When cravings hit for some old-fashioned country cookin’, look no further than this hearty supper.
Chicken-Fried Steak and Sweet Tea Gravy
Makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup strong brewed sweet tea
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 4 thinly sliced bottom round steaks
- 4 cups oil, for frying
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 3 large eggs
- Sweet Tea Gravy (recipe follows), to serve
- Garnish: ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together tea and salt. Place tea mixture in a resealable plastic bag and add steaks; carefully squeeze air out of bag and seal. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Fill a 12-inch cast-iron skillet halfway with oil, and heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350˚.
- Remove steaks from bag, discard tea mixture, and pat steaks dry with paper towels. In a medium shallow bowl, whisk together flour, salt, pepper, and paprika. Reserve 3 tablespoons flour mixture for Sweet Tea Gravy. In a medium shallow bowl, whisk eggs.
- Dredge each steak into flour mixture, shaking off excess. Dredge in egg, shaking off excess, and dredge again in flour mixture. Let steaks sit in flour mixture for 15 minutes.
- Working in batches, fry steaks until golden brown, turning once, for 3 minutes, or until a food thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the meat registers 165˚. Let drain on a wire rack for 2 minutes. Serve with Sweet Tea Gravy. Garnish with black pepper, if desired.
Sweet Tea Gravy
Makes About 1½ Cups
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons reserved flour mixture from Chicken-Fried Steak
- 1½ cups whole milk
- ½ cup strong brewed sweet tea
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, cook butter over medium heat until bubbling, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture, and cook, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk, sweet tea, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until thickened and bubbling, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve immediately.