Chicken fried venison steak is a delicious, country-style meal and an easy venison steak recipe! The crispy fried coating perfectly complements the tender venison steaks. A thick and flavorful white gravy smothers the chicken fried venison cutlets and adds another layer of flavor and texture.
If you’ve ever enjoyed a hearty, homestyle dish of chicken-fried steak, this version with deer steaks will be right up your alley.
Chicken fried deer steak is one of our favorite ways to enjoy venison (along with juicy venison burgers and venison goulash).
Tender venison steaks with a crispy coating and a delicious cream gravy to top it all off, you can’t go wrong when chicken-fried venison is for dinner.
Why This Recipe Works
When it comes to wild game, venison is one of our favorite types. It has a delicious flavor and is a lower-fat option than red meat. Deer meat is extra lean, and this recipe is a great way to prepare venison if you have a few thick steaks on hand.
This chicken fried venison steak recipe is quick and easy. In fact, you can have the entire dish ready within 30 minutes from start to finish!
Chicken-fried deer steaks are:
- ultra tender and packed with flavor
- a delicious meal that is simple to make
- hearty home cooking that the entire family will love
The Ingredients
This chicken fried venison comes together with a few simple ingredients. If you’re an avid hunter (or know one), you might just be lucky enough to have venison steaks in your freezer. If not, your local butcher might carry them from time to time from farm raised venison.
You will need:
- 4 venison steaks (about 4 to 6 ounces each)
- cornstarch
- buttermilk
- egg
- flour
- spices: garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin powder, salt, and pepper
- baking powder
- oil for frying (vegetable oil, canola oil or another oil with a high smoke point)
- Ooomami blend, optional seasoning (affiliate link)
- butter or bacon drippings
- all-purpose flour
- milk
- heavy cream
How to Make Chicken Fried Venison
Country fried deer steak takes just a few simple steps to prepare. One tip that will serve you well is to dredge the steaks in cornstarch first, before you dip the steaks in the milk mixture. It helps keep the coating thin, so it doesn’t overwhelm the thinly pounded steaks.
Another tip: combine flour and seasonings with a little bit of baking powder which helps the batter fry up light and crisp.
Place the cornstarch, flour mixture, and egg mixture each into a shallow bowl to make the dredging process easier (we used pie dishes).
Below is a quick look at the steps involved, but be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page to view the printable recipe card.
- Pound the steaks with a meat mallet until about 1/4 inch thick.
- Dredge in cornstarch, then buttermilk, and finally seasoned flour.
- Fry in a hot skillet.
We like to do a shallow fry because you don’t need as much oil, it is quicker, and it isn’t nearly as messy as deep frying.
To Make the Cream Gravy
- Pour the oil out of the skillet.
- Add the butter or bacon drippings and melt them over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook about 2 minutes, stirring.
- Pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Continue to mix and pour, then add the cream and seasonings.
Recipe Tips for the Best Results
- Use an oil with a high smoke point like canola oil or peanut oil. The amount of oil you use will vary depending on the size of your skillet. Since this recipe uses a shallow-fry technique, you will not need as much oil as a standard deep fry recipe.
- When you make the gravy, add the milk slowly at first (the mixture will seize up). If you add all the milk at once, it will be difficult to remove the lumps.
- When the steaks are done cooking, transfer them to a wire rack or paper towels to drain.
- Use a deep skillet or Dutch oven for frying- any sort of large skillet that will hold about 1 to 1-1/2 inches of oil.
- When pan frying the steaks, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F to 375°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can stick the end of a wooden spoon in the hot oil. If small bubbles form around the handle, the oil is hot enough.
Serve the venison steak with pinto beans and broccoli or asparagus for a fantastic meal.
Helpful Tools
Some of the following are affiliate links. If you click on these links and purchase something, we may receive a small commission. You don’t pay any extra but it will help us keep the lights on.
- shallow dishes (for the dredging station)
- a deep cast iron skillet
- meat mallet (or meat tenderizer)
Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love:
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Jäeger Schnitzel and Mushroom Sauce is a delicious recipe similar to chicken-fried steak! Thin pork cutlets are breaded and cooked until super crispy, then topped with a rich and savory white wine mushroom sauce.
Pan-fried chicken breast cutlets turn out golden brown, crispy and extra juicy on the inside! These are anything but boring- tender chicken breasts are dipped in a sour cream chive mixture and coated with Panko breadcrumbs for a deliciously crispy, crunchy crust.
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Chicken Fried Venison Steak
Ingredients
- 4 venison steaks (about 4 to 6 ounces each)
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- oil for frying about 2 to 4 cups
For the Cream Gravy
- 3 tablespoons butter or bacon drippings
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1-3/4 cups milk
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: 2 teaspoons Ooomami blend
Instructions
- Place the steaks in a re-sealable plastic bag. Use a meat mallet or small cast iron skillet to pound the steaks thin. You want them to be between 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Season the steaks with salt and pepper and set them aside while you prep the dredging station.
- Set out three shallow dishes for the dredging process (we used pie dishes).
- Add the cornstarch to the first dish.
- Whisk the buttermilk and egg in the second dish.
- In the third dish, combine the flour, spices, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.
- Dredge each steak in the cornstarch and shake off the excess so they have a light dusting.
- Transfer the steaks to the buttermilk mixture and coat both sides. Next, dredge them in the flour mixture, patting them down so the flour adheres well. Lift the steaks and shake off the excess flour then set them aside while you heat the oil.
- Pour enough oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven until it is about 1 to 1-1/2 inches deep.
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F to 375°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, stick the end of a wooden spoon in the oil. If you see small bubbles form around the handle of the spoon, the oil is hot enough.
- Using tongs, gently place one to two steaks in the hot oil. Cook for about 2 minutes per side or until golden brown.
- Transfer the steaks to a wire rack or paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining steaks.
Make the Gravy
- Pour the oil out of the skillet (it is ok if there are some brown bits in the skillet, they will add flavor to the gravy).
- Add the butter or bacon drippings to the skillet and melt it over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Slowly pour in the milk while constantly whisking. Initially the mixture will seize up and clump. Continue to slowly pour the milk and whisk. When the mixture looks like a smooth paste, you can start to pour the milk a bit faster.
- Whisk in the cream, salt, pepper, and Ooomami blend (if using). Taste and add additional seasoning if desired. If you want thinner gravy, add additional milk. If it is too thin, let the gravy simmer for a few minutes.
Notes
- Use an oil with a high smoke point like canola oil or peanut oil. The amount of oil you use will vary depending on the size of your skillet. Since this recipe uses a shallow-fry technique, you will not need as much oil as a standard deep fry recipe.
- Keep the oil between 350°F and 375°F.
- When you make the gravy, add the milk slowly at first. If you add all the milk at once, it will be difficult to remove the lumps.
Alternative seasoning suggestions for the seasoned flour:
- 3 tablespoons El Mariachi seasoning + 2 teaspoons baking powder + 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons Black Magic cajun blend + 2 teaspoons baking powder + 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons White Tux Seasoning + 1 tablespoon Ooomami blend + 2 teaspoons baking powder
angiesrecipes
Friday 9th of September 2022
Looks really juicy and crispy!