Chicken Fried Steak with Sausage Cream Gravy

Difficulty Level: Intermediate

Servings: 4

Nutritional Information (per serving): Calories 1967, Total Fat 133 g, Saturated Fat 20 g, Carbohydrates 116 g, Dietary Fiber 6 g, Sugar 13 g, Protein 76 g, Cholesterol 281 mg, Sodium 1669 mg

Total Time: 45 min

Active Time: 45 min

Overview

This extra-crispy chicken fried steak gets finished with a rich sausage cream gravy for a hearty, classic Southern-style meal.

Ingredients

For the chicken fried steak: Vegetable oil, for frying
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup cornstarch
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rice flour
Four 8-ounce cube steaks, cut in half and pounded to 1/8-inch thickness
For the sausage cream gravy: 1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces loose breakfast sausage
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
To serve: Mashed potatoes, 8 slices white bread, 1 white onion (thinly sliced into rings), dill pickle chips
Special equipment: a deep-fry thermometer

Instructions

Pour vegetable oil into a large cast-iron skillet to a depth of 1 inch and heat to 360F. Line a baking sheet with a rack and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne; reserve.
Set up a three-dish breading station: season cornstarch with salt and pepper in the first dish; whisk buttermilk, beaten eggs, and a pinch of salt and pepper in the second; combine all-purpose flour, rice flour, half the spice mixture, and salt and pepper in the third.
Season both sides of the pounded steaks with salt, pepper, and the remaining spice blend. Dredge each steak first in the cornstarch, then the buttermilk-egg mixture, then the seasoned flour mixture. Fry in batches for 23 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Transfer to the prepared rack to drain.
For the gravy: Heat olive oil in a medium saut pan over medium-high heat. Add breakfast sausage and break into small pieces; cook until browned, about 34 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and cayenne and toast for about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth, then season with black pepper and salt and cook until slightly thickened, about 45 minutes.
Plate the steaks, spoon over sausage cream gravy, and serve with mashed potatoes, white bread, onion rings, and dill pickle chips.