Sourdough Steak

This is cowboy cooking with a sourdough twist. Thick round steak gets pounded tender, dipped in sourdough starter, dredged in seasoned flour, and fried in hot shortening until the crust crackles. The sourdough starter replaces the usual egg wash, and it does something an egg can’t: it adds a subtle tang to the coating that plays off the peppery, paprika-spiked flour.

Pounding the steak first is what makes round steak work here. This is a tough, lean cut that turns chewy if you skip the tenderizing step. A good pounding breaks down the muscle fibers so the steak fries up tender inside that crispy shell. Frying in about an inch of hot shortening gives you the deep golden crust of a chicken-fried steak without a full deep fryer.

Pro Tips

• Get the shortening properly hot before adding the steak. If the oil isn’t shimmering, the crust absorbs grease instead of crisping.
• Pat the steak dry before dipping in the starter. Excess moisture creates steam pockets that make the coating slide off.
• Let the dredged steaks rest on a wire rack for 5 minutes before frying. This helps the flour set and adhere during cooking.

Variations

• Make cream gravy from the pan drippings: stir flour into the leftover fat, add milk, and season with black pepper for a full chicken-fried steak experience.
• Use cube steak if you want to skip the pounding step.
• Season the flour with garlic powder and cayenne for a spicier crust.