This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here
Beef steak fingers are a classic comfort food in the South. Throw in some gravy or ketchup and a side of green beans, and you are set for a wonderful meal with the family. This classic recipe takes on a twist in the flour breading, making it a savory delight that pairs excellently with ketchup and traditional sides.

Why You’ll Want This Recipe
- Amazing Flavor – Beef steak fingers are great by themselves, but the quick, homemade herb blend added to the breading in this recipe makes these stand apart. It brings a savory tang with herbal undertones that are shockingly phenomenal with beef.
- Quick Meal – This whole recipe cooks up within 20 or 25 minutes, making it great for nights when you don’t have a lot of time.
Beef Steak Finger Ingredients
Beef Cutlet – You can also use skirt steak
Salt – Sea salt will do greatly
Egg – This adds a thickness to the liquid that helps bind the breading to the meat before frying it.
Milk – or buttermilk
Flour – Standard, all-purpose
Scarborough 6 spice: Mix up this quick and simple herb blend beforehand. If you have extra, it goes great wih just about any meat, soup, or stew!
Coconut Oil: Can be substituted with lard or beef tallow
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

Tools You May Need
Cast-iron Skillet: Using a cast-iron will help the steak fingers brown better, but you can also use a regular skillet if you need to.
Two Shallow Dishes: These are used to hold the liquid and the breading. You want something that is easy to quickly grab a couple steak fingers out of while cooking. I just use some rectangular glass pyrex dishes.
Sharp Knife or Kitchen Shears
How to Make Beef Steak Fingers

Step 1: Cut the beef cutlet into strips for frying and salt both sides generously. Set aside while you prepare the breading.

Step 2: In a shallow dish, mix milk with the egg until it is well incorporated.

Step 3: In a second shallow dish, mix flour and the homemade Scarborough 6 spice. Place the two shallow dishes with the liquid and flour on your counter near your stove. This will allow for an easy transfer between the dishes and into your skillet.

Step 4: Dip a few steak strips in the milk dish and swirl them around a bit. You can even leave it to soak for a minute if you like. Afterwards, place the steak strips into the flour dish and coat each piece generously on all sides. Repeat this with all your strips as you start cooking them.
Step 5: Heat coconut oil in a cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat. You may need to adjust the heat throughout cooking to keep the steak fingers browning and not burning (see tips).

Step 6: Cook the beef steak fingers on each side for about 2 to 3 minutes or until the meat is cooked through and the breading is golden. You don’t want the oil so hot that it is spattering out at you or the breading will burn before the meat is cooked. Add oil as needed throughout frying. Serve hot and enjoy with a side of ketchup!
Tips
- Skip the gravy. I know it sounds blasphemous, but this particular recipe pairs excellently with plain ol’ ketchup. We even tried a white lemon gravy to compliment the herbs, but ketchup still beat it by a long shot.
- Instead of breading all the beef steak fingers at once, you can bread a few at a time as you cook them. This helps the flour to not get mushy and come off before frying, which helps you get a better breading.
- You will need to add some oil or tallow throughout the cooking process to keep the steak from sticking.
- If the breading is burning before the meat is cooked, lower your heat a bit. There’s a sweet spot between browning and burning your steak fingers.

What to Serve With Steak Fingers
If you are looking for classic sides that pair well with these beef steak fingers, try french fries, southern green beans, creamed corn, or a quick salad.
A few sides that aren’t as traditional, but quite delicious, are garlic roasted brussel sprouts, honey roasted carrots, or peppery sweet potato fries!
If you try this recipe and enjoy it, consider leaving a rating and commenting below. Thank you!
Beef Steak Fingers
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb Beef Cutlet
- Sea Salt to taste
- 2-3 Tbsp coconut oil or beef tallow
- 1 Egg large
- 1 cup Milk
- 1 ½ cups Flour
- 4 Tbsp Scarborough 6 spice Equal parts parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, fennel, and oregano
Instructions
- Cut the beef cutlet into strips and salt both sides generously. Set aside.
- Mix the milk with the egg in a shallow dish.
- In a second shallow dish, mix flour with Scarborough 6 Spice.
- Dunk a few steak strips in the milk dish and let them sit for a minute. Afterwards, place the steak strips into the flour dish and coat each piece generously on all sides. Repeat with all the beef strips as you complete the next step.
- Heat coconut oil in a cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat. You may need to adjust the heat throughout cooking to keep the steak fingers browning and not burning (see tips).
- Cook the beef steak fingers on each side for 2 to 3 minutes or until the meat is cooked through and the breading is golden. Add oil as needed throughout frying. Serve hot and enjoy with a side of ketchup!
Notes
- Instead of breading all the beef steak fingers at once, you can bread a few at a time as you cook them. This helps the flour to not get mushy and come off before frying, which helps you get a better breading.
- If the breading is burning before the meat is cooked, lower your heat a bit. There’s a sweet spot between browning and burning your steak fingers.
Pin it for later!




Just like Toto used to make!!