Country Fried Steak Fingers

Some folks call it chicken fried steak, well we call it Country Fried Steak! This is our Country Fried Steak recipe made into steak fingers the kids will enjoy!

Cutting the steak into strips is the whole trick here. Kids love anything they can pick up and dip, and the thinner fingers cook fast and crisp up all over. We start with Diamond R minute steaks, also called cube steak, which are already tenderized, so the coating gets crunchy while the beef inside stays tender. A three-step flour, egg wash, and seasoned flour dredge builds the crust, and a quick spicy dipping sauce ties it all together.

Country Fried Steak Fingers

Ingredients

• 4 to 6 Diamond R minute steaks, cut into strips
• 1c milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/4c of vegetable oil
• 2c of flour
• 2T seasoning salt
• 1T ground pepper
• 2t garlic powder
• 2t onion powder
• 1t ground thyme
• 1T blackened seasoning (if you like spice)

Spicy Dipping Sauce

• 1/2c good mayonnaise
• 1/4c sour cream
• 2t hot sauce
• 1t sugar
• 1t chili powder
• 1/2t ground cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Heat the oil: Pour vegetable oil into a cast iron skillet and heat it over medium heat.
2. Prepare the coatings: On one dinner plate, combine half of the flour with the seasonings. Place the remaining flour on a separate plate. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk.
3. Coat the steak fingers: Lightly coat both sides of the steak fingers with the plain flour. Dip the steak fingers into the egg wash, ensuring they are evenly coated. Finally, heavily coat the steak fingers in the flour and spice mixture.
4. Fry the steak fingers: Pan-fry the steak fingers in the heated vegetable oil until they are golden brown on both sides. Be attentive: they cook quickly! Transfer the fried steak fingers to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil, then keep them warm in a 170°F oven.
5. Prepare the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, mix all the dipping sauce ingredients. Adjust the cayenne pepper for additional heat if desired.

Round steak can also be used. If you opt for this cut, fry it first and then transfer it to the oven at 275 degrees for 30 minutes to tenderize.

Another option would be to make gravy from the pan drippings and some Yukon Gold mashed potatoes to go along with it!

If you have any questions or pics to share please reach out!

Tips for Crispy Steak Fingers

• Keep one hand wet, one hand dry. Use one hand for the egg wash and the other for the flour so your fingers don't turn into breaded clubs. It keeps the coating even and your hands clean.
• Don't crowd the pan. Fry in batches. Too many fingers at once drops the oil temperature and the coating turns greasy instead of crisp.
• Hold them in a warm oven. A 170°F oven keeps the first batch hot and crunchy while you finish the rest, so everyone eats at once.

Working through a package of cube steak? Try the grown-up version with minute steak and mushroom gravy, or serve these fingers with a batch of our homemade horseradish sauce for the adults. For more ways to plan your freezer, see how to eat through a beef share.

Frequently Asked Questions

What cut of beef is best for steak fingers?

Cube steak, also called minute steak, is the best choice. It is already run through a tenderizer, so it fries up tender under a crunchy coating and cuts easily into strips. Round steak works too, but it needs a low oven finish afterward to tenderize it.

What is the difference between country fried and chicken fried steak?

They are close cousins, both breaded and pan-fried beef. Country fried steak is usually served with a brown or pan-drippings gravy, while chicken fried steak is typically topped with a white, peppered milk gravy. In this house, we call it country fried.

Can I make steak fingers ahead of time?

They are best straight from the pan, but you can hold them in a 170 degree oven for up to 30 minutes without losing much crunch. To reheat leftovers, use a hot oven or air fryer rather than a microwave, which softens the coating.

How do I keep the coating from falling off?

Pat the steak dry first, then follow the flour, egg wash, and seasoned flour order without skipping a step. Press the final coating on firmly and let the fingers rest a minute before frying so the crust sets and stays put in the oil.

Made With Diamond R Cube Steak

These steak fingers start with our Diamond R cube steak, cut from single-source, pasture-raised, grain-finished cattle with no added hormones and no antibiotics. Keep a package on hand and you are one skillet away from a dinner the whole family fights over.