Chicken fried ground beef is seasoned hamburger shaped into thin oval patties, coated in flour, dipped in egg and buttermilk, floured again and fried in a cast-iron skillet until the crust is golden and crunchy. It is served under a blanket of creamy white gravy made from butter, flour and milk. It has all the comfort of chicken fried steak, made with a pound or two of everyday ground beef. Dinner is ready in 60 minutes, and it feeds six.
How to make chicken fried ground beef: Season 2 pounds of ground beef and shape it into 8 to 9 thin oval patties. Dip each in seasoned flour, then in beaten egg and buttermilk, then in flour again. Fry in about 1/2 inch of oil for 7 to 10 minutes, flip and fry about 5 minutes more, to 160°F. For the gravy, cook butter and flour, stir in 2 cups of milk and simmer until thick.
Why You’ll Love It
- Budget-friendly. Ground beef in place of steak.
- A thick, crunchy crust. Two coats of seasoned flour.
- Homemade white gravy. Butter, flour and milk, with plenty of pepper.
- Family-size. Eight or nine patties from one batch.
- Pantry seasoning. Salt, dried onion, dried garlic and pepper.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef. Two pounds.
Eggs and buttermilk. Two eggs and 1 cup of buttermilk, mixed, for the wet dip.
All-purpose flour. Two cups for the coating and 4 tablespoons for the gravy.
Salt. Four teaspoons in all, divided among the beef, the coating and the gravy.
Dried onion and dried garlic. Three teaspoons of onion and 2 teaspoons of garlic, divided between the meat and the flour.
Oil. Enough to come about 1/2 inch up the side of the skillet.
Butter and milk. Four tablespoons of butter and 2 cups of milk, for the gravy.
Black pepper. To taste, in every layer.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, for the coating
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, for the gravy
- 4 teaspoons salt, divided
- 3 teaspoons dried onion, divided
- 2 teaspoons dried garlic, divided
- Black pepper, to taste
- Oil, for frying
- 4 tablespoons butter, for the gravy
- 2 cups milk, for the gravy
How to Make Chicken Fried Ground Beef
1. Shape the patties. Mix the ground beef with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of dried onion, 1 teaspoon of dried garlic and pepper to taste. Shape into 8 to 9 thin, oval patties.
2. Set up the coating. In one bowl, mix the 2 cups of flour with 2 teaspoons of salt, the remaining 2 teaspoons of dried onion, the remaining teaspoon of dried garlic and pepper to taste. In another bowl, mix the eggs and buttermilk.
3. Heat the skillet and coat the patties. If you plan to hold batches warm, heat the oven to 250°F. Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Dip each patty in the seasoned flour, then the egg mixture, then the flour again.
4. Fry in batches. Carefully place patties in the skillet and cover with a splatter screen. Fry until golden on the first side, about 7 to 10 minutes. Flip carefully and cook the other side for about 5 minutes. Check the center of each patty with a food thermometer: it must reach 160°F. Move cooked patties to a baking sheet in the warm oven while you fry the rest. Let any added oil heat up before the next batch.
5. Make the white gravy. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat and stir in the 4 tablespoons of flour. Stir in the milk until it is incorporated without lumps. Increase the heat to medium and stir often until the gravy thickens. Add the last teaspoon of salt and pepper to taste, then reduce the heat to low.
6. Serve. Serve the patties with the white gravy.
How to Bread the Patties Without Breaking Them
A steak holds together on its own. A raw hamburger patty does not. It is soft and delicate until the crust sets in the hot oil, so the breading needs a gentle hand.
| Do this | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Press the meat together firmly when you shape it | A tightly packed patty is less likely to crack in the flour |
| Make the patties thin and oval | Thin patties cook through before the crust gets too dark |
| Go flour, wet, flour | The first flour dries the surface, the egg and buttermilk glue the second coat on |
| Support the whole patty | Lift it with a flat hand or a wide spatula, not by one end |
| Leave it alone in the pan | Flip once, after the first side is golden and firm |
| Fry in batches | Room in the skillet makes turning easier and keeps the oil hot |
If a patty does crack while you are coating it, press it back together and pat a little more flour over the seam.
How to know they are cooked
A golden crust tells you the outside is done. It says nothing about the middle. Ground beef has to reach 160°F, which is higher than the temperature for a whole steak. Slide a thermometer sideways into the center of each patty to check. If the crust is browning too fast, turn the heat down and give the patties more time.
Tips for Success
How hot should the oil be?
Medium heat is right. The patties need several minutes per side, so oil that is too hot will burn the flour before the beef is cooked.
Why use a splatter screen?
The wet coating spits when it meets the oil. A screen keeps the stove and your arms clean.
How do I keep the first batch crisp?
Hold the fried patties on a baking sheet in the 250°F oven. Do not stack them or cover them.
How do I avoid lumpy gravy?
Cook the butter and flour into a smooth paste first, then add the milk slowly while you stir.
My gravy is too thick. What now?
Stir in a splash of milk. Gravy keeps thickening as it sits.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, in shallow, covered containers, with the gravy kept apart from the patties. They keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge or 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat the patties to 165°F in the oven and bring the gravy to a boil on the stove.
What to Serve With It
Mashed potatoes with peas or green beans make the classic plate. For more ground beef dinners with gravy, try the ground beef and gravy over mashed potatoes, the ground beef stroganoff or the slow cooker Amish ground beef gravy noodles. For another night, there is the hobo casserole, the slow cooker Amish ground beef noodle casserole and the 15 minute Mongolian ground beef noodles.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make breaded hamburger patties without breaking them?
Pack the patties firmly, coat them flour, egg mixture, flour, and handle them gently until the crust sets.
How can you tell when a breaded ground-beef patty is safely cooked?
A thermometer in the center reads 160°F.
Is chicken-fried ground beef made with hamburger patties or a cut of steak?
Hamburger patties. It is the ground beef cousin of chicken fried steak.
How do you make white gravy for the patties?
Melt butter, stir in flour, add milk and stir over medium heat until it thickens. Season with salt and pepper.
Final Notes
I shape all the patties and line them up on a tray before I heat the oil, so breading and frying go smoothly. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Chicken Fried Ground Beef
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour for the coating
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour for the gravy
- 4 teaspoons salt divided among the beef, coating and gravy
- 3 teaspoons dried onion divided
- 2 teaspoons dried garlic divided
- black pepper to taste
- oil for frying; enough to reach about 1/2 inch in the skillet
- 4 tablespoons butter for the gravy
- 2 cups milk for the gravy
Instructions
- Mix the ground beef with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of dried onion, 1 teaspoon of dried garlic and pepper to taste. Shape into 8 to 9 thin, oval patties.
- In one bowl, mix the 2 cups of flour with 2 teaspoons of salt, the remaining 2 teaspoons of dried onion, the remaining teaspoon of dried garlic and pepper to taste. In another bowl, mix the eggs and buttermilk.
- If you plan to hold batches warm, heat the oven to 250°F. Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Dip each patty in the seasoned flour, then the egg mixture, then the flour again.
- Carefully place patties in the skillet and cover with a splatter screen. Fry until golden on the first side, about 7 to 10 minutes. Flip carefully and cook the other side for about 5 minutes. Check the center of each patty with a food thermometer: it must reach 160°F. Move cooked patties to a baking sheet in the warm oven while you fry the rest. Let any added oil heat up before the next batch.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat and stir in the 4 tablespoons of flour. Stir in the milk until it is incorporated without lumps. Increase the heat to medium and stir often until the gravy thickens. Add the last teaspoon of salt and pepper to taste, then reduce the heat to low.
- Serve the patties with the white gravy.
Notes
Nutrition
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