This EASY Gluten Free, Almond Flour Free Crispy Country Fried Steak is a wonderful Low Carb meal your whole family will love!
Eating low carb and perfecting a crispy outer coating for recipes can be challenging. Add to the fact I have a child with a tree nut allergy and using almond flour is also not an option, I've been working hard to finally get the desired crispy coating I've wanted for a long time.
This recipe was inspired by our recent 1 month Cross Country Trip! I've never actually had traditional country fried steak, but my hubby has and he's the biggest critic ever so getting him to say he liked was success to me!
Of course the picky kids ate this meal up with no complaints! I mean, how can you go wrong with crispy steak! My daughter doesn't usually like steak as it's often too chewy or grainy or something she complains about. Given that she isn't fond of turkey or fish or many other proteins, my thoughts were she wasn't going to eat this either. But to my surprise she devoured her piece!
I served this with my Broccoli Slaw and Keto Fathead Rolls!
The additional gravy, which is completely optional of course makes everything taste even better! you could add a little xanthan gum for a quicker time getting the heavy cream and broth to thicken.
Hope you enjoy this easy recipe!
Brenda's Notes:
- Since the gravy is completely optional, I did not factor it into my nutritional information here. It is fantastic to have a nice gravy, but the meal is perfectly delicious without it!
- I've also tried the coating on chicken and fish and it works perfectly!
- This recipe was inspired, not only because of my Cross Country Trip, but by this photo I saw on Pinterest!
- Please note: When I attempted this recipe the first time, I coated all my steak and placed it onto a parchment lined baking sheet while the oil was heating in the skillet, BAD IDEA! The coating was lost and stuck to the parchment and I had to start all over again! Follow my directions and wait to coat right before adding to a hot skillet. I also tried a second attempt placing the uncooked coated steak on a baking sheet without parchment, same thing happened! Don't let it happen to you, fair warning!
Low Carb Country Fried Steak
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Beef Bottom Round steak
- 1 cup Unflavored Whey Protein Powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 eggs beaten
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth optional for gravy
- ½ cup heavy cream optional for gravy
Instructions
- Slice beef into ½ inch thick slices. Flatten by pounding with a meat mallet to ¼ inch thickness. Set aside.
- Whisk the next 7 dry ingredients together in a shallow bowl. Set aside.
- Heat coconut oil in a large skillet, medium high heat.
- Once oil is melted, dredge 1 piece of beef into protein powder mixture then into beaten eggs and again into protein powder. Place into skillet and continue process with 3 more pieces. Don't overcrowd pan.
- Cook about 5-6 minutes on each side until golden brown. This will be medium (some pink in center). Cook longer for medium well. Remove to wire rack and continue with the rest.
- To Make Gravy: Once done cooking beef, add chicken broth to deglaze skillet, bring to a boil. Pour in heavy cream and continue to cook until it thickens, about 10-15 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
Cassie Saler
Can you use the whey protein to make the gravy? This is a totally new concept to me and I’ve never used whey protein for anything except protein shakes. If so do you just make it like regular gravy (rue and almond milk etc). And thank you for putting this up for all of us. I look forward to learning more.
Brenda
That's a good question but I've never tried it, let me know if you do!
Amy
Could I just used regular vegetable oil to fry? Also I’m a Southerner and we LIVE for chicken fried steak and cream gravy so I’m looking forward to trying this?
Brenda
You can sub the coconut oil with whatever oil you want but vegetable oils are really not good for you. And being a southerner I'm sure you watched your family use vegetable oil every day to fry but it's artificial and made from inflammatory things like corn, soy, safflower. You'd be better off to use lard if you don't like coconut oil.
Beckie
I am wanting to make this for my husband. It is one of his favorite meals. I cannot find unflavored whey protein powder though. What is the brand of unflavored whey protein powder that you use?
Brenda
Jay Robbs which I found on Amazon:https://amzn.to/2HOjdA9
Beckie
Thank you!
Alice Leet
Could you please figure out the measurements for a big batch of dry ingredients and the how much to us to coat this much meat. I would like to make a lot of coating and store it in an airtight container to use when ever I want to coat meat to fry. Thank you so much
Marcia
can I use almond flour in place of the whey and if so same amt??
Brenda
You probably could, I just haven't tried that since my son has a tree nut allergy. I would say use the same amount.
Toni
Can egg white protein powder be substituted for the whey?
Brenda
I think so although I haven't tried it.
DonnaM
Thanks for leaving links for the sides. It makes the whole meal so easy to prepare. (as pictured)
Brenda
You're welcome! The sides are my family's favorites!