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There are some recipes that teach you as much as they feed you, and these Cast Iron Country Fried Sausage Steaks were exactly that.

I’d never made country fried sausage before, and I’ll be honest—it challenged me. Between sticky sausage, hot grease, and learning how to flip delicate patties without losing the crispy coating, there was definitely a learning curve. Thankfully, Cowboy and a good friend, whose been Southern cooking for decades, shared a few tricks that made all of the difference.

In the end, those crispy country fried sausage steaks smothered in creamy pepper gravy were absolutely worth it. If you’re trying this recipe for the first time too, I’ve included plenty of kitchen notes throughout to help make your first batch even easier than mine.

So grab your cast iron skillet, and let’s make some Southern comfort food together.

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https://video.wixstatic.com/video/a44a5b_55e6ccd9816c4ce59e6c4d856bd20aca/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

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Tools From the Kitchen:

• 12-inch cast iron skillet

• Sheet pan

• Aluminum foil

• Large mixing bowl

• 9x13 casserole dish (for dredging)

• Whisk

• Measuring cups and spoons

• Two spatulas (highly recommended!)

• Paper towel-lined plate

• Tongs or spatula

• Meat thermometer (optional but helpful)

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Ingredients:

Country Fried Sausage Steaks

• 1 pound Southern pork sausage

• 1 egg

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour

Seasoned Flour

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• ½ teaspoon paprika

• ½ teaspoon salt (optional)

Reserve 2 tablespoons of the seasoned flour for the gravy.

For Frying

• 2–4 tablespoons vegetable oil (you may need a little more between batches)

Creamy Pepper Gravy

• Reserved seasoned flour

• 2 cups whole milk

• Fresh cracked black pepper

Roasted Red Potatoes

• Small red potatoes, quartered

• Olive oil

• Garlic powder

• Onion powder

• Paprika

• Salt

• Black pepper

Green Beans

• Can of Green beans, undrained

• 1 Tbsp Butter

• 1 tsp Better than bouillion chicken

• Garlic powder

• Black pepper & Salt

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Prepare:

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F.

2. Quarter the red potatoes, toss with olive oil and seasonings, and spread onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway through.

3. Heat the green beans with butter, bouillion, garlic powder, and black pepper until warmed through.

4. In a casserole dish, whisk together all of the seasoned flour ingredients.

Reserve 2 tablespoons for the gravy before dredging the patties.

5. In a large bowl, combine:

• pork sausage

• egg

• ¼ cup flour

  Mix until incorporated.

6. Divide into 4 equal patties, pressing each to about ¼–½ inch thick.

Lightly coat your hands with olive oil if the mixture begins sticking.

7. Dredge each patty thoroughly in the seasoned flour.

Allow them to rest a few minutes while the skillet heats.

8. Heat your cast iron skillet over medium heat.

9. Add vegetable oil.

10. Once hot, fry 2 patties at a time for about 4–5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked to 160°F.

11. Use two spatulas to carefully turn the patties without breaking the crust.

12. Transfer cooked patties to a paper towel-lined plate.

13. Repeat with the remaining patties, adding a little additional oil if needed.

14. Carefully pour off excess grease, leaving just enough drippings, about 2 Tablespoons, to make the gravy.

15. Whisk in the reserved flour until smooth.

16. Slowly add the milk while whisking continuously.

    Cook until thickened, adding plenty of cracked black pepper.

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Notes From the Kitchen:

This recipe taught me quite a bit, and I wanted to share those lessons with you.

• Lightly oil your hands before shaping the patties to keep the sausage from sticking.

• Cook only 2 patties at a time to avoid overcrowding the skillet.

• A longtime Southern cooking friend suggested using two spatulas to flip the patties. It made turning them much easier.

• Pork sausage renders much more grease than traditional country fried steak. Expect more splatter, and keep your heat around medium.

• Drain the finished patties on paper towels before making the gravy.

• Before making the gravy, pour off most of the grease. Leaving too much in the skillet makes it harder to achieve a smooth, creamy gravy.

• • Cowboy says next time we’re making these outside on the flat top—and after this first adventure, I can definitely see why!

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