Steak Fingers with Country Gravy
Steak Fingers with Country Gravy: Crispy chicken fried steak strips, with ultra creamy white gravy for dipping. This is a dish that no one can resist!
Steak Fingers with Country Gravy
Steak Fingers with Country Gravy remind me of childhood. Growing up in Oklahoma, they were a staple on diner and drive-in menus.
For those of you that did not grow up in Oklahoma-Texas cattle country, and are scratching your heads, steak fingers are essentially chicken fried steak strips, served with white gravy for dipping.
After moving across the country, I went many years without eating steak fingers. Yet recently I was walking down the freezer aisle of the grocery store and noticed bags of frozen steak fingers in the glass cabinet.
Even the frozen factory-made rendition made me crave them, and I decided it was time for my kids to taste a little bit of my childhood.
Using tenderized cube steak as the base, Steak Fingers with Country Gravy are inexpensive to make, quick to fry up, and always a crowd-pleaser!
Both the steak fingers and the gravy are made in the same skillet for easy clean-up.
Steak Fingers Recipe Ingredients
To make this recipe you’ll need:
- Tenderized Cube Steak – You can find this cut of meat at your local supermarket. It is pretty inexpensive and since it comes already tenderized, that makes less work for you.
- All-Purpose Flour – This is the base of the breading that gets fried.
- Cajun Seasoning – Cajun seasoning is mixed in the flour mixture to add amazing flavor.
- Baking Powder – This makes the coating light and crunchy!
- Milk – Milk is mixed with eggs to create a golden breading.
- Eggs – This is also a part of the “glue” mixture. It will help the second coating of the flour mixture stick to the meat.
- Worcestershire sauce – This ingredient adds flavor to the egg mixture. If you don’t want to use this sauce just leave it out and add a pinch of salt to the mixture.
- Oil – For frying!
How To Make Steak Fingers
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Pat the cube steak thoroughly dry with paper towels. Then cut the steaks into strips approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide and 3 to 4 inches long.
- In a small bowl mix the flour, Cajun seasoning, and baking powder together. In another bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and Worcestershire sauce. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to fill the skillet 1/4 inch deep.
- Once the oil is between 350-375 degrees F, dip 6-8 steak strips in the flour mixture. Shake them off, then dunk the strips in the egg mixture. Shake off the drippings, then dunk back in the flour mixture. Shake off all excess flour. (Flour that falls off into the oil will burn and turn the oil dark.)
- Gently place the strips in the hot oil and fry for 1-2 minutes per side. Use tongs to move the steak fingers to a paper towel-lined plate. Add additional oil to the skillet if needed, and repeat with the remaining steak strips. Place the finish strips in the oven to keep warm.
Country Gravy Recipe
To make delicious Country Gravy you’ll need:
- Butter – All good gravy starts with butter.
- Seasoned Flour Mixture – This is the leftover mixture used to flour the steak fingers before frying.
- Milk – This helps thin out the gravy and also brings all the other ingredients together.
- Salt and Pepper – Season to taste!
How to Make Country Gravy
- Once all the steak fingers are fried, carefully wipe the skillet out with a paper towel. Place it back over medium heat and add the butter. Once melted, whisk in 1/4 cup of the remaining seasoned flour. Whisk until bubbling, then whisk in 2 cups of milk. Continue to whisk the white gravy until it is thick.
- Taste, then season with salt and pepper as needed. Remove the gravy from heat. If the gravy starts to thicken too much, whisk in an additional 1/2 cup of milk.
- Serve the steak fingers and warm country gravy together for dipping.
If you love chicken fried steak, Steak Fingers with Country Gravy is going to be your new favorite party snack. Even your pickiest eaters will fall for these little guys!
Get The Full (Printable) Steak Fingers and Country Gravy Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Steak Fingers Make Good Leftovers?
Sure! They will keep in the fridge up to 5-6 days. Just reheat them in the microwave, or for the best texture, reheat them in a 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes.
Do I Have to Use a Thermometer in the Oil?
Not necessarily. The key here is to get super crispy steak fingers on the outside, with tender, cooked steak on the inside. If the oil is too hot, you might burn the outside before it is cooked in the inside. Or if it isn’t hot enough, oil will seep into the breading, causing it to be extra greasy and not as crispy. Using an oil thermometer to check that the oil is the correct temperature is the best way to know that the oil is ready. However, if the steak fingers sizzle when going in but don’t start to crackle too aggressively, the oil is probably around the right temperature!
Can You Freeze Steak Fingers?
Yes, you can! Place the steak fingers in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, spread them out on a baking sheet and reheat in a 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes.
Other Great Recipes
- Copycat Chick-fil-A Nuggets
- Korean Fried Chicken
- Pan Fried Fish Tacos
- Perfect Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy Recipe
- Apple Baked Stuffed Pork Chops Recipe
- Perfect Maryland Crab Cakes Recipe
- Better Than Panda Express Orange Chicken Recipe
- Crispy Baked Buffalo Chicken Breast Recipe
- Homemade Crullers from Lauren’s Latest (for dessert!)
Steak Fingers with Country Gravy Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds tenderized cube steak
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 1/4 cups milk, divided
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 5 tablespoons butter
- Salt and pepper
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Pat the cube steak thoroughly dry with paper towels. Then cut the steaks into strips approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide and 3 to 4 inches long.
- In a small bowl mix the flour, Cajun seasoning, and baking powder together. In another bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup milk, 3 eggs, and Worcestershire sauce. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to fill the skillet 1/4 inch deep.
- Once the oil is between 350-375 degrees F, dip 6-8 steak strips in the flour mixture. Shake them off, then dunk the strips in the egg mixture. Shake off the drippings, then dunk back in the flour mixture. Shake off all excess flour. (Flour that falls off into the oil will burn and turn the oil dark.)
- Gently place the strips in the hot oil and fry for 1-2 minutes per side. Use tongs to move the steak fingers to a paper towel lined plate. Add additional oil to the skillet if needed, and repeat with the remaining steak strips. Place the finished strips in the oven to keep warm.
- Once all the steak fingers are fried, carefully wipe the skillet out with a paper towel. Place it back over medium heat and add the butter. Once melted, whisk in 1/4 cup of the remaining seasoned flour. Whisk until bubbling, then whisk in 2 cups of milk. Continue to whisk the gravy until it is thick. Taste, then season with salt and pepper as needed. Remove the gravy from heat. If the gravy starts to thicken too much, whisk in an additional 1/2 cup of milk.
- Serve the steak fingers and warm country gravy together for dipping.
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Everything tasted good but my goodness was it salty! I’d highly recommend using no salt Cajun seasoning or less Cajun in the flour. I’ll try again soon though!
Can you bread them ahead time? Then fry them?
Hi Megan,
Yes, you can bread them a few hours in advance, but I wouldn’t do it a day or more in advance. Hope this helps!
I would just like to state that “steak fingers” aren’t actually a southern thing. They originated in the northwest.
Wow. I made this exactly as written, except scaled it for 2. Definitely a keeper and will be making on repeat. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
First time making this and it was amazing. Gravy was bomb too!
This was amazing!
I added some of my own touches to the gravy by doubling the flour and adding in 2 cups of chicken stock, a little Knorr’s, and soy sauce. This was the best steak fingers recipe I’ve ever used. Thanks!
So, why did I preheat the oven again? Just because?? Lolol
Hi Chris!
You use the oven as a warmer to keep the batches of steak fingers hot and crisp, while you work on additional batches and the gravy. :)
I am in love with this recipe, total winner.
We don’t have that cut of meat in the UK – any suggestions for a substitute?
I grew up in Atlanta so I am absolutely missing this!!!
Hi Anna!
Cube steak is simply thin-cut top sirloin that has been well tenderized. You can have a butcher thinly slice top sirloin or top round, then vigorously pound it out with meat tenderizing mallet. It’s a good way to work out your frustrations after a long day! ;)
I’m all in, have never had or made these but chicken fried steak with gravy cannot ever miss, so thank you for sharing it!