Chicken Fried Steak Fingers with Gravy

I don’t cook this very often anymore, but maybe I should rethink that.  Marvin came in the other evening and asked, “What are you making?”  I told him I was making Chicken Fried Steak Fingers with mashed potatoes and gravy.  He stopped dead in his tracks , looked at me and said, “You are a wonderful woman!”  :)    

Chicken Fried Steak Fingers

beef steak - (can use any kind of steak, including tenderized round steak)

flour

salt 

pepper

garlic powder

oil

Cut up the steak into strips.  I put the flour, salt, pepper and garlic in a brown paper bag then add the strips and shake bag to coat.  Heat oil in skillet until good and hot then add strips a batch at a time.  Cover skillet with lid for first minute or two to ensure thorough cooking of meat.  Flip meat over to brown on the other side then remove to paper towel covered plate.  I then put cooked beef strips on a stone in a 250 degree oven to keep warm.  Continue until all strips are cooked.  Drain most of the oil from the skillet but try to leave any crispy coating pieces in the bottom of the skillet.  This will make the gravy even better.  

Add a little butter to pan (since you poured out most of the oil) then add flour to make a roux.  Add salt and pepper then add milk while stirring constantly.  Keep adding milk for desired amount and consistency.  If you need to make more gravy than you have drippings for, you can add the amount of milk needed then add a little more milk mixed with corn starch to thicken.  Be sure to season the gravy enough with salt, pepper and maybe a little garlic.  You don’t want bland gravy!  :)

We actually prefer to serve plain old sandwich bread with this meal.  It is so good with the gravy poured over it.