Chicken Fried Steak

Ingredients

• Steaks
• 4 (1/2 pound) beef cube steaks
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (Texas Pete, Cholula, or Tapatio)
• 1 large egg
• 3 cups vegetable shortening for frying
• Gravy
• 1/4 cup flour
• 4 cups milk
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Place steaks between 2 layers of plastic and pound to a thickness of 1/4 inch.

2. Place 2 cups flour in a shallow bowl

3. Stir together baking powder, baking soda, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in second shallow bowl.

4. Add buttermilk, hot sauce, egg, and garlic

5. Stir to combine

6. Heat vegetable shortening oil in a deep cast-iron skillet to 325 degrees F

7. While the shortening is heating, dredge a steak in flour and shake off the excess

8. Dip the entire flour-covered steak in the buttermilk mixture, then dredge it again in flour

9. Repeat with the remaining steaks

10. Fry steaks until evenly golden brown

11. Remove steaks and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain

12. Make the Gravy: Drain the fat from the skillet, reserving 1/4 cup and as much of the solid remnants as you can

13. Add the reserved fat and heat the skillet over medium-low heat

14. Whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup of flour

15. Add the milk and bring the gravy to a simmer

16. Cook until thick and season with 1tsp (or more) fresh cracked black pepper to taste

17. Serve over finished chicken-fried steaks