Homemade Steak Fingers: Flavorful and crunchy cracker-crusted steak fingers fried to perfection.
Nothing says Texas comfort food quite like chicken fried steak. And, for good reason too. As the beef capital of the world, Texans have had to get pretty clever as to what to do with such an abundance of cattle. Not all parts of the cow are as naturally hoity-toity and tender as the distinguished tenderloin, so what do we do with those lesser cuts?
Why we have the butcher beat them to smithereens until slightly tender, of course. Then we coat in flour and fry it. Genius. In this recipe, those “lesser” cuts become all the more attractive as cube steaks are cut into strips and double-dredged in a flour mixture enhanced by crushed Saltine crackers. It is an inexpensive, fast, easy, kid-friendly…and well…very Texan recipe. Enjoy.
- 1 ½ lb Tenderized Cube Steaks
- 2 c All Purpose Flour separated
- 2 ½ tsp Kosher Salt separated
- 1 ½ tsp Black Pepper separated
- 2 Eggs slightly beaten
- ¾ c Whole Milk
- ¾ c Crushed Saltine Crackers about 10 crackers
- 2 c Canola Oil
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Cut each steak into 3 strips, about 1 ¼” wide, and set aside until ready to use. Have a dredging station ready with three rimmed trays or pie dishes. In the first tray whisk together 1 c flour, 1 tsp of salt and a ½ tsp of pepper. In the second try, combine milk and eggs. For the third tray, whisk together 1 c flour, cracker crumbs, 1 ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper.
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Add canola oil to a Dutch oven or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and allow to come to temperature. The oil should be between 350°- 375°.*
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Next to the skillet, have ready a rimmed baking sheet, lined with paper towels. Place a cooling rack atop the paper towels.
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In the meantime, dredge each piece of steak in the flour mixture, then the egg wash, followed by the flour-cracker mixture. Make sure to coat both sides of the steak strips thoroughly and evenly across each station. Add the steak fingers to the oil in batches, taking care not to overcrowd the skillet. Cook for 3 ½ minutes, turn and cook for an additional 3 minutes on the other side. Sprinkle the strips with Kosher salt while they are still hot for an extra punch of flavor, if desired. Serve alongside mashed potatoes and Homemade Country Gravy and enjoy.
If you are new to frying, consider investing in a candy thermometer. This will help to ensure your oil is within the proper temperature range. You can also do a flour test. Once you believe the oil to be at the proper temperature, sprinkle a small amount of flour over the grease. If it does nothing (or barely sizzles) the oil is not hot enough. If the flour darkens and smokes right away, the oil is too hot. If the oil is right, the flour will simply bubble up and sizzle, and omit no burning or smoky odor.
Would pair well with:
Homemade Country Gravy, TAK Dinner Rolls, Company Cornbread, Twice-Baked Potatoes , Decadent Mashed Potatoes, Perfectly Steamed Broccoli, Fresh and Simple Green Beans, Warm Bacon & Brussels Sprout Salad
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