Growing up, my mom often hosted Christmas Eve dinner which was pretty much a repeat of Thanksgiving dinner right down to the turkey, but always a welcome feast. These days, my parents usually have dibs on Thanksgiving, but it has become that my siblings spend Christmas with their respective in-laws and for the last couple of years, my family and I have enjoyed a travel-free Christmas at home.
We have had casual get-togethers with friends, but we quickly learned that Christmas Eve dinner doesn’t quite work especially when the kids are raring to go the following morning at an hour that is always just way too early after a night of indulgence. We’ve hosted Christmas brunch a couple of times. It’s much more relaxed with simple fare and everyone is in good spirits.
So what comes to mind when you think brunch? Eggs? Pastries? Pancakes? That’s all fine and good, but if I see beef on the table, then I know I’m at the right place! It could be slow-cooked and shredded barbacoa or corned beef hash or just straight up grilled steak with a couple of eggs. Or how about chicken fried steak? Like the typical Northerner I thought this classic Southern dish was actually just a breaded chicken cutlet (you can laugh now), but it was only just a few years ago that I learned it was actually breaded cube steak! Beef! Well, now it all made sense. I couldn’t understand the allure of the dish before my discovery!
I’ve made this dish a few times now and I love it! We use corn flakes for the breading for an extra crunchy crust which my kids love! If you really want to make it “brunchy”, throw a couple of runny eggs on top, and serve it with some Texas toast to sop up everything. This dish is a definite crowd pleaser and you can get the kids in the kitchen to help out with the prep if they’re not preoccupied with their new Christmas toys and gadgets!
The cut of beef that is typically used for chicken fried steak (CFS) is cube steak. What is cube steak, you ask? It is a cut of beef, usually top round or top sirloin, that has been tenderized by pounding it thin with a meat tenderizer. The “cubed” part of the steak refers to the shape of the indentations left by the tenderizer. I prefer top sirloin over the top round for its flavor and texture, but both cuts of beef are economical and easy to find.
Beef! It’s what’s for dinner…AND brunch! Learn more about beef on The Beef Checkoff website. You can also follow them on Twitter, Pinterest, and “like” them on Facebook.
Chicken Fried Steak #SundaySupper
Ingredients
- 3 cups corn flakes crushed
- 2 cups all-purpose white flour
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg beaten
- 4 4-6 ounce cube steaks pounded to ¼-inch thickness
- Canola oil for frying
- 6 ounces mild pork sausage casings removed
- ½ small onion finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°F and place the oven rack on the middle of the oven.
- In one shallow platter or pan, combine 1 cup of flour, paprika, a few pinches of salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. In a second pan, mix together the buttermilk and egg. In a third pan, combine the corn flakes and 1 cup of flour. And finally, line a large baking sheet (or cutting board), with parchment paper. Line the pans up in the order as listed.
- Dredge one steak in the flour/paprika mixture. Make sure it is fully coated. Gently shake off any excess flour. Dip the steak into the buttermilk/egg mixture and make sure it gets fully coated. Next coat the steak in the corn flake mixture. Place the coated steak on the lined pan or board. Repeat this process for the remaining 3 steaks. Do not discard the flour/paprika mixture - you will use this for the gravy.
- Add cooking oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet to about a 1/4-inch depth over medium heat. Heat the oil to about 320-350°F. Slowly lower the steak into the skillet. Cook for about 3-4 minutes or until the crust is golden. Carefully flip the steak with a pair of tongs and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Place the finished steak on a baking sheet that has been fitted with a baking rack and keep warm in the oven. Cook the remaining steaks. Add more oil to the skillet as needed.
- Heat a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the sausage and onions. Break the sausage up with the back of large wooden spoon. Cook until the sausage loses it's pinkness and the onions are softened. Add the flour, stir to combine, and cook for about a minute. Slowly add the milk while scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Keep stirring as the milk comes to a low simmer. Cook until thickened.
- To serve, ladle about a 1/2 cup of gravy onto the plate. Place the steak on the blanket of gravy and dig in!
This is what the rest of the Sunday Supper crew is fixing for the holiday season featuring beef! Please follow the Sunday Supper Pinterest board to pin all of our mouth-watering beef recipes!
Appetizers
- Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon by MealDiva
- Chipotle Beef Taco Bites by Feed Me, Seymour
- Mini Beef Wellingtons by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
- Pepper Steak in Wonton Cups by Flavor Mosaic
- Philly Cheesesteak Dip by Life Tastes Good
Brunch or Breakfast for a Crowd
- Beef Sausage, Egg and Cheese Roll Ups by Daily Dish Recipes
- Beef Tenderloin Benedict by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Chicken Fried Steak by kimchi MOM
- Potato Pancakes with Filet Mignon and Fried Eggs by Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Steak and Egg Breakfast Braid by Curious Cuisiniere
Main Dish
- Awesome Avocado Steak Tacos by Cooking Chat
- Beef Tenderloin with Gorgonzola Sauce by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Cider Beef Stew by Magnolia Days
- Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup by Shockingly Delicious
- Steak & Mushroom Pie by The Messy Baker
Potluck Style
- Beef and Bean Enchilada Bake by The Foodie Army Wife
- Braised Beef Ravioli by Family Foodie
- Mom’s Lasagna by Alida’s Kitchen
- Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs by Casa de Crews
- Skillet Steak Fajitas by Crazy Foodie Stunts
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.
Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.
This post is sponsored by The Beef Checkoff. All opinions are my own.
We love Chicken Fried Steak! I’ll have to give this a try! It sounds delish with the corn flakes!!
Thanks Marion!
Awesome chicken fried steak Amy.
Thanks Renee!
Love the cornflake crust!!
My kids LOVE it too! 🙂
Oh, my gosh, Amy, that crispy crust is divine!!! What a terrific, easy, yet holiday worthy meal!
Thanks Liz!
Oh man… chicken fried steak! And with that amazing gravy. I’ll take a big helping.
This is my kind of breakfast! I need to make chicken fried steak soon!
A lot of my friends do Christmas brunch with their families. We usually go over later in the day, but spend Christmas Eve with them too. I love the thought of this chicken fried steak with runny egg on top to twist it for brunch. I seriously need to try this!
We are not planning anything at our house which is a first, but going over to friends AND going out for dinner! I miss the craziness, but a relaxing stress-free holiday season is a nice change of pace! 🙂
That crunchy outside…I swoon!
Oooooo….now this is a hearty brunch!
girl, this looks delicious!!
Thanks Alice!
Truly drool worthy!! Look at that golden crunchy crust….YUM!!
I never made these with corn flakes, sounds like a great idea, Amy!
Thanks Cindy!
Chicken Fried Steak was my favorite as a kid. This looks delicious!
This looks wonderful!
I’ve ordered this dish but have yet to prepare it at home. Now I don’t have an excuse not to.
My dear hubby loves country fried steak and I’m sure he will appreciate me when I cook this for him. What’s better than having this fried steak for brunch?
Totally! It’s a pretty hearty dish so get ready!
I grew up in the South and I miss this dish!! I have got to try this recipe. Love that you even included the gravy in the recipe. Yummmmm…..
Su – it’s so indulgent! I can’t believe I’ve not had it until recently! And my self-proclaimed vegetarian daughter loves it too! A crunchy crust is the only way for her to eat meat…
This kind of comfort meal is so perfect for a Sunday supper, delicious!
Oooh, this sure is rich! Had this occasionally when I was a kid growing up in the South. Looks delicious!