It’s all my daughter Paula’s fault! I know it’s usually all the mother’s fault, but not this time. My preparing this way too caloric, cholesterol laden, fattening, crazy delicious comfort food dish is all on Paula! And even though I don’t plan to serve chicken fried steak (CFS) very often, I must say thank you to my dear daughter for reminding me of this lovely Southern delicacy. (You might know it better as country-fried steak.) And for those of you with more discerning palates, just consider CFS the poor man’s wiener schnitzel. (Veal and breadcrumbs prepared in a similar manner.) But in my humble opinion, CFS is every bit as delicious. (And a whole lot cheaper to produce!)
It all started with a simple phone conversation. Paula happened to mention that she was making one of her husband’s favorite dishes for dinner that evening. And of course, I had to ask which of Mark’s favorites was she preparing? And as she described how she fixed this dish my mouth started to water. Holy guacamole! I hadn’t eaten CFS for years. And it sounded just so tempting. And as you well know, I give in to culinary temptation way more than is good for me. But hey, if I only eat it once every 10 years, how much can that hurt? (As if I can refrain from making CFS now that I know how wonderful the homemade version can be. I’d never actually fixed it at home before. I’d only had it on a few rare occasions for breakfast when traveling.) But now, who knows how frequently this might appear on our dinner table. I’m only human after all! And it’s still all Paula’s fault!
But in her defense, she doesn’t usually fix gravy to slather on their CFS. Nor does she make sinfully rich grits to go along with the steak. That part is all on me! But I figure, in for a dime, in for a dollar. If I’m going to sin, let it be a big one and then be done with it! So, the following recipe is not a low-calorie wonder. But boy of boy is it delicious. And a dish I guarantee everyone in your family will adore.
I found most of this recipe compliments of the momontimeout.com site. (Great site BTW.) The modifications came from several suggestions Paula shared with me, with a couple thrown in by me for good measure. So, this recipe is definitely a team effort. (Look for my recipe for Creamy and Savory Grits soon to come to your very own computer.)
As always, make every meal special. And while I totally advocate eating healthy nutritious food most of the time, I also believe that there are times when nothing but a big old meal of comfort food helps keep people happy and content. Too much depriving ourselves of food that brings us pleasure just can’t lead to a well-balanced mind. I mean really, who can remain sane when all they can think about is a hamburger and fries? I’m not sure the previous statement speaks well to my mental stability, but never-the-less, it’s how I feel. It’s the old “moderation in all things” thing! And I am a firm believer in “moderation in all things”, in moderation of course! So, to that end, I must also tell you, that along with our CFS, gravy, and grits last evening, I also served plain old steamed fresh green beans. No frills attached.
Peace and love to all.
Chicken Fried Steak
1½ c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper (quite a bit)
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. granulated onion
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
¾ c. buttermilk
1 tsp. hot sauce (I use Frank’s RedHot original cayenne pepper sauce)
1 egg
4 cube steaks
Montreal Seasoning
vegetable oil
In a shallow container (I use an 8-inch cake pan), whisk the flour, salt, black pepper, paprika, granulated garlic, granulated onion, baking soda, and baking powder together. Set aside.
In a separate shallow container (yup, another cake pan), whisk the buttermilk, hot sauce, and egg together. Set aside.
It the cube steaks appear moist, pat them dry with a paper towel, removing as much moisture as possible. Season one side of each cube steak with a sprinkling of Montreal Seasoning. Let sit for 5 minutes.
While the cube steaks are resting, scatter a bit of the flour, the same size as the cube steaks, on a baking sheet.
Dredge the cube steaks in the flour mixture, shaking off excess, then dredge in the buttermilk-egg mixture, letting excess drip off, and then once again in the flour mixture, shaking off excess. (This is a messy process, so plan on washing your hands several times as you coat the steaks.)
Place the breaded cube steaks on the floured areas of your baking sheet. (Having a bit of flour before you set the breaded steaks down, allows the steaks to absorb a bit more flour as they rest. And also, not stick to the baking sheet.) When all 4 steaks have been breaded, press a bit more flour into the top of each one. (Save the remaining flour for use in the gravy.) Let the breaded steaks rest for 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 225-degrees.
Heat about an eighth inch of vegetable oil in a large heavy skillet over medium high heat. How much oil you need depends on the size of your skillet. And if possible, use a fry pan that will accommodate all 4 steaks. If not, fry 2 at a time.
Test the oil by dropping a bit of the breading into the oil. The oil should sizzle and bubble around the breading. (The oil should glisten, but not be hot enough to start smoking.)
Place the steaks into the pan and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. After the steaks have browned on both sides, carefully flip them back to the first side. Only fry for an additional minute or so.
Remove steaks from pan and drain on paper towels. Place in the preheated oven to stay warm while you make the gravy. (I place the paper towels and fried steaks on the the same baking pan I used to hold the breaded steaks before they were fried. Washed first, of course!)
Pan Gravy
2 T. vegetable oil from frying the steaks
2 T. seasoned flour (from breading the steaks) or if none left, just regular flour
1½ c. whole milk
¼ c. heavy cream
seasoned salt, if more salt is required
freshly ground black pepper
Save about 2 tablespoons of the grease in your pan. Discard the rest. Do NOT scrape the skillet clean. You want all of those brown bits for added flavor in the gravy.
Over medium-low heat, whisk in the seasoned flour and continue whisking for two to three minutes or until the flour is nice and golden brown.
Slowly whisk in the milk and heavy cream and bring gravy to a simmer. Cook until the gravy is smooth and creamy, about 5 to 7 minutes. If the gravy gets too thick, add in a little more milk. Taste and add seasoned salt, if necessary, and lots of fresh ground pepper.
Serve the CFS with a drizzle of gravy and a side of Creamy and Savory Grits (recipe to follow in the next few days) or mashed potatoes. Add your favorite green veggie and dinner is served. A perfect comfort food dinner.
Please note: To re-heat leftover CVS, place on a low-sided baking pan fitted with a wire rack in a pre-heated 400-degree oven and bake for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool a couple of minutes before serving.
Do not microwave. The breading will get soggy and yicky. (And yes, yicky is a technical term used by culinary experts everywhere!)