GRAVY OR WHITE SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 tablespoons of bacon fat or butter
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pint of heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (to taste)
1/4 teaspoon white pepper (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

OPTIONAL MEAT

3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

Use same recipe and procedure and simply rename CHICKEN FRIED CHICKEN.  I did the chicken fried chicken on 03-10-09 and it was "out of this world".  Chili's offered a similar chicken fried chicken on their menu years ago and this will definitely equal or top what they served.  Guarantee it.  Bill aka Mickey Porter.

Have butcher or meat market cut round steaks to about 1/2 inch thick with the grain.  Pound steaks to tenderize or have them cubed or hand cube yourself.  Coat steaks generously with Wild Bill's Meat Rub and MSG on both sides.  If MSG sensitive, omit the MSG.  Allow steaks to sit for about 30 minutes to come up to room temperature.

Prepare dredge (seasoned flour) mixture in a shallow flat pan.  Prepare drench (wet) mixture in a shallow flat pan.  Dip steak into dredge (flour) mixture first and shake off excess flour and dip into the drench (wet) mixture and allow excess to drip off.  Dip steak again into the dredge (flour) mixture and coat evenly and shake off excess. Do this to all steaks and in the mean time, heat a large 13 inch cast iron skillet or skillet of your choice with 1/4 inch deep peanut oil, Canola oil or oil of your choice between 350 and 375 degrees F.  I personally use a large multi-laminated Townecraft 13 inch diameter skillet which heats evenly and holds it's heat very well.  Add steaks to hot oil and fry until golden brown on each side which will take around 3 minutes per side.  Once steaks are done, remove from hot oil and place on a warming tray and place in oven between 175 to 200 degrees F. while preparing the white sauce and other side dishes.

To make the white sauce or gravy, in a medium sized sauce pan on medium to high heat, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of rendered bacon fat or butter and add 1 1/2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and whisk dissolving any lumps in the mixture.  Do not cook long enough to brown since you want a white gravy or sauce.  Add one pint of heavy whipping cream stirring constantly allowing mixture to bubble and thicken. Once bubbling starts, reduce heat to low and continue to simmer.  Add seasonings and cook until the desired thickness is reached.  Adjust any seasonings as needed and remove from heat and serve immediately over the steak with your favorite side dishes.  Traditionally, oil from frying the steak is used to make the rue (gravy or sauce) but the rendered bacon fat to me has more flavor.  Mashed or loaded potatoes is normally served with the Chicken Fried Steak, greens, French fries, black-eyed peas and of course fried cornbread.  I used the sides that my bride had prepared today;  potato salad and deviled eggs.  I did a side of the squash and onions which was outstanding also. 

YIELD:  4 servings

This recipe had its beginnings in Texas some where between 1844 to 1850 from the German settlers. There is no chicken in Chicken Fried Steak although prepared like fried chicken with the milk gravy, it is simply a tenderized cheap and tough piece of beef.  This is the reigning queen of comfort food or down-home cooking in Texas and the unofficial dish of Texas.  It is estimated that 800,000 orders of Chicken Fried Steak (CFS) is served daily in Texas.

Many restaurants are serving Chicken Fried Steak that are frozen pre-breaded patties and they will not come close to Chicken Fried Steak that is made from fresh beef, properly seasoned and prepared!  

Give my version of Chicken Fried Steak a try.  This recipe will delight your taste buds, I guarantee it!  This recipe was inspired by Scott Hargrove's video at www.scotthargrove.blogspot.com 

My bride's comment for the Chicken Fried Steak, "Wonderful." 

Can you say "Beautimous" out loud.   If smellavision was invented, you would wear your screen savor off the screen from drooling over the above Chicken Fried Steak.  Grin if you must, also it is a poor frog that want croak on  it's own pond.  Grin again!

Below, sequence pixs taken while preparing the Chicken Fried Steak.  Click on thumbnails for a larger view:

A home made rack was improvised using a warming cake rack and placed a large sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil over a cookie sheet pan and it worked great and any oil in the steaks was quickly drained onto the aluminum foil without any extra clean up.

Web published by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 02-23-09.

LEAVING ON A SPIRITUAL NOTE