The Lean Cut Of Beef Texas Roadhouse Uses For Its Country Fried Steak

Food Arena/Shutterstock

A highly popular national steakhouse chain, Texas Roadhouse, puts a Southwest-inspired spin on casual dining. Although the desserts, sides, and drinks could all be fan favorites, the obvious standouts are Texas Roadhouse's steaks, which are USDA Choice rated. Part of that protein lineup is a popular down-home entree, country fried steak. The restaurant adds some class to this classic by preparing it with high-quality sirloin.

Sirloin is a type of steak cut from the cow's rear area around the hip. Despite its relatively lean nature, it's known for being juicy. At Texas Roadhouse, sirloin is hand-sliced into steaks and then battered before frying.

The beef used for country fried steak typically comes in the form of cube steak. This uniquely perforated piece of meat became the standard due to its low price, pre-tenderized nature, and quick cooking time. It's worth noting that, although cube steak is often produced from top round, it can be made from top sirloin, too. Some chefs may even recommend the latter cut due to its combination of firm yet tender texture and vibrant flavor.

RYO Alexandre/Shutterstock

An emphasis on quality meat can be seen not just in the country fried steak, but throughout the Texas Roadhouse menu. For example, all of the chain's steaks are cut in-house by a butcher or meat cutter, and are never frozen. For more traditional preparations, customers can even pick their own steak. Of course, you don't have to make a special trip to Texas Roadhouse to see how delicious breaded sirloin can be. It's easy to make a similar swap at home with our country fried cube steak recipe.

Folks who want to make their own take should note that what Texas Roadhouse calls country fried steak may be referred to by others as chicken fried steak (for which we also have a recipe). Some discerning Southern cooks distinguish between beef cuts breaded with a thick coat before frying and those lightly dredged in flour before cooking. The former is often referred to as chicken fried, while the latter takes the simpler country fried moniker.