Chicken-fried Steak With Cream Gravy

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

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

Recipe

• 1 for the steaks:.
• 2 sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper evenly over steaks. combine cracker crumbs, 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder, red pepper, and baking powder.
• 3 whisk together 3/4 cup milk and eggs.
• 4 dredge steaks in cracker mixture; dip in milk mixture, and dredge again in cracker mixture.
• 5 pour oil into a 12-inch skillet; heat to 360° (use a candy thermometer to measure the heat of the oil).
• 6 fry steaks 3 to 4 minutes. turn and fry 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. remove steaks to a wire rack in a jelly-roll pan. keep steaks warm in a 225° oven. carefully drain hot oil, reserving cooked bits and 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet.
• 7 for the gravy:.
• 8 whisk together remaining 4 cups milk, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1 teaspoon black pepper.
• 9 add 1/4 cup flour to drippings in the skillet and cook over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. add milk mixture to roux in skillet; cook, whisking constantly, over medium-high heat 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened.
• 10 serve gravy with steaks. garnish, if desired.