Country Fried Steak and Milk Gravy

01Method

1. 1

   Prepare and lay out all required ingredients before starting.

2. 2

   Pat the steaks dry and season them with a portion of the salt and pepper; set aside.

3. 3

   Mix the flour with pepper on a shallow plate and pour the beaten eggs into a separate shallow bowl. Coat each steak in the seasoned flour, dip into the egg, then dredge through the flour a second time.

4. 4

   Melt the lard in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the breaded steaks until deeply golden, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

5. 5

   Discard most of the fat from the skillet, leaving roughly 2 tablespoons behind. Whisk some of the leftover dredging flour into the fat and cook over medium heat for about 1 minute, stirring and loosening any browned bits stuck to the pan.

6. 6

   Pour in the milk gradually while whisking. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the gravy thickens and begins to bubble, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.

7. 7

   Season the gravy with the remaining salt and pepper — it should be noticeably peppery. Serve the steaks topped with the gravy.