Easy Country Fried Steak

Easy Country Fried Steak (Chicken Fried Steak) 6 slices cube steak 2 eggs 3-4 tablespoons water 2 packages country or pepper gravy mix made to package directions 2 cups flour Accent meat tenderizer Salt and pepper ¾ teaspoon each of garlic and onion powder 1 tablespoon paprika or smoked paprika (preferred) Peanut oil or oil of preference. Mix flour, garlic and onion powder together (and optional paprika). Season cube steak liberally with meat tenderizer, salt and pepper on both sides at least 4-6 hours in advance and refrigerate. Mix flour and seasonings together. Wisk eggs and water together. Dredge steaks in egg mixture and then in flour mixture and set aside in the fridge for at least an hour. Heat oil to the point a bit of flour sizzles when sprinkled in. Cook each piece of cube steak for a few minutes on both sides, creating a good crust. Remove from pan and set aside. As a short-cut, make the pepper gravy or country style gravy according the package directions. Place the cooked cube steaks in a large baking dish, cover with the gravy mix and bake foil covered for 20-25 minutes. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice. Many recipes for this dish call for you to simply fry the meat and then serve it with the gravy on top. This recipe calls for additional baking time with the gravy smothered on top which allows the meat to break down and lets the gristle typically found in this cut of meat to degrade and soften a bit so that the meat is more tender and has less bites of almost unchewable meat.