Chicken Fried Pork Cube Steak Recipe (2024)

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Tender juicy Cubed Pork Steak wrapped in a delicious flavorful southern style country breading and fried to a golden crisp topped off with creamy homemade gravy!

When our current situation hit the country…beef was in short supply and pork was plentiful!

Chicken Fried Pork Cube Steak Recipe (1)

As I walked the meat department trying to stick to my “2 package” limit of meat…I stumbled upon a package of Cubed Pork Steak. I was intrigued. (Does that say something about my life when I get excited about pork steaks?) We had never had it before.

My husband isn’t generally a huge fan of pork chops, so I was hopeful this package of cubed pork steaks would be as tender and juicy as his big brother… beef cube steaks! I thought “If beef cube steaks are good in a “chicken friend coating”…maybe pork would be too”.

Now I know some of you southerners are laughing…because this dish is a staple at your Nest. Remember I’m a west coast girl turned country farm girl…so this was all new to me! Yee-Haw!

To say that “Mr. Nest” loved this recipe…would be a HUGE understatement! He loves it so much that he regularly requests it. The lifelong plague of loathing dry pork chops has come to an end!

How To Cook Tenderized Pork Steaks

In a shallow dish, like a pie plate, add 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (buttermilk makes everything better y’all),1 egg, and 1 -2 Tablespoon Frank’s Buffalo Wing Sauce, depending on your level desired flavor. You can substitute 1/2 Tablespoon hot pepper sauce for the buffalo sauce.

Using a wire whisk, mix until well combined.

Chicken Fried Pork Cube Steak Recipe (2)

In a separate shallow dish, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon paprika. Using a fork, combine all the dry breading ingredients until well blended.

TIP: Baking soda adds the “airy crisp” to this batter. Don’t skip that ingredient my friends!

Chicken Fried Pork Cube Steak Recipe (3)

You’ll need 4 pork cube steaks. They generally come 2-3 pork cube steaks to a package.

Chicken Fried Pork Cube Steak Recipe (4)

In a large heavy skillet, cast iron skillet, or electric skillet over medium high, heat vegetable oil to 325°.

Meanwhile…dredge each pork steak in the buttermilk mixture. I like to let them hang out there for a minute or two…soak up all that yumminess!!! It makes ’em happy. Like a tired mom in a hot tub!

Chicken Fried Pork Cube Steak Recipe (5)

Remove the soaked cube steak from the buttermilk mixture and dredge it (lots of dredging going on in this recipe!) through the flour mixture, making sure it is well coated on both sides with the dry flour mixture. Set coated pork steaks on a baking rack until ready to fry.

Chicken Fried Pork Cube Steak Recipe (6)

Carefully place each pork steak in the heated oil, laying the steak away from you. Fry the steaks evenly until golden brown and crispy, about 3–5 minutes per side.

Chicken Fried Pork Cube Steak Recipe (7)

Line a plate with 3–4 layers of paper towels. Place those beautiful southern fried pork chops on the paper towel lined plate to soak up any extra oil from frying.

Chicken Fried Pork Cube Steak Recipe (8)

Carefully drain the fat from the skillet, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid and as much of the solid remnants, also known at “bits” around this Nest, as possible.

Return the skillet to medium-low heat with the reserved oil. Whisk in 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour into the heated oil. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to release the solids into the gravy. Slowly add 4 cups milk, stirring constantly, until gravy thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.

That’s it my friends. You have just made the BEST Chicken Fried Pork Cube Steaks and Gravy. Nothing left but to dig in!

I like to serve our fried pork chops and gravy over mashed potatoes…cause “Taters” are life and nothing say’s “Country Eating” like something fried with Home style mashed potatoes, and a creamy gravy made from drippings’!! Lawdy that’s some good eating there my friends! (My English teacher is so, SO proud of that run-on sentence I just dropped at the beginning of this paragraph!)

Chicken Fried Pork Cube Steak Recipe (9)

These fried boneless pork chops are so good! Lip-smacking, belly rubbing good! The breading is pure perfection!! Crispy and light. YUM!

The birds at this next love how tender and juicy the cubed pork steaks are. You can literally cut them with a fork!

I’m drooling just thinking about this classic pork chop recipe. I know I changed it up a bit by adding “buffalo” sauce to the batter…but sometimes ya just want a little kick of flavor and a change of pace from the norm!

Chicken Fried Pork Cube Steak Recipe (11)

This same recipe would make a fantastic Southern Fried Pork Chop Sandwich! Omit the gravy and place that thin chicken fried pork cube steak on a toasted bun with a scrumptious honey mustard sauce or a white BBQ sauce! Whoa…sounds like I need to head back to the kitchen and start recipe testing again! WOW! That sounds amazing, doesn’t it?

Here are some of my other favorite Southern Recipes

As always, thank you for stopping by and visiting with me today! I hope you’ll give this recipe a try and come to love Pork Cube Steaks as much as we do! It’s one truly fantastic dish! Sometimes in the midst of a trial you make new delicious discoveries!

Happy Nesting My Friends!

Chicken Fried Pork Cube Steak Recipe (12)

Yield: 4 servings

Chicken Fried Pork Cube Steak Recipe (13)

Tender juicy Cubed Pork Steak wrapped in a delicious flavorful southern style country breading and fried to a golden crisp topped off with creamy homemade gravy!

Prep Time20 minutes

Cook Time20 minutes

Total Time40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 Pork cube steaks
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 Tablespoon Frank's Buffalo Sauce; or 1/2 Tablespoon Hot pepper sauce
  • 2 cup vegetable oil for frying

Gravy ingredients

  • 1/4 cup reserved oil drippings
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 4 cups milk
  • garlic salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Place 2 cups of flour in a shallow dish, like a pie plate. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt. Mix until well combined.
  2. In a separate bowl, blend egg, buttermilk, and buffalo sauce together.
  3. Dredge each cube steak in buttermilk batter, then dredge in the flour mixture, making sure to pat the flour mixture onto the surface of each pork steak so they are completely coated with dry flour. Place coated pork steaks on a rack until ready to fry.
  4. Heat the oil in a deep cast-iron skillet, electric skillet, or deep fry pan. Heat oil to 325°. Carefully lay the steaks AWAY from you in the hot oil. Fry the steaks until evenly golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Place fried steaks on a plate with paper towels to drain.
  5. To make the gravy, carefully drain the fat from the skillet, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid and as much of the solid remnants as possible.
  6. Return the skillet to medium-low heat with the reserved oil. Whisk in 1/2 cup flour into the oil. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to release solids. Add chicken broth. Stir until well combined. Slowly add the milk stirring constantly until mixture thickens to form a creamy gravy. Salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4 servings

Serving Size:

1 steak

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 1813Total Fat: 145gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 3gUnsaturated Fat: 119gCholesterol: 165mgSodium: 1668mgCarbohydrates: 78gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 50g

Chicken Fried Pork Cube Steak Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you get breading to stick to cube steak? ›

Pat the Steak Dry: Before coating the steak with flour or batter, pat it dry with paper towels. Excess moisture on the surface of the meat can prevent the breading from sticking. Season and Flour the Steak Properly: Season the steak with salt and pepper before dredging it in flour.

How do you keep batter from falling off chicken fried steak? ›

Another important tip is to place the breaded meat onto a sheet pan, cover and place back in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before frying. This will firmly adhere the breading onto the meat and help keep it from falling of when frying.

How do you cook cube steak so it's not tough? ›

The best way to cook cube steak for tenderness is slowly and evenly, so a slow cooker can do the trick when you have ample time to spare. However, braising, pan-frying, and sauteing also work. Just be sure to cook with enough liquid to keep the steak moist.

Why does my breading fall off my cube steak? ›

Use hot oil.

If your oil isn't hot enough before you add the steaks, the breading can fall off of the steaks because the eggs (the “glue”) don't cook instantly. It can also cause oily, gummy chicken fried steak because the breading soaks up the oil instead of becoming crispy upon contact.

Why does my breading fall off my country fried steak? ›

It sits in the breading too long before frying

Coat each generously in flour right before you fry. If you let them sit too long, the marinade can seep through the flour and cause it to get moist, which creates a soggy breading that can fall off.

How do you get batter to stick to meat when frying? ›

But taking the extra time to soak your meat in buttermilk and let the flour set will ensure that your breading is fully adhered for the perfect breaded pork chops or breaded chicken. This creates a final result that is crispy on the outside, juicy in the middle, and altogether irresistible.

Why does my breading always fall off? ›

Step 1: Pat the chicken dry

It sounds counterintuitive, but a dry surface will help the flour adhere evenly to the chicken. Just as important as the first patting down of the chicken's surface, the final pat down of your meat after covering it with breading helps every piece of crunchy coating adhere.

Why does the breading always fall off my fried chicken? ›

Meat is not properly dry

Most home cooks often struggle with getting the breading part right because they do not let their meat dry properly. If the meat is wet, it will make the flour soggy. In that case, breading will not stick properly and may fall off when deep frying.

Does cube steak get more tender the longer you cook it? ›

Slow cooking methods, such as using a slow cooker or cooking the meat in a low-temperature oven for an extended period, will inevitably break down the collagen and connective tissues in cube steak. This process is one of the most convenient since you can just set the timer and let the cooker work its magic.

What does soaking cube steak in milk do? ›

But the acid in milk is so mild that you can soak beef in it long enough to tenderize it effectively, without damaging the proteins on the surface. The calcium-rich properties of milk react with enzymes in the meat to gently soften the proteins.

What can I soak cube steak in to make it tender? ›

You can soak the cube steak in milk for overnight or a few hours in order to soften it and add juiciness. No need to rinse it before cooking if you're not adding any batter or breading to the surface. Keep the temperature relatively low and cook the meat slowly, setting aside 1.5 to 2 hours for the entire process.

How do restaurants make their steaks so tender? ›

Restaurants often sear the steak on high heat to create a flavorful crust, and then finish cooking it in the oven to ensure even doneness [2]. This combination of high heat searing and controlled oven cooking helps to lock in the juices and maintain tenderness.

What do restaurants use to tenderize steak? ›

The fat in the butter can help soften the meats' protein fibers, resulting in a more tender steak. It's like giving your steak a spa day, minus the fluffy robes and cucumbers on the eyes. In a nutshell, restaurants slather butter on steaks not out of whimsy but as a calculated move in the culinary chess game.

What is the best way to get a crust on a steak? ›

The better quality steak you choose, the better the results.
  1. Dry the steak in your refrigerator for 1-3 days. ...
  2. Bring the steak to room temperature. ...
  3. 1 hour before cooking, sprinkle some sea salt on the steak evenly. ...
  4. Ah, the pan. ...
  5. Once the pan is heated, press the steak onto the surface (for an even crust).
Jan 19, 2024

What helps seasoning stick to steak? ›

To help your seasonings adhere to the steak's surface, you can brush all sides with a small amount of olive oil first.

Why do you soak cube steak in milk? ›

It's milk. Here's why:

A steak that marinates in an acidic or enzymatic liquid too long, such as citrus juice or cola, becomes tough or mushy. But the acid in milk is so mild that you can soak beef in it long enough to tenderize it effectively, without damaging the proteins on the surface.

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