Cracker Barrel Country Fried Steak
Servings 8 people
This Cracker Barrel Copycat recipe yields the most delicious Country Fried Steak that is topped with homemade sawmill gravy! It's a mouthwatering and delicious steak dish that can be served for breakfast or dinner!
Ingredients
Steak
- 2 lb cube steak
- 1½ cups buttermilk divided
- 50 saltines crackers
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
Sawmill Gravy
- 4 slices bacon see notes
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
Steak
- Add cubed steak to a casserole dish and pour ½ cup buttermilk over the top. Tenderize for 30 minutes in the fridge.2 lb cube steak, 1½ cups buttermilk
- Add saltines to a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs, or add to a ziplock and crush with a rolling pin.50 saltines crackers
- Prepare a dredging station with three bowls or shallow pans. Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt in one bowl. Beat together the egg and the remaining 1 cup of buttermilk in another. Then mix the saltine crumbs, pepper, and paprika in the last bowl.1½ cups buttermilk, 50 saltines crackers, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 large egg, ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- Heat 2 inches of canola oil in a frying pan to 350°F and preheat the oven to 200°F.
- Prepare a baking sheet for the uncooked breaded steak, and a wire rack lined baking sheet for the cooked steak.
- Remove cubed steak from the fridge. Allow excess buttermilk to drip off the steak, then dip it in the flour. Press flour into the steak and evenly coat both sides. Next, dip each side of the steak into the buttermilk and egg mixture. Then, place it in the bowl with the saltine crumbs. Press the cracker crust into the steak and thoroughly cover each side with the crumbs. Place onto a baking sheet and store in the fridge as you work.
- Fry the steak in the order they were put into the fridge so the one in the cold the longest is the first to be fried. Keep the uncooked steak in the fridge as you are frying. The cold helps the steak to hold its shape and helps the breading to stick better while frying.
- Once the first steak is done frying, place it onto a wire rack lined baking sheet. Keep the baking sheet in the oven as you work.
Gravy
- Remove all but 1 tablespoon of drippings from the pan.
- Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.4 slices bacon
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly so it doesn't burn. Add flour to the drippings and whisk. Cook until bubbling, then slowly incorporate the buttermilk and whole milk ¼ cup at a time. Whisk in the black pepper and cook for 3 minutes (or until thickened)1 teaspoon minced garlic, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole milk, ⅓ cup buttermilk, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Remove fried steaks from the oven and pour gravy over each. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with your favorite sides!fresh parsley
Notes
- Bacon Notes: The flavor of the sauce is built off a base of the leftover drippings and bacon fat. The bacon itself is not used in the recipe. Therefore, you can save the cooked bacon to serve on the side or crumble it to add to the gravy at the end. If you'd rather not cook the bacon just for its drippings, you can actually purchase bacon grease online. Duck fat would also work and can be found online or at Walmart.
- How To Store: Place any leftover country-fried steak into an airtight container once it's had time to cool. Then transfer them into the fridge to enjoy within 3 days.
- Can I Leave The Steak In The Buttermilk For Longer Than 30 Minutes? Yes, you can leave the steak in buttermilk to tenderize for up to 24 hours! The more time spent in the buttermilk, the more tender the meat will turn out.
- To Fry Up More Than 2lbs Of Cube Steak, Should I Double The Recipe? Yes, if you plan to make more than 2lbs of steak, you will need to double or even triple this recipe, depending on how many pounds you'll be making.
Nutrition
Calories: 473kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 686mg | Potassium: 588mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 208IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 4mg
Find it online: www.sugarandsoul.co/country-fried-steak-cracker-barrel-copycat/