Country Fried Steak & Gravy

I got this recipe from eatwell.com and loved it! It is a great alternative version of the original greasy, full of fat country fried steak. I liked the gravy that went with it even though I didn't even realize until writing this blog that I accidently used cornmeal instead of corn starch in it....whoops! Well, it still tasted good! I was very surprised you can make gravy from low-sodium beef broth the same way you can from grease. Another way this recipe cuts out a lot of the calories is by only browning the meat in olive oil and then baking it the rest of the way in the oven. If you and your family like a lot of gravy for the meat and potatoes, you might want to double the gravy recipe. Happy cooking!

Country Fried Steak & Gravy Recipe

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten (or egg beaters)
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch, divided
1 teaspoon paprika
1 pound cube steak, cut into 4 portions
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup fat free half-and-half
 
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Place all-purpose flour on a large plate. Place egg whites in a shallow dish. Whisk cornmeal, whole-wheat flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch and paprika in another shallow dish. Season both sides of steak with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Dredge the steak in the flour, shaking off excess; dip in the egg whites, then dredge in the cornmeal mixture.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add 2 pieces of the steak; cook until browned on both sides, turning once, 3 to 5 minutes total. Transfer the steak to the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 2 pieces of steak. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake until cooked through, about 10-12 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, add broth to the pan and boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1 cup, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk water and the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch until smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Return to the heat and cook, stirring, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in half-and-half; season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Serve the steak topped with the gravy.