Spicy Cornflake Crusted Chicken Fried Steak
Chicken-fried steak, country-fried steak, it’s all the same thing: a thin cut of steak, coated in a crispy breading, and fried. Often the breading is a standard flour crumb, but for this particular recipe we chose corn flakes. They provide additional texture and crunch, and their innate sweetness adds a contrasting layer of flavor when it’s mixed with savory, spicy, nutty Jalapeno Everything Bagel. We recommend using 2 Tablespoons of seasoning for this dish; there are a lot of strong elements at play here, and we really want the Jalapeno Everything Bagel to “pop”.
When you make the creamy country gravy that goes along with the steak, don’t forget to reserve a few tablespoons of oil from the fried steak. That oil is seasoned with beef drippings and the essence of Jalapeno Everything Bagel, and is a great flavor base to build your gravy upon. And make sure your oil is very hot, because oil that’s cool can create soggy steaks. To test if the oil is ready, cut off a very small piece of meat and place it in the oil. When it starts to actively fry (the oil starts to bubble, and it will get noisy), the oil is ready.
For the steak
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
3 cups crushed cornflake cereal
1-2 Tablespoons Jalapeno Everything Bagel
4, 4-5 ounce cube steaks, approximately 1/4 inch thick
Canola oil or your preferred neutral oil for frying
For the gravy
3 Tablespoons reserved oil (from frying steaks)
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream or half and half
1 cup buttermilk
1-2 teaspoons Jalapeno Everything Bagel
1/2-1 teaspoon Bourbon Barrel Smoked Pepper
1. Preheat oven to 200°F to keep steaks warm after frying. Place a wire-rimmed baker’s rack on a tray and put it in the oven.
2. Put flour in a large plate or shallow bowl. Whisk together buttermilk and eggs and place in a second shallow bowl. Combine crushed cornflakes with Jalapeno Everything Bagel and put into a third bowl. Place a large, parchment lined tray next to the third bowl so you have a place to put steaks once they’re coated.
3. Take each steak and, one by one, dredge them on both sides in flour, then the egg mixture, and then the seasoned corn flakes. Place coated steaks on the tray, and repeat with each steak until all are coated.
4. Pour cooking oil into a skillet to approximately 1/4 inch depth. Heat until shimmering. Line a second tray with paper towels and set that next to your stove. Gently add steak to hot oil, and cook for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove to the waiting tray when steaks are golden brown on each side. If you are using a standard skillet you will probably be able to cook one steak at a time. Let cooked steaks drain on the paper towels and, if desired, move to the rack in the oven to keep them warm while the rest of the steaks cook.
5. When steaks are finished cooking, reserve 3 Tablespoons of cooking oil. Pour the rest into a heat-proof container and discard when it is cool. Pour the 3 Tablespoons of oil back into the skillet, over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about a minute, or until flour loses its “raw” taste. Whisk in cream, buttermilk, Jalapeno Everything Bagel, and Smoked Bourbon Barrel Pepper. Continue to cook about five minutes more, stirring constantly, until gravy is thick and bubbly. Remove from heat.
6. Smother steaks with gravy, and serve additional gravy on the side for dipping.
