Home > Recipes > Main Dishes > Beef Recipes > Chicken Fried Steak with Sawmill Gravy
by Michelle
May 17, 2012 (updated Feb 19, 2019)
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4.75 (4 ratings)[donotprint]
Chicken Fried Steak. Also known as Country Fried Steak. Did anyone else meander through life at the very least slightly confused the first time you heard this recipe’s name? Was it chicken? Was it steak? Did you fry chicken and steak together? What on Earth was going on?! At some point along the way, I figured out through reading a menu or being told (I have no idea which), that chicken fried steak was essentially just battered and fried steak. It seems that the word “chicken” got thrown in because at the end of the day, the fried steak looks like fried chicken. Leave it to the culinary world to confuse the masses. Now that we’ve gotten the nomenclature out of the way, let’s get down to the nitty gritty. Battered. Fried. Steak. Smothered in gravy. This must be what dinner is like in heaven.
I actually hadn’t tasted this until a couple of years ago when out to eat with my Chief Culinary Consultant. It’s one of his favorite dishes, so when he ordered it and I said I’d never tried it before, he insisted that I take a bite. I barely chewed before I knew I had stumbled upon something utterly amazing. Fast forward to a month ago. I was flipping through my new copy of the The Homesick Texan Cookbook and my CCC pointed out chicken fried steak on one of the pages. It immediately went on my dinner bucket list, no questions asked. We finally got around to making it and found that, (1) it wasn’t nearly as difficult or time-consuming as I imagined it might be; and (2) it’s crazy delicious and deserves to be made at home without a second thought.
Now, sometimes chicken fried steak is served with a basic white gravy (made with a little fat, flour, and milk), and sometimes it’s served with sawmill gravy. Sawmill gravy is made the exact same way, except that it includes some crumbled breakfast sausage. I know what you’re thinking – sausage on top beef?? Look, we’re already battering and frying meat. Nothing was going to stop me from throwing a little sausage into the gravy. It takes the gravy to a completely euphoric level. Now I want everything I eat to be smothered in this gravy. It’s amazing. This whole dish is amazing. From the steak, to the gravy, to my favorite mashed potatoes, and even a tiny bit of vegetables – the whole thing is out of this world. I hear that buttermilk biscuits are also a popular side to the chicken fried steak meal. I will be sure to include those next time! Because there will certainly be a next time. Many, many next times.
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Chicken Fried Steak
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
Cook Time: 30 minutes mins
Total Time: 50 minutes mins
A classic recipe for chicken fried steak
4.75 (4 ratings)
Print Pin Rate
Ingredients
For the Steaks:
- 1½ pounds (680.39 g) top-round steak
- 1½ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) cayenne pepper
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk
- Vegetable oil, for frying
For the Sawmill Gravy:
- ¼ pound (113.4 g) breakfast sausage
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups (366 ml) whole milk
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Cut the top-round steak into four pieces. Working with one piece at a time, place on a sturdy cutting board or clean countertop, cover with a large piece of plastic wrap, and pound the beef with a meat tenderizer until flattened and almost doubled in size (you want the meat to be about ¼-inch thick). Repeat with the remaining pieces. Sprinkle pieces of beef with salt and black pepper.
In a large, shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. In another large, shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and the buttermilk. Take a piece of the tenderized meat and dip it in the egg mixture. Next, place the meat in the bowl of seasoned flour. Turn to coat it thoroughly. Place the meat back into the egg mixture, turning to coat. Finally, return it back to the flour mixture, ensuring that it is evenly coated on both sides. Place on a clean baking sheet and repeat with the remaining pieces of meat.
In a large, 12-inch cast iron skillet, heat ½ inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until a small fleck of flour dropped in the pan sizzles. Carefully place one or two pieces of the meat (whatever fits comfortably without overcrowding) into the skillet. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the blood starts bubbling out of the top of the steak. Using a pair of tongs, gently turn over the steaks and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove the steaks to a cooling rack to drain while you finish frying the remaining steaks. You can place the cooked steaks in a 200-degree oven to keep warm.
Finally, make the sawmill gravy. (You can start this in another pan while the last piece of steak is cooking.) In a skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage until browned, crumbling it as it cooks. With a slotted spoon, remove the sausage from the skillet and place on a plate. Drain the oil from the pan, reserving 2 tablespoons in the skillet (if your sausage didn't yield enough drippings, you can use vegetable oil to get to the 2 tablespoons). Sprinkle the flour over the drippings, and whisk together, cooking for about 2 minutes, until a dark roux is formed. Add the milk slowly to the skillet, whisking continuously. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue whisking until the mixture is thickened, about 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the reserved sausage, and season to taste with salt and black pepper. (If the gravy is too thick, you can thin it by whisking in more milk, a tablespoon at a time.)
Serve the steaks with the sawmill gravy poured over top.
Notes
Note: You can purchase cube steak, which is already-tenderized cuts of round steak, and omit step 1 up until the last line - be sure to still season with salt and pepper!
Calories: 642kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 56g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 259mg, Sodium: 996mg, Potassium: 961mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 500IU, Calcium: 203mg, Iron: 6.6mg
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Author: Michelle
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Originally published May 17, 2012 — (last updated February 19, 2019)
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63 Comments on “Chicken Fried Steak with Sawmill Gravy”
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Judy — Reply
To ensure the batter stays on the steak, dry your steak slices with a paper towel. After dredging the pieces in egg and flour, put the pieces on a rack to dry for about 20 minutes. This allows the flour coating to dry/stick to the meat while frying.
I do this for my fried chicken also.
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Elizabeth — Reply
There is also a device named “Fast Cutlet Maker V2” that flattens the meat and create a nice cube pattern on it. It’s popular in Poland.
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Marja — Reply
Hi,
Correct me if i have this wrong, but as i understand here is that Chicken Fried Steak isn’t chicken but is actually a steak? Why? I mean….in my country a good steak that’s melting in your mouth is very, very expensive and only eaten on very special occasions and chicken is very cheap here and pork is a bit more expensive than chicken but affordable. Is such a good steak not way to expensive to eat it coated in flour and eggs and fried? In my country no one and i mean no one would do so with that expensive beef steak! Only eat it rare or medium rare or what your taste might be, but never ever fried! Baked in a skillet with a nob of good quality unsalted butter with mayby some fresh thyme or/and rosemary, but that’s it. Of course with salt and pepper. I’m totally confused here.
That been said….your gravy sounds to die for! We don’t make much effort of gravy. Just the butter that you used for baking your meat with some water or/and wine or/and broth. That’s it. Or if you want to make it more fancy, with a finely diced shallot and some kapers. But that’s more for restaurants. I steal your Sawmill gravy recipe! Love the name though. But i’ll use your braiding recipe for real chicken and/or pork! Not for my very expensive steaks! Sorry.
Anyway…Thank you for the gravy recipe and till next time.
Have a wonderfull day,
Marja-
Michelle — Reply
Hi Marja, The cut of meat used for chicken fried steak is very cheap and NOT what you would use for an actual steak dinner.
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Laona k — Reply
Are all the photos supposed to be of a pie? I see nothing that’s a chicken fried steak :)
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Laona, Oh my goodness, how weird! I have the page loaded right now and all I see is chicken-fried steak, no pie :)
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Sandy — Reply
My mom and I made this dish this morning for lunch with a side of savoury mashed sweet potatoes and grilled asparagus. I just finished eating it for lunch with my friend (brought her some) and we both say it’s delicious. This was my first time making and eating Chicken Fried Steak. Thank-you for sharing this recipe! I made extra gravy to have with biscuits tomorrow.
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Angela — Reply
I have lived in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. In each place, I have found Chicken Fried Steak to be served with white gravy and Country Fried Steak to be served with a brown gravy. In fact, I once had a born and raised Texan lecture me on the fact that these are two different dishes and the gravy is what differs between the two. Oh, and I have never had either gravy with meat in them served on my steak. (Maybe that’s a regional thing?)
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Daralyn — Reply
I am from Texas and I grew up eating this and its counterpart, Chicken Fried Chicken. Now that I’m living on the west coast, I make it whenever I’m missing home. My mother always added a little grated paremesan cheese to her flour she coated the chicken with for a little extra flavor/crunch.
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Zora Okane — Reply
In case you prefer stir fried vegetables and steak, you could possibly come up with a meal using both. As opposed to common perception, steak recipes and stir fry recipes don’t actually need to be different. I attempted this particular Pepper Steak Stir Fry at-home once, and even my children really love them. They love it a lot for that matter that they can actually eat the veggies! We were amazed and it has now, turn out to be one of our own family day meals since that time. To get an easy and wholesome meal, go through methods below.*
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Frank in Kansas — Reply
Pretty tasty!!! Thanks!!
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Sue — Reply
I make my version of sawmill gravy with bacon; at our house bacon would be a condiment if we would get the flavor without the fat!
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Jona — Reply
i am truly appreciating every recipies you’ve posted, especially this one. it just rocks! :)
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natasha@perfectpantry — Reply
Droolingggg these pics look great..i love chicken but I havent tried chicken steaks with gravy before thanks for this great reciepe cant wait to try it!
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Jamie | My Baking Addiction — Reply
I think I thought Chicken Fried Steak was chicken with incredible gravy until about 2 years ago! Definitely going to give this one a try – total comfort food!
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Lauren | Hippie Dog Company — Reply
OHHHH those photos look AHHHMazing!!! Country Fried Steak is one of my main diet weaknesses. I would rather have it than chocolate!! Thanks for this great recipe!
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RisaG — Reply
I had this when I was in FL last year. I had never had it before and I fell in love at first bite. I want to make it. One day. So crispy on the outside, and so yummy on the inside.
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katie — Reply
Oh this sounds and looks so delightful! I haven’t had country fried steak in forever… I think I might just need to make this stat!
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Crystal @ A Lovin' Forkful — Reply
I have never made chicken fried steak. I love it though, and your recipe looks so amazing! :)
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Georgia — Reply
Whenever I make this, the coating always falls off. It’s like steam gets under the coating and will not stick. What am I doing wrong?
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Georgia, A little of mine fell off as well. Your best bet is to make sure the steaks are completely dry when you start, so pat them repeatedly with a paper towel to remove any moisture. This will give the coating the best chance to stick.
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kati —
also– check the temp of your oil– it needs to be REAL hot to keep the “crust” on– i’m dieting and this looks A-MA-ZING! – at the end of my 24 day challenge (www.sparkrulz.com) i am making this and next to anything chocolate i will definitely be checking your website again! THANKS FOR THIS!!!!
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derek —
Sure fire way to keep the breading on. Coat in flour mixture first and let sit for 10min. This allows time for the gluten in the flour to adhear to the meat. I always had my breading sliding off until I started doing this. Something new I tried the other night. I used thin sliced pork chops instead of beef. No need to tenderize and O so good.
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Michelle —
Thanks for sharing this tip!
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Peggy — Reply
Oh I love chicken fried steak – and I agree with you – I was quite confused when I first came in contact with it, but I quickly became a fan =)
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Debra Kapellakis — Reply
My first thought was, mmmmm…that looks like what my Mom made us when we were growing up in Texas, a little while later…boom Homesick Texan, yep!!! thank you for sharing
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Tracey — Reply
Haha, I was SO confused about chicken fried steak until just recently when I learned what it was. I still haven’t tried it but it sounds like it’d be a huge hit here! Love the Homesick Texan cookbook, I want to make everything in there!
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Chrissymama — Reply
I have always enjoyed chicken fried steak, but now that I’m on my healthy diet. For the past two months I’ve been losing weight and eating more healthfully– which still allows me to eat this sort of stuff…occasionally and in moderation.
Regardless, while it tingles my tastebuds I will have to give this one a pass…at least for the nonce. Looks good though!
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Krissy's Creations — Reply
What a perfect comfort food! Great recipe!
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amanda @ fake ginger — Reply
Ooh, one of my husband’s alltime favorites! I need to make it for him.
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Lindsey — Reply
I make mine the same exact way except just like my grandmother I use self-rising flour. This is my husbands all time favorite.
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Michelle — Reply
Oooh, I’m intrigued by the self-rising flour! I might give that a try next time!
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Martha in KS — Reply
This reminds me of the time Jessica Simpson was eating Chick of the Sea & asked her poor then-husband if it was chicken or fish. Ding dong!
We called this cubed steak, when I was growing up. Not to be confused with tube steak (hot dogs). Ah, the bliss of living in Kansas. :-)
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Shawn @ I Wash...You Dry — Reply
Completely awesome! I used to work at Chili’s and everyone would order the Country Fried Steak by calling it “Chicken Fried Steak,” and then they would be confused…so funny!
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Shelley — Reply
All I can say is YUM!!!
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raquel@eRecipe.com — Reply
With the way you describe this dish I am already drooling. Each line I read made me hungry and making me wish I could pull this out of my screen. Yummy! =)
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Faye — Reply
Hi Brown Eyed Baker,
I live in the UK and was wondering what would be our equivalent to Top Round Steak? I’v tryed looking throughout the Internet but have had no clear definition! Really would like to try this tasty recipe, hope you can help…
Thanks-
Michelle — Reply
Hi Faye, Oooh good question. I’ve actually never been to the UK, so I am completely unaware of how meat is sold there. You basically want a boneless “round” steak, which is the primal cut of beef. If you’re unsure, ask your local butcher or the meat department at your grocery.
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ssmiley — Reply
Hi Faye, It has to do with what part of the animal the cut is taken from. I was just looking in a cook book recently that shows the cuts of beef and where on the animal they come from. Perhaps if you could see one of those cutting guides or whatever, you could see where it is from. I think it is all basically round steak, but top or bottom one may be a better cut.
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Leigh — Reply
Honey,
Any kind of steak will work but cubed steaks or a very tender cut will work best for a tender melt in your mouth dinner -
Channing — Reply
Hi Faye,
I’m not sure if this is helpful, but I’m a Texan married to an Aussie, and he has informed me that in Australia their equivalent cut is called “minute steak”. Hopefully that has some sort of meaning for you beyond “top round” or “cube steak”! :) Chicken fried steak is a true Texan delicacy!
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Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious — Reply
That crumbled sausage gravy looks AH-MAZING!
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Ellen @ The Baking Bluenoser — Reply
Ooh this looks delicious! And so unhealthy aha, I’ve never heard of sawmill gravy before but it sounds like something I can definitely get on board with!
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Laura @ The Salty Kitchen — Reply
Why do you do this to me???!!! I’m soooo trying to eat salads to get ‘in shape’ for swimsuit season, and you go and show me this. Guess I’ll be looking for swimsuit coverups instead, since I’ll be making this soon. My husband sends you his utmost thanks in advance for this recipe. It is also one of his favorites!
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Stephanie — Reply
The first time I had Country (Chicken) Fried Steak was in Houston. With a side of Fried Pickles!
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Michelle — Reply
I looooove fried pickles!
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Nancy @ CouponClippingCook — Reply
Yum, the gravy sounds so good with the chicken fried steak. I think I may be craving this now.
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Catalina @ Cake with Love — Reply
Now this looks delicious, a meal that my husband will appreciate!!
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Griffin's Grub — Reply
You poor deprived thing, not having this wonderful meal until a few years ago. Good thing is now you know how to cook it and it looks like you nailed it. I would take a plate of yours any day of week. Wonderful job.
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I love that you have such a beautiful description of sawmill gravy, or sausage gravy as my husband calls it…with an added shudder because he HATES it. I can’t wait to share this recipe with him and show him that regular people like sausage gravy and it’s not weird!
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Kristy — Reply
I don’t even like steak but this looks so delicious.
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Lauren — Reply
Excuse me while I lick my screen.
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Sandra — Reply
Yes, yes and yes again!
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Jennifer — Reply
One of the best comfort foods on the planet! I love this stuff. Rarely ever eat it because I’d be HUGE, but still, I love it, and it makes me think of home and growing up when it never mattered what I ate because we’d play outside for hours and we were growing like weeds.
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Priyanka — Reply
Wow thats a wonderful dish. So tempting.
The pics are lovely -
Linda — Reply
I grew up eating chicken fried steak with cream gravy and ate if for years until I had diabetes. Might eat it on a special occasion now. Love it too.
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Margot C — Reply
This is such a super great dish. I grew up in New Orleans where you don’t see it much, but used to have it at my grandmother’s house in Dallas (Texas that is, so they know about Chicken Fried Steaks). I never heard it called Sawmill gravy, but I’ve had that gravy too (it’s particularly good on biscuits Slingblade style). Anyway, I always understood that the idea behind it was to do something with the left-over sausages and sausage bits from breakfast and I do indeed associate this meal with lunch and subsequent naps.
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Jen of My Tiny Oven — Reply
Wow, I am drooling! I am going to be dreaming about this Chicken Fried Steak all night! Looks Amazing!
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Diane — Reply
How are you not 400 lbs. and why aren’t we neighbors? ;)
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Michelle — Reply
I love both of these questions :) I try to eat well about 80% of the time and save my indulgences for things that are really worth it, and not go overboard when I do. I also share most of the food I make :) As for being neighbors, Pittsburgh could always use more foodies!
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ala-kat — Reply
I have been eating chicken fried steak with white gravy all of my life – many years. I just love this stuff!! Comfort food all the way. Haven’t had it in a couple of years and now my mouth is just watering for it. Shame on you for that :)
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James Howard — Reply
Cubed steak works well for chicken fried steak. Jim
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