Chicken Fried Steak Cubes with Country Gravy

I must warn you that this is not a healthy dish.  It is, however, a dish we love, so I make it once a month or so.  I grew up eating this and my kids grew up eating this.

This is one of my favorite uses for round steak.  I like it because it is simple and easy and makes meat seem to go further.  I don’t generally use a recipe, but I tried to write it out for this post.

This is served with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables, green beans or other veggie and sometimes hot biscuits.

I usually don’t bother, but to make this even more “chicken fried”, the steak cubes can be dunked in a beaten egg before being dredged in the flour.

Chicken Fried Steak Cubes with Country Gravy

1 to 1 1/2 lbs. boneless round steak, cut about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick
2/3 c. flour
1 t. or more seasoned salt of your choice
1/4 to 1/2 t. freshly ground pepper (depending upon how “peppery” your family likes it
enough melted shortening or vegetable oil to cover the  bottom of what ever skillet is being used to a depth of at least 1/8 inch.
3 c. milk

Pound round steak with a meat mallet on both sides.  Cut steak into 1 1/2-inch cubes.  Dip cubes in beaten egg, if desired.  Combine flour with seasoned salt and pepper.  Dredge steak cubes in flour mixture.  This can be done by putting flour in a shallow pan and rolling the cubes in the flour or by putting the flour in a plastic bag (I repurpose a bread sack) and shaking the cubes a few at a time in the bag.  Reserve any excess flour mixture.
Heat the shortening or vegetable oil in a large skillet until hot.  Place the steak cubes in the skillet in a single layer, not letting them touch each other.  (Fry cubes in two batches if necessary).  Cook cubes 2 or 3 minutes on each side until there is a nice crust, turning to cook all sides.  Remove from the skillet and keep warm.
Measure fat left in skillet.  4 to 6 tablespoons fat  will be needed to thicken 3 cups of milk.  Return fat to skillet and reheat if necessary.  Measure reserved flour mixture.  6 tablespoons will be needed.  Add plain flour to seasoned flour to make 6 tablespoons if necessary.  Add flour to fat in skillet and cook, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes to eliminate any raw flour taste.  Slowly add milk, stirring constantly, and cooking until gravy is thickened to your liking.  Add additional milk a little at a time if gravy is too thick.  Serve gravy over steak cubes and mashed potatoes.  Serves 4 to 6