Here's The Cut Of Beef That's Used For Texas Roadhouse's Country Fried Steak

If you're as popular as Texas Roadhouse then people are going to have questions about just what goes into popular dishes like the country fried steak. The thing is, there isn't much of a secret to it. While the budget-friendly Texas Roadhouse may not shell out for USDA prime steaks like high-end steakhouses, it does use quality USDA choice steaks that are almost as good, and all of its steaks are cut fresh in house. Texas Roadhouse also makes its steaks taste better by using simple things like sugar. And when it comes to making the best country fried steak, Texas Roadhouse opts for a cut of beef that is a step above most other recipes, using a sirloin steak.

Sirloin is a pretty popular steak cut in general; in fact, it's Texas Roadhouse's top-selling steak aside from the country fried version, but it's not the go-to for that recipe normally. Being a way to use cheap meat, country fried steak is more often made with a cube steak, which is a steak from the round that has been tenderized mechanically to make it more chewable. Steaks from the round are cheap because they are both lean and tough. Beyond its price, it's a popular cut for frying because its bland flavor won't matter as much when it's being fried and covered in gravy. It's more of a vehicle for other flavors than a star itself.

Sirloin isn't the most desirable steak, but it's leagues above cube and is the kind of cut you'd be happy eating, fried or not. Coming from the larger loin area between the ribs and the rear of the cow (the round), sirloin is from a section that doesn't get a lot of work. This means sirloin steaks are pretty naturally tender. And while they are also a lean cut, they usually have more fat than a cube steak, and are known for meat with a strong, beefy flavor. Sirloin is considered a great cut for grilling or searing with just some salt and pepper, so by using it, Texas Roadhouse is going the extra mile to make its country fried steak taste less like just batter and more like, well, steak.

Using sirloin also makes it easy to recreate Texas Roadhouse's country fried steak at home. It's pretty affordable and very common in almost any grocery store, more so than cube steaks. Just know that even though sirloin is decently tender, it is still firm, so you'll want to cut your steak pretty thin before you fry it, around a quarter-inch thick. Other than that, you can use a pretty classic chicken-fried steak recipe, although you'll want to dip the steak in buttermilk instead of eggs to get closer to the Texas Roadhouse flavor. Sometimes a restaurant's secret really is keeping it simple.