Source: Southern Living magazine
A Southern tradition you can make in 40 minutes.
Ingredients:
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 (4 ounce) cube steaks
38 saltine crackers, crushed
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, divided
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper, divided
½ teaspoon ground red pepper
4 ¾ cups milk
2 eggs
3 ½ cups peanut oil
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
1. SPRINKLE salt and pepper evenly over steaks. Set aside.
2. COMBINE cracker crumbs, 1 cup flour, baking powder, 1
teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and red pepper.
3. WHISK together ¾ cup milk and eggs. Dredge steaks in
cracker crumb mixture; dip in milk mixture, and dredge in cracker mixture again.
4. POUR oil into a 12-inch skillet; heat to 360 degrees.
(Do not use a nonstick skillet.) Fry steaks 10 minutes. Turn and fry 4 to 5
more minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack on a jellyroll pan.
Keep steaks warm in a 225 degree oven. Carefully drain hot oil, reserving
cooked bits and 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet.
5. WHISK together remaining ¼ cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt,
1 teaspoon black pepper, and 4 cups milk. Pour mixture into reserved drippings
in skillet; cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, 10 to 12 minutes,
or until thickened. Serve gravy with steaks and mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with
parsley, if desired.