Tex-Mex Chicken-Fried Steak
Chicken-fried steak with red chile gravy and More Pressure Cooker Favorites
This classic southern dish features tender beef top-round steaks fried to crispy perfection and topped with a rich and flavorful red chile gravy. Served with melted cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese and garnished with pickled jalapeños, it's a comforting meal perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds beef top-round steak
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- as needed vegetable oil for frying
- 4 ounces mild yellow cheddar shredded (1 cup)
- 4 ounces Monterey Jack shredded (1 cup)
- to taste pickled jalapeño slices for garnishing
- 1/4 cup pan drippings, oil, or bacon grease
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef or chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon jalapeño pickle juice
- to taste salt
- as needed refried beans for serving
- as needed Mexican rice for serving
Instructions
Instructions
- Cut the steak into 4 evenly sized pieces. Pound each piece with a meat tenderizer to about a 1/4-inch thickness and almost doubled in surface area. Lightly season the steaks with salt and pepper.
- For the breading, whisk together the flour, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, and cayenne. Beat the egg and milk in a bowl wide enough to accommodate the steaks. Coat both sides of one piece of steak with the flour mixture, dip into the egg mixture, dredge in flour again, and place on a second large plate. Repeat with remaining steaks.
- Preheat the oven to 200°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm 1 inch of oil to 300°F. Working in batches, gently place the steaks in the skillet in a single layer. After 2 to 3 minutes, or when juices start bubbling out of the top of the steak, use tongs to gently flip the steaks and continue to cook until lightly browned, about 3 more minutes. Transfer the steaks to the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining steaks.
- To make the chile gravy, reserve 1/4 cup of oil from the skillet, then drain the rest and wipe out the skillet with a paper towel. Return the oil to the skillet and warm over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.
- Whisk in the flour to the skillet until well combined. Cook for a minute or until just beginning to brown, then stir in the broth, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and black pepper. While stirring, cook until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the jalapeño pickle juice then taste and adjust seasonings, adding salt if needed.
- Remove the steaks from the oven. Turn on the broiler, position a rack 6 inches from the heating element, and place each steak on an oven-proof plate. Evenly pour over the steaks the gravy, then top with the cheese.
- Slide the plates under the broiler and cook until the cheese has melted, about 1-2 minutes. Garnish the steaks with pickled jalapeños.
- Serve immediately, with refried beans and rice, if you like.
Notes
If you have the time and inclination and would like to try making a chile gravy using whole chiles, this is a good gravy recipe. You can also substitute ancho chiles for the pasilla chiles if you prefer.
