Homestyle Country Steak

Why This Homestyle Country Steak Works

During cooking, the double coating of seasoned flour and egg gives the cube steaks a thick crust that holds on tight. As the steaks hit the hot oil, that coating firms up fast and seals the outside. Juices stay inside the meat instead of running out into the pan, so the steaks stay moist even though they are fairly thin. At the same time, the flour on the outside browns and gets crisp, which gives a nice contrast to the softer meat under it.

After the steaks come out, the flour left in the pan and the extra seasoned flour go straight into the gravy. As the flour cooks in the leftover oil, it changes from powdery to smooth and golden. Once the chicken broth and milk are whisked in, that cooked flour swells and thickens the liquid. The heavy cream at the end makes the gravy feel silky and helps it cling to the crunchy coating on the steaks instead of sliding off.

Mistakes To Avoid

Letting the steaks stay too thick means the outside browns before the inside has time to cook through. The crust looks done, but the meat in the center can stay tough and a bit raw instead of tender all the way through.

Using oil that isn’t hot enough causes the coating to soak up grease instead of crisping. The steaks then come out heavy and greasy, and the breading can slide off in soft patches instead of staying as a firm crust.

Skipping the second dip in flour leaves a thin, weak coating. In the pan, this light layer breaks apart and exposes bare meat, so the steaks lose that crunchy outside and the gravy later has less browned bits to grab onto.

Pouring in the broth and milk too fast for the gravy makes the flour clump. Instead of a smooth, thick sauce, the pan fills with lumps and thin liquid that never really comes together.

Letting the gravy boil hard after adding the cream can cause it to separate. The fat pulls away and the sauce turns grainy and slightly oily instead of staying silky and smooth.