1-In a shallow bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon baking powder. Set it aside for the coating.

2-In another bowl, whisk 1 ½ cups buttermilk, 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce, and 2 eggs to create the buttermilk mixture.

3-Pat the 4 cube steaks dry, then season with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Let them sit for 5 minutes and pat dry again.

4-Dredge each steak in the flour mixture, then the buttermilk-egg mixture, and back into the flour mixture. Press the coating firmly and let the breaded steaks rest for 10 minutes.

5-Preheat your oven to 225 to 250°F (107 to 121°C) to keep steaks warm.

6-Heat 1 cup vegetable oil to a depth of ¼ inch in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 320-340°F (160-171°C). Fry two steaks at a time for 3 to 4 minutes per side, flipping once, until golden brown. Keep them warm in the oven.

7-For the gravy, pour off the remaining grease, return 4 tablespoons to the skillet, whisk in 4 tablespoons flour until golden, then slowly add 2 to 3 cups whole milk and ½ cup heavy whipping cream. Simmer until smooth and season to taste.

8-Serve the steaks with the gravy, alongside mashed potatoes and vegetables for a complete meal.