What Is Country Fried Steak?

Country fried steak is one of America’s greatest mysteries. It is right up there with the big three: “Is the government covering up secret alien encounters or not?” … “Why do we pronounce the word squirrel like that?”… and “Nicolas Cage (in general).” But why does country fried steak fit in with this exclusive little club of uniquely American enigmas? Well, mostly it is the name, especially when it’s referred to as “chicken fried steak.” Is it steak that’s fried like chicken? Chicken that’s fried like steak? A chicken in a little chef’s hat frying up a teeny tiny steak in a teeny tiny frying pan so that the eventual finished steak will have technically been fried by a chicken and will thus be “chicken fried”?

Today, we answer all these questions and more, so crank up the Zac Brown Band (though I think that song is actually about fried chicken? unclear), and grab yourself some gravy because it’s about to get country fried up in here as we give you the definitive answer to the age-old question, “What is country fried steak?”

What is country fried steak? What meat is used for country fried steak?

Okay, let’s clear up any confusion about what meat is used for country fried steak: Whether it is called country fried steak or chicken fried steak, it is, in fact, steak. Specifically, it is steak that has been breaded and fried in a similar style to Southern fried chicken.

What is country fried steak made of?

People usually use cube steak (because it comes pre-tenderized, aka pounded fairly flat with a spikey medieval meat hammer), chuck, round steak, or flank steak, and regardless of the steak type, it is usually pounded out to be around a quarter-inch thick. Then it’s dredged in a wet batter (usually made of egg, garlic, buttermilk, hot sauce, and spices) and a dry seasoned flour mixture until it is all craggly and covered in flour and spices. Then it is deep fried and served golden brown and crispy, along with either a brown or white gravy. So to answer the question, “What is country fried steak made of?” I guess the answer is “heaven.” And buttermilk.

Is chicken fried steak the same thing as country fried steak?

Some say chicken fried steak is served with a cream gravy, while country fried steak is served with brown gravy and onions. Others say that chicken fried steak is usually slightly crispier than its country fried counterpart. Others still say that they are the exact same dish, and the “country fried” name just came about to make people less confused about the whole “chicken fried” thing.

Why does country fried steak exist?

While it is unclear where the name “chicken fried steak” or “country fried steak” came from exactly, it is generally believed that the dish itself originated in Texas in the mid 1800s as a result of immigrants from Austria and Germany making schnitzel (a tenderized, breaded, and fried veal or pork cutlet) using other cuts other cuts of beef, and just schnitzel-ifying whatever was locally available and affordable. By the mid-1900s, country fried steak was seen all around the South.

Where can I get me some country fried steak?

You can get country fried steak at Southern restaurants, brunch places, and diners around the country, but you can also find it in the frozen aisle at supermarkets near you. So, for lack of a better way to end this article, yeehaw!