Crispy Country Fried Pork Steak

Soul food at its finest—this country fried pork steak recipe turns humble pork cube steaks into a golden brown pork cutlet that’s crispy, juicy, and unforgettable.

My recipe for country fried pork steaks couldn’t be more delicious. The pork steaks are buttermilk brined, coated in a seasoned flour mixture, and then pan-fried like fried chicken to tender and juicy perfection. This recipe requires a marinade (4 hours to overnight) and then comes together easily.

This Southern fried pork steak takes a soulful Southern classic and kicks it up with bold Haitian epis seasoning, giving the crispy cutlet layers of garlic, herbs, and peppers in every bite.

Perfect for Sunday dinner or any cozy family gathering, the porkdafied chicken fried steak is buttermilk marinated and pan-fried until golden brown in just about 20 minutes. Comfort food made fast, flavorful, and unforgettable.

Pork steaks are very similar to pork chops and for the most part can be used interchangeably in recipes. For inspiration beyond this delicious dish, substitute pork steaks in any of these tasty main dish pork chop recipes especially this fried thick cut pork chop dish.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Flavor profile

My fellow flavor peeps, your boy Marwin is back tellin’ you this ain’t no regular pork—it’s seasoned deep with Haitian epis, giving the cubed pork steaks layers of garlic, herbs, and peppers that make the flavor sing like a funk groove.

Texture profile

Bite into that crust, and you get the crunch of a perfectly fried cutlet, followed by tender, juicy pork inside—smooth, bold, and soulful like a late-night bass line.

Cooking technique & time

Quick and classic, baby—dredge them cube steaks in your seasoned flour mixture, pan-fry ‘em in hot oil until golden brown, and in 20 minutes flat, you got yourself a plate of comfort food ready to serve. Let these hang on a paper towel lined plate post cooking until ready to serve.

Recipe Testing and Liner Notes

That Haitian epis seasoning is the secret weapon that takes this southern pork steak recipe from down-home comfort to Caribbean soul fusion.

Epis is like a flavor amplifier when added to the buttermilk brine. It transforms a simple brine into a bold, herbaceous, garlicky, and slightly spicy flavor bath that seasons the chicken all the way through.

Vodka also plays a pretty cool role in the crispy fried chicken like texture—it’s a science-meets-soul-food trick. It evaporates faster than water when it hits hot oil. That rapid evaporation creates more steam, leading to a crust with extra crunch and crispiness.

Beats and Eats (Music to pair with chicken fried pork steaks)

This dish grooves with Johnny Guitar Watson’s I Want to Ta Ta Ya—playful, funky, and full of swagger. The crunch of the cutlet is like the guitar riff, sharp and satisfying, while the epis spice is that extra flavor that makes the song unforgettable. Together, it’s a vibe that turns dinner into a dance.

Serve this country fried pork steak with your favorite hot sauce and pair with Southern style creamy mashed potatoes, old school collard greens with smoked turkey, Southern style creamy lima beans, and a drizzle of pan gravy for a true soul food feast. Homemade pork and beans or fried corn are also a great option.

Keep up with my food exploits on Instagram and YouTube. If you like any of the music you find on the site, visit me at Spotify to find curated playlists.

Crispy Country Fried Pork Steak

Author: Marwin Brown

532kcal

5 from 1 vote

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Prep 5 minutes mins

Cook 12 minutes mins

This country fried pork steak takes a soulful Southern classic and kicks it up with bold Haitian epis seasoning, giving the crispy cutlet layers of garlic, herbs, and peppers in every bite. Perfect for Sunday dinner or any cozy family gathering, this southern pork steak recipe is pan-fried until golden brown in just about 20 minutes. Comfort food made fast, flavorful, and unforgettable.

Servings 4 people

Course dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Soul Food, southern

Ingredients

1x2x3x

For The Brine

• ▢ 2 cups Buttermilk
• ▢ 1 cup Haitian Epis Seasoniing

For The Steaks

• ▢ 4 6-8 oz Pork Shoulder Steaks
• ▢ 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Allspice
• ▢ ½ tablespoon Smoked Paprika
• ▢ 2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
• ▢ Water
• ▢ ¼ cup Vodka
• ▢ Peanut Oil - canola oil or vegetable oil would work fine as well

Method

Prevent Sleep ModePrevent Sleep Mode

Brine the Pork Steak

1. Combine the buttermilk with a teaspoon of salt and the Haitian epis seasoning. Mix well then set aside.
2. Place the steaks in a ziplock bag. Add the buttermilk mixture making sure the steaks are fully submerged. Close the bags and refrigerate at least four hours, but preferably overnight.
3. Remove from the refrigerator and allow to reach room temperature.

Make your spice mix

1. Add all the dry spices together in a small bowl or ramekin. Set aside.

Prepare Wash

1. Place a ¼ cup of all-purpose flour in a bowl. Add ½ teaspoon of the spice mix plus a combination of the vodka and water. Mix well into a thin batter-like consistency. Dunk the chops into the batter and coat them well.

Dredge the Steaks

1. Combine 1 cup of the corn meal plus another 1 tablespoon of the spice mix in a medium bowl. Mix well. Dredge the pork steaks in the dry flour mixture then set aside on a wire rack-lined baking sheet. Shake off any excess flour if needed/

Fry the steaks

1. Pre-heat your deep fryer or large skillet (cast iron skillet preferred) to about 330 degrees F. Add the steaks and fry for about 2 minutes per side. Remove the steaks and repeat for your next batch.
2. Heat temperature to 350-360 then fry for another 1-2 minutes
3. Remove pork steaks and allow pork fat to drain in a paper towel lined bowl or on a wire rack cooling set-up.

Nutrition

Calories532kcalCarbohydrates69gProtein26gFat13gSaturated Fat5gPolyunsaturated Fat3gMonounsaturated Fat4gTrans Fat0.03gCholesterol56mgSodium1766mgPotassium858mgFiber9gSugar10gVitamin A946IUVitamin C1mgCalcium179mgIron4mg

Notes

I prefer pork shoulder steaks in this recipe but pork loin steaks could work. In this latter case brining is essential since loins don't have as much marbling (in other words little fat present) to prevent drying out nor flavor for that matter.

Pork chops and pork steaks are interchangeable in this fried pork recipe. If using chops go with bone-in rib chop over the loin chop. They have a bit more flavor and the bone protects the meat against overcooking.

You can be as complex or simple in your spice mixture. I often use a creole based mix including cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano.

Skip the table salt in favor of kosher salt or even sea salt. The latter two are unprocessed and provide a bit more texture

Total cook time will depend on thickness. Plan for 3 minutes per side more or less. You want the internal temperature to be around 145 degrees F if using a meat thermometer.

Note when you remove the chops from the hot oil they will continue to cook. To avoid dry pork chops err on the conservative side as you can always add cooking time for undercooked pork, but there are no saviors for dry overcooked pork.

Fry pork chops in as neutral oil as possible.

I like to double fry for a light more crispy chop. For me this is essential perfect fried pork chops. The first fry eliminates the surface level moisture while the second fry provides that extra crisp with the weight of the moisture.

Don't forget to allow those beautiful golden brown chops to rest before digging inPart of the cooking process for a really tender pork chop is allowing them to rest while the interior juices redistribute throughout the pork

Prepare with side dishes like smothered green beans, mashed potatoes, Southern collard greens, or mac and cheese. When in doubt just go with your favorite sides. I like briny dishes to pair with mine like this Haitian pikliz or collard greens slaw.

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