Ingredients

For the Country Fried Steak

  • 4 beef cube steaks — about 5–6 ounces each
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce, optional
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 cups vegetable oil, or enough for frying

For the Cream Gravy

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, optional

For the Red-Skin Mashed Potatoes

  • 2 pounds red potatoes
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the cooking water
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced, optional
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

For Garnishing

  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Prepare the Potatoes

Wash the red potatoes thoroughly, scrubbing away any dirt while keeping the thin skins intact.

Cut the potatoes into roughly equal 1½-inch pieces so they cook evenly.

Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold water by about an inch.

Add a generous pinch of salt to the water to season the potatoes from the inside as they cook.

Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat slightly so the water maintains a steady simmer.

Cook the potatoes for approximately 15–20 minutes, or until a fork slides easily through the center of the largest pieces.

While the potatoes cook, prepare the dairy mixture by combining the whole milk, heavy cream, and butter in a small saucepan.

Warm the mixture over low heat until the butter melts and the liquid is hot, but do not allow it to boil.

Drain the cooked potatoes thoroughly and return them to the warm pot.

Let the potatoes sit over very low heat for about a minute so excess moisture can evaporate.

Add the warm butter, milk, and cream mixture to the potatoes.

Mash the potatoes gently with a potato masher until they reach a creamy but slightly rustic consistency.

Fold in the sour cream, minced garlic, salt, black pepper, chives, and parsley.

Taste the potatoes and adjust the salt and pepper according to your preference.

Cover the potatoes and keep them warm while preparing the steaks.

Prepare the Steak

Pat the cube steaks dry with paper towels, removing as much surface moisture as possible.

If the steaks are thick or uneven, gently pound them with a meat mallet until they are approximately ½-inch thick.

Season both sides of the steaks lightly with salt and black pepper.

Prepare the dry coating by combining the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried thyme, and cayenne pepper in a wide shallow dish.

Mix the seasoned flour thoroughly so all of the spices are evenly distributed.

In a second shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth.

Dip one steak into the seasoned flour, coating both sides completely.

Shake off the excess flour and place the steak into the buttermilk mixture.

Turn the steak several times so the buttermilk mixture covers every surface.

Lift the steak from the wet mixture and allow the excess to drip back into the bowl.

Return the steak to the seasoned flour mixture and press the flour firmly onto the meat.

For an especially thick and crunchy crust, dip the steak into the buttermilk mixture a second time and then coat it again with seasoned flour.

Place the breaded steak on a wire rack and repeat the process with the remaining steaks.

Allow the breaded steaks to rest on the rack for about 10 minutes, which helps the coating adhere during frying.

Fry the Steaks

Pour the vegetable oil into a large heavy skillet, preferably a cast-iron skillet.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches approximately 350°F.

Carefully lower one or two breaded steaks into the hot oil, making sure not to overcrowd the skillet.

Fry the steaks for approximately 3–4 minutes on the first side, or until the crust becomes deeply golden brown and crisp.

Carefully turn the steaks using sturdy tongs and cook the other side for another 3–4 minutes.

The finished steaks should have a dark golden, crunchy exterior and reach a safe internal temperature of 145°F.

Transfer the fried steaks to a wire rack set over a baking sheet so excess oil can drain without making the bottom crust soggy.

Repeat the frying process with the remaining steaks, allowing the oil to return to approximately 350°F between batches.

Make the Cream Gravy

Carefully pour off most of the frying oil from the skillet, leaving approximately 2 tablespoons of flavorful oil and browned bits behind.

Add the unsalted butter to the skillet and melt it over medium heat.

Sprinkle the all-purpose flour into the butter and whisk continuously to form a smooth roux.

Cook the roux for about 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it becomes lightly golden and smells nutty.

Gradually pour in the whole milk while whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming.

Add the heavy cream and continue whisking until the mixture begins to thicken.

Season the gravy with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce.

Allow the gravy to simmer gently for several minutes until it becomes thick, smooth, and creamy.

If the gravy becomes too thick, whisk in a small splash of additional milk until it reaches a spoonable consistency.

Taste the gravy and add more black pepper or salt if needed.

Assemble the Dish

Spoon a generous mound of the creamy red-skin mashed potatoes onto each serving plate.

Place a crispy country fried steak directly over the potatoes.

Ladle plenty of warm cream gravy over the steak, allowing some of it to cascade down onto the mashed potatoes.

Finish the dish with freshly ground black pepper and a scattering of fresh thyme leaves and parsley.

Serve the country fried steak immediately while the crust is crisp, the gravy is hot, and the mashed potatoes are creamy.

Serving Tip

For the closest presentation to the pictured dish, use a dark plate or shallow bowl, pile the mashed potatoes high in the center, place the steak on top, and spoon the peppery cream gravy generously over the entire steak.