The Store-Bought Seasoning To Upgrade Your Chicken Fried Steaks

This particular spice combination offers savory, salty, and mildly sweet flavors that compliment the rich breading on chicken fried steaks perfectly. The brand even advertises meat on its yellow tin, after all. The popular seasoning we're talking about is Old Bay, which has a fascinating history that involves a German spice merchant's solution to seasoning fresh fish. Its origins are partly why you might associate it with seafood boils and fresh crab dishes but these aren't the only meals that benefit from its flavors. 

A dash or two of Old Bay seasoning can also offer various flavors to chicken fried steaks. It includes various spices like celery seed, red and black pepper, and paprika just to name a few. Another benefit is that the blend can eliminate a bunch of spice jars to save you time and mess in the kitchen. However, you might want more salt to enhance flavors depending on your recipe. But if you don't have a jar, don't worry, you can also make a homemade Old Bay seasoning with household spices like allspice, paprika, cayenne pepper, and cardamom.

To test out this suggestion, try adding Old Bay seasoning to our diner-style chicken fried steak recipe. Swap the seasonings like cayenne pepper and garlic powder with Old Bay seasoning and adjust the measurements. Or use a tablespoon of Old Bay seasoning for a touch of its flavors combined with spices like cayenne pepper for more heat, plus onion and garlic powder. Then you'll add the blend to the flour mixture that you will use to coat each cube steak before you fry.

To really make sure every inch of the steaks is introduced to the salty and smoky flavors of Old Bay, combine it with the flour in a plastic bag and shake it well. Another route is to sprinkle Old Bay seasoning on each uncooked cube steak before you coat each piece for double layers of flavor. You can even add a sprinkle of the blend to the gravy for an even more robust taste.