Southern Chicken Fried Steak with White Gravy

Chicken Fried Steak Instructions

1. Prepare seasoned flour by combining flour, salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder. Stir until well combined. Place seasoned flour in a large shallow container.
2. Pour buttermilk into a shallow dish.
3. Batter a steak by dusting it with seasoned flour and shake off the excess.
4. Dip the floured steak into the buttermilk. Shake off excess buttermilk and then place the steak back into the flour.
5. Coat the steak well with flour and then shake off excess flour.
6. Place battered steak on a wire rack on a baking sheet (this will help the crust dry out a bit, and result in a better crust). 
7. Repeat with the remaining pieces of steak.
8. Add about 3 inches of oil into a skillet.
9. Heat skillet until the oil gets to about 350 degrees.
10. Place steak, one or two pieces at a time, in the oil and cook the meat. Do not touch the meat until the top of it looks like it is beginning to cook and brown. Turning the meat too early will mean the crust may fall off. This may take about 7 to 8 minutes for the first side.
11. Turn the steaks over and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes.
12. Remove fried steaks from the oil and drain on a clean wire rack.

Gravy Instructions

1. You may want to use the Pioneer gravy mix. If so, prepare it according to the package instructions.
2. If not, in a small pot, add 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.
3. When the butter melts completely, add the flour and stir to combine.
4. Cook the flour for about 1 minute.
5. Add 1¾ cups of milk and stir until the mixture thickens.
6. Season the gravy with salt and pepper.