Lunch: Chicken-Fried Steak

Chicken-Fried Steak is a Southern favorite that consists of steak dredged in a cracker-crumb mixture and then fried. This homestyle dish is great topped with gravy and served with mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 (4-ounce) cube steaks
38 saltine crackers (1 sleeve), crushed
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 3/4 cups milk, divided
2 large eggs
3 1/2 cups peanut oil
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over steaks. Set aside.
Combine cracker crumbs, 1 cup flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and red pepper.
Whisk together 3/4 cup milk and eggs. Dredge steaks in cracker crumb mixture; dip in milk mixture, and dredge in cracker mixture again.
Pour oil into a 12-inch skillet; heat to 360 °. (Do not use a nonstick skillet.) Fry steaks 10 minutes. Turn and fry 4 to 5 more minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack on a jellyroll pan. Keep steaks warm in a 225 ° oven. Carefully drain hot oil, reserving cooked bits and 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet.
Whisk together remaining 1/4 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 4 cups milk. Pour mixture into reserved drippings in skillet; cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened. Serve gravy with steaks and mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

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