Chicken-Fried Steak with Country Gravy

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef trimmed cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1.5 teaspoons pepper black as needed freshly ground plus more
• 0.3 teaspoon ground pepper 
• 1 cup flour all-purpose
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt as needed plus more
• 1 teaspoon onion powder 
• 1 teaspoon paprika 
• 4 tablespoons butter unsalted ()
• 0.8 cup vegetable oil for frying
• 1 cup milk whole

Equipment

• frying pan
• baking sheet
• whisk
• wire rack
• kitchen thermometer
• aluminum foil
• cutting board
• meat tenderizer

Directions

1. For the gravy:Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat until foaming.
2. Place the milk in a shallow dish; set aside. In a second shallow dish, whisk together the flour, measured pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, measured salt, and cayenne; set aside.
3. Place 1 piece of the beef on a cutting board and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Using the studded side of a meat mallet, pound the steak, flipping to equally pound both sides, until it’s about 1/8 inch thick.
4. Transfer to a large plate or baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pieces of beef.Dip 1 piece of the beef in the reserved flour mixture, turn to coat, and shake off any excess. Dip in the milk, turn to coat, and dip in the flour mixture a second time, shaking off any excess. Return to the plate or baking sheet and repeat with the remaining pieces.
5. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking or 350°F on a deep-fry thermometer. Meanwhile, fit a wire rack over a baking sheet; set aside.When the oil is ready, fry 2 to 3 pieces of meat (don’t crowd the pan) until golden brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.
6. Transfer to the wire rack, season with salt, and cover loosely with a piece of aluminum foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining pieces.
7. Serve immediately, smothered in the gravy.