The terms “country-fried steak” and “chicken-fried steak” are sometimes used interchangeably, but they actually refer to two different dishes. Both are similar to schnitzel, and both include steak that’s coated and fried like how you would fry chicken. The easiest way to tell these two apart is how they’re served: Country-fried steak is often served with broth-based brown gravy while chicken-fried steak (a Texas icon) is served with a creamier white gravy.
Both country- and chicken-fried steaks are traditionally made with cube steak. Despite the name, it’s not served in cubes; it’s a cut of top or bottom round steak that’s heavily tenderized, almost giving it the appearance of ground beef. The tenderizing process helps make the tough cut of meat much easier to eat, but it also offers plenty of texture to hold onto the seasonings and breading that helps it become fried steak. The steaks are also inexpensive, making them perfect for this dish. Besides the gravy, there is one more key difference between the two: Chicken-fried steak is dipped in an egg-based batter before being dredged in flour and fried while country-fried steak is only dredged in flour before frying.
The differences between brown and white gravy
You can’t always determine the fried style based just on the crispy coating. That’s why the gravy is the biggest tell. Don’t make the gravy mistake of confusing these two; each has a distinct texture and taste.
Brown gravy can be made two ways. The first is thinner than white gravy and uses beef broth whisked into a roux of flour and butter that’s paired with other flavor-enhancing ingredients such as Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Or, instead of broth, it can be made with the pan drippings from the steak: Once the meat is cooked and removed from the pan, flour is added to the drippings to thicken them up, followed by milk, which turns the thick drippings into gravy. It’s seasoned minimally; usually with just salt and pepper since the drippings pack so much flavor.
The creamy white gravy paired with chicken-fried steak is made very similarly to the brown, steak-dripping gravy. The recipes are essentially the same, but the biggest difference is that white gravy is made with even more milk (or sometimes heavy cream), giving it a whiter color and creamier consistency. Chicken-fried steak gravy also usually has more pepper, offering a hint of spice that brown gravy doesn’t usually have.
