Chicken Fried Steak with Spicy Gravy (this is the basic, country, old school, simple shit right here... no frills!)

Six- 8 ounce steaks, about 1/2 inch thick
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
flour
milk
shortening

Spicy Gravy
pan drippings from the steak
3 cups milk
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon cayenne- (I add more "balls" to this than just a half of a teaspoon but that's just me)
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce (the aforementioned also applies here)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (I cut back on salt and sub a hint of garlic as my extra addition of "heat" generally eradicates the need for additional sodium)
1/2 cup flour

Score the steaks crosswise on both sides with a sharp knife. Pound with mallet until they are about 1/4 inch thick.

Dust the steaks with the salt and pepper, then dredge each steak in the flour. Dip the coated steaks in the milk and then dredge again in the flour.

Melt the shrotening in a skillet over medium heat. Add the steaks and fry for 3 minutes (less for rarer meat) on each side, pressing down on the steaks in the skillet from time to time. Remove the steaks when done and keep warm.

To make the spicy gravy, heat the milk in a large saucepan over very low heat. Don't let the milk boil or form a skin.

Reduce the heat under the skillet with the steak drippings. Add the butter, cayenne, red pepper sauce and salt- (see comments above)

Stir for one minute. Slowly blend in the flour until the mixture is smooth. Slowly pour the mixture into the heated milk, stirring constantly so it blends evenly (whisking is the best).

Simmer (do not let it boil) until it thickens to taste. Serve in a gravy boat with the steaks...