Chicken Fried Steak
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Chicken Fried Steak

Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Total time

25

minutes

I was first introduced to this dish on the menu of a U.S. chain restaurant when we were kids. Heading south for a vacation we stopped for a bite. I had no idea what it was at the time but it sounded good and ordered it. Low and behold a plate of golden brown fried meat arrived with some white gloppy gravy and mashed potatoes on the side. I wasn’t impressed with the white gravy and scraped it off, but the meat was delicious.
I’ve included the white gravy in the recipe below for those who may like it. I generally serve mine without. Curious as to where it originated I recently did a bit of research into the origins and there seems to be some speculation as to WHERE it originated. Many sources attribute the development to German and Austrian immigrants who arrived in Texas in the nineteenth century bringing with them came their recipes for Wiener Schnitzel. Lamesa, the seat of Dawson County on the Texas South Plains claims to be the birthplace of chicken-fried steak.

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup flour

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • Freshly ground pepper to taste

  • 2 pounds top round steak, about 1/2″ thick, tenderized

  • 2 eggs

  • 2 tablespoons cream

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil

  • 2 cups cracker crumbs, finely crushed (If crackers are salted I omit the salt added above)

  • Gravy

  • 1 onion, sliced

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream or whipping cream

  • 1 3/4 cups chicken broth

  • a few dashes Worcestershire sauce, optional

  • a dash or a few hot sauce, optional

Directions

  • Mix 1/2 cup of flour with the salt and pepper.
  • Pound the mixture into both sides of the meat with a meat mallet.
  • Cut the meat into serving-size pieces.
  • Reserve 3 tablespoons of the flour.
  • Beat eggs together with the cream.
  • Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat.
  • Dredge steaks in the remaining flour, dip in the egg mixture, and then into the cracker crumbs.
  • Add to the hot oil. Brown the steaks well, turning to brown both sides.
  • Reduce heat to medium, cover the skillet, and cook for 5 minutes, turning occasionally.
  • Remove the steaks from the pan, and drain on paper towels or brown paper.
  • Keep warm.
  • Gravy
  • Add the onion slices to the pan and sauté until tender.
  • Remove onions and keep warm with steaks.
  • Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat in the skillet; stir in 3 tablespoons of the flour.
  • Stir well and scrape bottom of pan to loosen browned bits.
  • Stir in the cream, then the chicken broth.
  • Season with Worcestershire and hot sauce.
  • Top the meat with the gravy.

Notes

  • Serve with or without the gravy no matter which way you prefer it tastes like MORE!!!!
  • You can opt for bread crumbs over cracker crumbs or even dredge in a flour mixture with spice.. but the crackers give it a texture that is crunchy and different than bread crumbs. Also make sure you are working with hot oil or it will become a soggy, greasy lump of meat.

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