Chicken-Fried Steak with Cream Gravy

• 4 beef cube steak
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cup vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 1/2 cup whole milk
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, for gravy

1. 1

   Set a wire rack over a baking sheet and put it near the stove — you'll need it fast when the steaks come out of the oil.

2. 2

   Whisk the flour, cornstarch, salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne in a wide shallow dish. The cornstarch is what gives you that shatter-crisp edge instead of a sad soft crust, so don't skip it.

3. 3

   In a second shallow dish, whisk the eggs and buttermilk until smooth. Take each cube steak, dredge it in the flour mixture, shake off the excess, dip it fully in the egg wash, then back into the flour — press the flour on with your fingers so it sticks in a thick, craggy layer.

4. 4

   Pour the oil into a large cast-iron skillet to about 1/4-inch depth and set it over medium-high heat. Don't rush this — wait until a pinch of flour dropped in the oil sizzles immediately and vigorously, around 175°C. If the oil isn't hot enough you'll get pale, greasy crust and there's no recovering from that.

5. 5

   Fry two steaks at a time, never four — crowding the pan drops the oil temperature and the breading falls off. Cook about 3 minutes per side until deep golden brown and crunchy under your spatula, then move them to the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining two.

6. 6

   Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of the oil, leaving behind every dark fleck and crumb in the pan — that's pure flavor and it's what makes the gravy taste like actual steak instead of wallpaper paste.

7. 7

   Whisk 3 tablespoons of fresh all-purpose flour into the hot oil and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute until it smells nutty and the roux is a medium tan. If it starts to darken past peanut butter you've burned it and the whole gravy goes bitter — start over.

8. 8

   Slowly pour in the milk while whisking so you don't get lumps, and bring it to a simmer. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, whisking and scraping the bottom of the pan, until it thickens to the consistency of heavy cream — it'll continue to set up off the heat.

9. 9

   Taste the gravy and add salt and more black pepper than you think is reasonable. The gravy should be assertively seasoned because the steak crust is already salty and the whole thing needs to balance.

10. 10

    Put a steak on each plate and pour the gravy over the top so it runs down the sides. That's it — one pan, one rack, done in under 30 minutes.

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