt, pepper, and a variety of others…maybe even onion.
June Ferguson says
Hi there! This version of Chicken Fried Steak has my mouth watering! I loved this as a kid…my Mom called it Fake Steak! She used crushed saltine crackers as a coating, and when she finished coating the “steaks” she would add the remaining cracker crumbs to the remaining egg mixture and fry that too! It sounds kind of weird, but I remember it being delicious! Thanks for sharing your recipe!