Here's The Best Cut Of Beef For Chicken Fried Steak

Chicken-fried steak is a Texas classic. Traditionally made using cheap, tender cuts of beef that have been pounded thin and fried just like chicken (hence the name) before being smothered in gravy, it's no wonder that this dish has been a staple in the Lone Star State since its inception. But what's the best cut of beef for a chicken fried steak? Cube steak, or beef cuts that have been mechanically broken down for ease of cooking, is the classic choice, but it's far from the only option you may wish to consider.

Sirloin is an unorthodox cut for CFS,  yet it checks all the boxes for one. Cheap? Yes. Tender? Yes. Thin? Can be. Sirloin comes from the back of the cow, near the rump, and is often divided into top and bottom sirloin. Top sirloin is where sirloin steak comes from and is the more tender cut, whereas bottom sirloin is used more often for grilling. Both types are a tasty and affordable steak cut, but top is better for CFS and is the one we'll be referring to here.

A sirloin chicken-fried steak is a delicious, tender dish that might impress even born-and-raised Texans. Cube steak is nothing to scoff at, but at the end of the day, it's meant for ease of cooking. Sirloin, on the other hand, is one of the best cuts of meat you can get from the store for a good price. If you want a truly exceptional CFS, there's nothing wrong with breaking from tradition and snagging a sirloin.

Between cube steak and sirloin, which one is truly best? The end result partially depends on how they're cooked, but cube steak and sirloin both have their pros and cons. For example, cube steak is already flattened and partially broken down, hence the eponymous cube pattern. It's easy and quick to cook with and is often a more affordable option. However, it's also easy to overcook since it's been mechanically tenderized to cook faster. Cube steak also doesn't have as much of the fat that lends flavor and juiciness to other forms of steak.

Sirloin's pros are that it's more tender and flavorful than cube steak since it hasn't gone through that cubing process. That also means that, while it is still a part of the cow that many grillmasters likely already know how to cook and isn't overly difficult to handle, sirloin does take longer to cook and isn't quite as easy to make as a classic CFS. Sirloin is also slightly pricier than cube steak, so it's not as budget-friendly.

To many, the answer is clear. Cube steak may be a little easier and quicker to make, but if you want quality and have a bit of room in your budget, sirloin is the better option. The next time you make CFS, don't be afraid to grab a sirloin instead of the usual cube steak, even if it makes the purists in your family grumble. They'll stop once they take that first bite of delicious, tender fried beef.