Chicken Fried Steak Sandwich

 

 

I picked up some cube steaks when I was at the store the other day.  Cube steak, also known as minute or cubed steak is an inexpensive cut of beef that has been put through a mechanical tenderizer.  It like of looks like it has little dimples all over it.

It is usually made from tougher cuts of beef, is thinly cut and is well suited to quick cooking/flash frying.  You can make minute steak yourself by pounding thin cuts of rump or round steak with the side of a meat pounder that has spikes, rather than the flat side. 

 

You can't go wrong really because it is cheaper than other cuts and always comes out tender when cooked.  It is really well suited for dishes like chicken fried steak or even Swiss steak.  

We always loved it when Swiss steak was on the menu when I was growing up. We didn't have it really often because it was a bit labor intensive for my mother who worked full time.

She would take a large round steak and cut it into smaller portions.  Each portion would get pounded and floured until it was thin and nicely coated with flour, the steak having absorbed some.  This also helped to thicken the tomato gravy that it was simmered in after browning. So tasty!

 

Chicken fried steak is tenderized steak, floured and browned until golden brown.  Crisp coated on the outside, tender and juicy inside.  it is usually served with a cream gravy and plenty of fluffy mashed potatoes.

For todays sandwich, I have skipped the cream gravy. Instead I have added a lovely creamy peppery garlic aioli mayonnaise dressing.  I have adapted the steak recipe itself from a delicious one found on The Pioneer Woman. It has been downsized to feed just two people.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE A CHICKEN FRIED STEAK SANDWICH

I had looked at a Chicken Fried Steak Sandwich recipe here.  I thought to myself, looks good, but way too faffy for my liking. I am quite a bit lazier than that and I didn't think much of it was required.  Simple ingredients done well, that's all you need. There is nothing complicated here.  If you are a fan of simple, you will love this.

For the Garlic Pepper Mayo:

• 4 TBS good quality mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• pinch salt
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• splash of hot sauce

For the chicken fried steak:

• 2 slices of beef cube steak ( steak which has been tenderized by machine)
• salt and black pepper to taste (for the steaks)
• 1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup (60ml) whole milk
• 1/2 cup (70g) plain all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp sweet paprika
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil
• 2 tsp butter

You will also need:

• 2 good quality burger buns, split, buttered and toasted
• lettuce leaves
• sliced fresh tomatoes

 

There is not a lot I can tell you about the ingredients. They are pretty straight forward.  I got my minute/cube steak at Sobey's which is a grocery chain here in the Maritimes.  Its in the chilled meat section.

It looks like this.  If you can't find it you can make your own. Just cut steak into serving sized pieces and pound it thin with the spiky side of a meat pounder.  In a pinch you can also use the dull size of a heavy knife.

I have done both in the past and both ways work very well!

 

HOW TO MAKE A CHICKEN FRIED STEAK SANDWICH

This really is a very easy make. They make a great midweek supper, especially in the summer months when you don't really want to be heating up the kitchen!

First make the mayonnaise dressing. Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl until well combined. Set aside and keep covered until you need them.

Set up a mise-en-place for the steaks. You will need two shallow bowls, plus a clean plate.

In the first bowl place the flour, seasoning salt, black pepper, paprika and cayenne. Mix all together well.

In the second bowl beat together the egg and the milk to combine. Line the clean plate with a sheet of paper towel.

Season the two steaks all over with some salt and ground black pepper to taste. Working with one at a time, dip it into the flour mixture, turning it to coat it generously on both sides. Dip in the egg to coat and then back in the flour mixture, coating it well. Place onto the clean plate. Repeat with the other steak.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. Once the butter begins to foam, give the pan a swirl to mix the two and then add the steaks. Cook until the edges of the steaks start to turn golden brown and crisp, two to three minutes.

Flip the steaks over and brown on the other side, another two to three minutes. Place onto the paper towel line plate and keep warm while you toast the buns.

Place the bottoms of the toasted buns on two heated plates. Spread each with half of the mayonnaise mixture. Top with a steak, some lettuce and a slice of tomato. Place the bun tops over all. Serve immediately with some potato chips, French fries, or salad. Delicious!

Hah!  I just realized that I used my Pioneer Woman Plate to serve my sandwich on. Entirely co-incidental and not planned!  The plate was a gift from my friend Elaine and is a favorite of mine for use in photographing my recipes!

This was a really delicious meal!  I chose to serve it with a few cheeky potato chips on the side.  The meat was tender, well flavored and delicious. That garlic pepper mayo went perfectly with it.

Of course there is only one of me and I cooked two small steaks, so I will probably reheat the second one up tomorrow and make a cream gravy a la pioneer woman to serve with it and some fluffy mash.  I can't wait!  Cook once, eat twice. You can't get much better than that!

If you are a fan of the hot sandwich in the summer months, might I suggest the following:

AIR FRYER REUBEN SANDWICH - These tasty sandwiches are a great excuse to fire up the air fryer!  Nice, buttery and crisp on the outsides, and filled with your favorite Reuben sandwich fixings, smoked/corned beef, sauerkraut, cheese and a tangy homemade Russian dressing. Done in the air fryer so you can keep the kitchen nice and cool!

HOT ITALIAN HOAGIES -  These hot sandwiches are so easy to put together and everyone loves them. You can make a whole roasting tray full of them for your family and guests.  Layers of Italian deli meats, some spicy pickle,  and tasty cheese, all layered up in soft toasty buns, buttered with a nice garlicky butter prior to heating.  Altogether very delicious!

Chicken Fried Steak Sandwich

Yield: 2

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 25 Min

A delicious sandwich with a peppery garlic aioli mayo dressing, crunchy delicious chicken fried steak on a toasted bun with lettuce and tomato. Deliciously sized just for two. Uncomplicated deliciousness.

Ingredients

For the Garlic Pepper Mayo:

• 4 TBS good quality mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• pinch salt
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• splash of hot sauce

For the chicken fried steak:

• 2 slices of beef cube steak ( steak which has been tenderized by machine)
• salt and black pepper to taste (for the steaks)
• 1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup (60ml) whole milk
• 1/2 cup (70g) plain all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp sweet paprika
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil
• 2 tsp butter

You will also need:

• 2 good quality burger buns, split, buttered and toasted
• lettuce leaves
• sliced fresh tomatoes

Instructions

1. First make the mayonnaise dressing. Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl until well combined. Set aside and keep covered until you need them.
2. Set up a mise en place for the steaks. You will need two shallow bowls, plus a clean plate.
3. In the first bowl place the flour, seasoning salt, black pepper, paprika and cayenne. Mix all together well.
4. In the second bowl beat together the egg and the milk to combine. Line the clean plate with a sheet of paper towel.
5. Season the two steaks all over with some salt and ground black pepper to taste. Working with one at a time, dip it into the flour mixture, turning it to coat it generously on both sides. Dip in the egg to coat and then back in the flour mixture, coating it well. Place onto the clean plate. Repeat with the other steak.
6. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. Once the butter begins to foam, give the pan a swirl to mix the two and then add the steaks. Cook until the edges of the steaks start to turn golden brown and crisp, two to three minutes.
7. Flip the steaks over and brown on the other side, another two to three minutes. Place onto the paper towel line plate and keep warm while you toast the bun.
8. Place the bottoms of the toasted buns on two heated plates. Spread each with half of the mayonnaise mixture. Top with a steak, some lettuce and a slice of tomato. Place the bun tops over all.
9. Serve immediately with some potato chips, French fries, or salad. Delicious!

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