Ever wondered what Ree Drummond cooks when the cowboys on her Oklahoma ranch need a serious morale boost?

By Isabelle Paquette

Ever wondered what Ree Drummond cooks when the cowboys on her Oklahoma ranch need a serious morale boost? The answer is easy: crispy, golden, gravy-smothered chicken-fried steak. In fact, her tutorial for the hearty Southern staple has racked up over a million views on YouTube—proof that Ree’s take is as beloved by internet foodies as it is by her hardworking ranch crew. “It does not get any more cowboy-friendly than this,” Ree says. And once you hear her tips, you’ll be ready to serve up this stick-to-your-ribs dinner like a Pioneer Woman pro.

Ree Drummond’s Chicken-Fried Steak Has Cowboys Running to the Kitchen

What is chicken-fried steak?

Ree’s version of this Southern classic is made with cubed steak that’s seasoned and tenderized, then coated in a spiced flour dredge and fried until golden brown—just like fried chicken. “The reason this is called chicken fried steak is it has a breading on it that resembles fried chicken,” she explains. “It’s kind of confusing to people who aren’t familiar with the dish; they want to know where the chicken is.”

But the real magic happens after the steak is fried: Ree whips up a creamy homemade gravy using leftover pan drippings and whole milk (no skim milk, unfortunately). “You cannot have chicken fried steaks without gravy, it’s written in a law somewhere,” she jokes. “It looks really weird when you first start pouring, and you’ll worry if you’ve messed it up, but just stick with it.”

Ree’s tips for frying (and gravy-making) success

Throughout the video, Ree shares some extra-helpful tips for those of us who may have never made chicken-fried steak, or homemade gravy, before:

Set up a rhythm in the kitchen. “This really is a great assembly line,” Ree says. “If you just get it going, you can bread some steaks while the others are cooking.”
Don’t skip the seasoned flour—and reuse it for the gravy. Ree uses the same flavorful flour mixture for both dredging the steak and making gravy. “Just add enough flour so that it forms a paste and doesn’t have that greasy, oily appearance,” she explains.
Babysit the gravy until it’s just right. “At this point, it’s just about babysitting the gravy—never leave your wingman,” Ree says. “If you can master the fine art of gravy with chicken fried steak, you can do most things in life.”

Ree Drummond’s chicken-fried steak with gravy recipe

This cowboy-approved dinner is crispy, creamy and ready in one hour—Ree’s way. Here’s her official recipe:

Ingredients:

1½ cups whole milk
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. seasoned salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 lbs. cube steak (tenderized round steak)
Kosher salt
½ cup canola or vegetable oil
1 Tbs. butter

For the gravy

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3-4 cups whole milk
½ tsp. seasoned salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Total time: 1 hour
Yield: 6 servings

Begin with setting up an assembly line of the milk and egg mixture, the flour with seasoned salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, paprika and cayenne and the steaks. Have one clean plate at the end to receive the breaded meat.
Sprinkle both sides of the steak with kosher salt and black pepper, then caot in the flour mixture. Coat the meat into the milk and egg mixture. Finally, place it back in the flour. Place the breaded meat on the clean plate, then repeat.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the butter until melted. Cook the meat, three pieces at a time, about two minutes each side. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and keep them warm by covering lightly with a sheet of foil.
After all the meat is fried, pour off the grease into a heatproof bowl. Without cleaning the skillet, return it to the stove over medium-low heat. Add 1/4 cup of the grease back to the skillet and allow it to heat up.
When the grease is hot, sprinkle the flour in the skillet. Whisk the flour with the grease, creating a paste. Keep cooking until the roux reaches a deep golden brown.
Pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Add the seasoned salt and black pepper to taste and cook, whisking, until the gravy is smooth and thick, five to 10 minutes.
Spoon the gravy over individual chicken-fried steaks and serve with mashed potatoes (like Ree!)