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Home » Main Dish » Game Meats » Chicken Fried Venison Steak

Chicken Fried Venison Steak

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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 venison topped with cream gravy.

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
A fried venison steak sliced in half.

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.

  1. Pound the steaks with a meat mallet until about 1/4 inch thick.
  2. Dredge in cornstarch, then buttermilk, and finally seasoned flour.
  3. 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.

A collage of six photos showing how to make chicken fried venison steak.

To Make the Cream Gravy

  1. Pour the oil out of the skillet.
  2. Add the butter or bacon drippings and melt them over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook about 2 minutes, stirring.
  3. Pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Continue to mix and pour, then add the cream and seasonings.
A fried venison steak with crispy batter.

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. 

A plate with fried venison steak, cream gravy, and broccoli.

Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love:

This is the very best mushroom turkey meatloaf! Tender, juicy, and super delicious, there’s a ton of flavor in every bite! No more bland turkey meatloaf- we use special add-ins that not only lock moisture but also add savory flavor you’ll love.

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 topped with cream gravy.

Chicken Fried Venison Steak

Chicken fried venison steak is a delicious way to enjoy venison (deer steak). The crisp fried coating is a perfect complement to the tender venison steak.
Dredging the steaks in cornstarch first helps keep the coating thin so it doesn't overwhelm the thinly pounded steaks. Adding baking powder to the seasoning blend helps the batter cook up light and crisp.
The seasoning blend for the flour dredge consists of spices that you should already have in your pantry. We give alternative seasoning blends in the notes if you want to want to play around with some fantastic flavors.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes
Total Time: 4 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 530kcal
Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

  • 4 venison steaks (about 4 to 6 ounces each)
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • ¾ 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

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:

This recipe was adapted and modified from CooksIllustrated and Cooks Country.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/2 steak | Calories: 530kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 114mg | Sodium: 1026mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g

Dahn Boquist

Dahn is a retired nurse, recipe creator, home cook, baker, and self-proclaimed foodie. She loves creating in the kitchen and cooking for family and friends. She lives in Washington State with her husband and dog. When she isn't cooking or baking, you can usually find her spending time with her grandchildren or exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

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angiesrecipes

Friday 9th of September 2022

Looks really juicy and crispy!

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