Best Chicken Fried Steak in Texas Guide

Why this guide exists

A standard worth defending.

Texas Chicken Fried Steak Day was proclaimed in 2011 to honor a plate that belongs to every corner of this state — farm town cafes, big city dining rooms, ranch kitchens and roadside counters. Great chicken fried steak is not an accident. It is craft: the right cut, an honest hand-breading, clean hot fat, and cream gravy made in the same pan.

Use these standards to judge a plate anywhere in Texas, to train a kitchen, or to settle an argument at the table. Score it, share it, and tag #TxCFSday on October 26.

The seven standards

1. 1. The cut

   Tenderized beef cutlet — round or cube steak — pounded thin and even, about a quarter inch. No pre-formed, frozen patty. You should be able to cut it with a fork but still taste beef.

2. 2. The dredge

   Hand-breaded to order: seasoned flour, egg-and-buttermilk wash, back to the flour. A rest before frying sets the crust. Salt, black pepper and a little cayenne belong in the flour, not on top.

3. 3. The fry

   Clean fat at 340–360°F, fried to a deep golden brown, never gray or greasy. The crust should crackle and stay married to the meat — no sliding off in one sheet.

4. 4. The gravy

   Peppery cream gravy built from the pan drippings, poured at the pass so it is hot. Thick enough to coat a spoon, loose enough to pool. Brown gravy is a different dish and a different holiday.

5. 5. The ratio

   Gravy covers most of the steak, not all of it — a rim of bare crust proves the kitchen is proud of the fry. The steak should reach the edge of the plate.

6. 6. The sides

   Mashed potatoes made from real potatoes, a green vegetable, and bread — roll, biscuit or Texas toast. Iced tea within arm’s reach.

7. 7. The hospitality

   Served hot and fast, refilled without asking. A great chicken fried steak comes with a room that is glad you walked in.

Know the map

Regional styles of Texas.

Honored plates

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