If you look around at recipes for Chicken Fried Steak, then you will notice they all say to cook it in a pan. Yet in a restaurant, you almost never get a pan-fried steak. The recipe below is pretty standard. The main difference for my version is that I use breadcrumbs instead of just flour or cracker crumbs. I like all the versions, but to give a broader appeal, I am going with a very classic breading technique with the addition of a little buttermilk. Using the Top Sirloin steak makes a big difference in the texture. Choose a steak that is absent of large fatty areas, but that does have good marbling of fat. - 2 Top Sirloin Steaks about ¼ inch thick and as big as you like them
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Granulated Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Good Quality Chili Powder (optional)
- 1 cup Bread Crumbs
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 1 Egg
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Large Cast Iron Skillet
- 1 Cup (more or less) Vegetable Oil
- 1 Meat Tenderizing Hammer
Mix together the salt, pepper, garlic, and chili powder. Season the steaks on both sides liberally. Using the hammer with the coarse spike side, pound the seasoned steaks to tenderize and work the seasoning into the meat. Be careful not to pound too thin, but you have to use enough force to actually start breaking down the fibers a little bit. Just putting a nice hammer mark on the steak wont do much. You want to make the steak a little thinner and a little larger to accomplish the tenderization process.
Set up your breading station with a bowl of the flour, a bowl with the buttermilk mixed with the egg, and a bowl of breadcrumbs. Dredge the steak in the flour, coating evenly. Shake off the excess and dredge into the buttermilk/egg mixture. Now dredge the steaks in the breadcrumbs. You want to make sure the steaks are coated evenly. Set aside on a plate; you can layer between wax paper.
At this point you want to have your potatoes cooking or finished, and your vegetables ready to go. See recipes below.
In your cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add your steaks. If you skillet is too small, you can cook in batches. You want to have enough oil in the pan to come a little more than half way up the side of the steaks when they are cooking. You do not want to submerge the steaks in oil. The temperature should be around 300F. It will vary during the cooking process, but you want to maintain a temp above 250F and no more than about 350F. Adjust the heat as necessary while you cook. You will know if your pan is too hot if your steak starts to get too dark. You want a nice simmer happening in the pan. When you start to see juices bleeding through the top crust of the steak, its time to turn it. About 5 minutes per side. You are looking for a nice brown color on the crust, like the color of dark wood, but not the color of chocolate. You should turn your steaks only once. When both sides are done, remove from the pan and drain on a brown paper bag or towel. Keep them in a warm oven until the gravy and everything else is ready to go.
Creamy Pan Gravy
There is a term in classic French cooking called "fond." This term describes the browned caramelized concentrated residue that remains in the pan after something has been cooked. The fond is what you are after when you "deglaze" a pan. Its what adds richness to any pan sauce. And fond is whats missing in most restaurant versions of cream gravy. This version is a little different in that it also has chicken stock, and a little wine.
- 2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tablespoons reserved oil from pan
- 1 cup Chicken Stock
- 1 cup Half-and-Half
- ¼ cup White Wine
- 1 teaspoon Coarse Ground Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Using the pan you just fried your steaks in, drain off all the oil into a container and measure out 2 tablespoons of the oil, returning it to the pan. Turn up the heat a little to medium-high. Add the flour and cook for a few moments until a paste is formed, making sure there are no lumps in the flour.
Add the wine and the chicken stock. Use a whisk to quickly incorporate the flour mixture into the liquid, ensuring there are no lumps. Bring up to a simmer. The gravy will get very thick at this point. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to get all the fond incorporated into the gravy. Add the Half-and-Half a little at a time, until the desired consistency is achieved. You want a thick sauce, but not a paste. Finish with the salt and the black pepper, adjusting seasoning to taste.
Dont be shy with the gravy when you serve the steak. You want enough to get a good amount with every bite. Make a "gravy well" in the potatoes, and have any leftover gravy available on the side in a gravy boat.
Horseradish Mashed Trio of Potatoes
The combination of potatoes in this dish adds dimensions of texture and flavor. Dont be afraid of the horseradish. Start with a little and add more to your liking.
- 1 large Idaho Potato
- 2 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes
- 2 medium Red Potatoes
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 1 tablespoon prepared Horseradish
- ¼ cup Half-and-Half
- 2 tablespoons Sour Cream
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Peel the Idaho and leave the skins on the other potatoes. Cut into large chunks and boil in water until tender. Check with a fork. Drain well and add the remaining ingredients, holding off on the half-and-half. Mash with a hand masher until nice and smooth. Adjust consistency with the half-and-half. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. You can make these potatoes ahead and hold them in a covered ovenproof container in a warm oven while you fry your steaks and make the vegetables.
Summer Squash Vegetable Medley
This is a quick and very flavorful vegetable medley to compliment your meal. Fresh vegetables make you feel a little better about eating this kind of main dish, so you might as well have a good tasting vegetable. This recipe makes about four servings so you will have leftovers that reheat in the microwave nicely.
- ½ medium Red Onion, sliced thin
- 1 Zucchini, sliced ¼ in thick
- 1 Yellow Squash sliced ¼ in thick
- 2 Roma Tomatoes, halved and sliced
- 4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a saut pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saut for a few minutes. Add the mushrooms and saut until the onions are soft, and the mushrooms shrink a little. Add the remaining ingredients and saut until the squash is tender-crisp. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. You can make this while your gravy is simmering.
Thats it. The only thing missing is a heap of buttermilk biscuits or skillet cornbread to go with it all. Once you try the real thing, you will never look at the other version the same way again.
