Food - Drink
Chicken Fried Vs. Country Fried Steak: What's The Difference?
By EMILY BOYETTE
Country fried steak and chicken fried steak are true staples in southern U.S. states, consisting of a thin cutlet of beef that is breaded and fried. Though at first glance, these dishes may look the same, country fried steak and chicken fried steak have differences in their cooking techniques, ingredients used, and finishing touches.
According to Cattlemen's Steakhouse, the original goal in creating chicken fried steak was to use budget-friendly ingredients, so an inexpensive cut called cube steak is used. The meat is coated in egg, dredged in seasoned flour, and fried, giving the steak a crispy exterior similar to fried chicken, then served with peppery white gravy.
Meanwhile, country fried steak also uses cube steak, but is double-dredged in flour, sans eggs, and uses a brown onion gravy instead of white gravy, as per Steak School. MasterClass states that country fried steak is smothered in gravy after frying instead of right before serving, yielding a tender texture with a less crispy coating.