Email to Cat      

Mom's Chicken Fried Steak

Source of Recipe

From "An Unapologetic Cookbook" by Joshua Weissman


Recipe Introduction

"The cliché 'Oh, when I was a child...' moment is about to happen. But really, the most nostalgic foods of my life are the soul foods my mom has always cooked for me. At the top of that list is her incredibly crispy and tender chicken fried steak, smothered in an unctuous, rich, creamy gravy. It hits the spot so you can hit the pillow when you're done eating it."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 tenderized cube steaks (1 to 1 ½ pounds total; ask your butcher to flatten and tenderize them for you)
â—¦ Whole milk or buttermilk, to cover
â—¦ 2 sleeves saltine crackers, coarsely crushed
â—¦ 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
â—¦ 2 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
â—¦ Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
â—¦ High-heat oil (such as canola, avocado, vegetable, lard, etc), for frying

Cream gravy:
â—¦ ½ cup neutral-tasting oil or unsalted butter
â—¦ â…” cup unbleached all-purpose flour
â—¦ 2 cups whole milk, plus more if needed
â—¦ Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste


Recipe

Place the cube steaks in an 8-inch square baking dish, and pour in whole milk to cover. Marinate at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes or covered overnight in the refrigerator. Place the coarsely crushed crackers in a large deep baking dish, along with the all-purpose flour, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix together until thoroughly combined.

Fill a large deep cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pot with about 1 inch of the oil. Heat over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. When the oil is heating, working one piece at a time, pull the cube steak from the milk and place in the cracker mixture. Cover all sides of the meat with the mixture, firmly pressing it to fully coat all the crevices. Set aside on a plate, and repeat with the remaining cube steaks.

Once the oil is hot and shimmering, working in batches, carefully place the breaded meat into the oil (dropping away from you) and fry for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until crispy golden brown and cooked through. Place the pieces on a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet to drip dry.

Prepare the cream gravy. If the oil isn't burnt, pour out all but ½ cup from the cast-iron skillet to use for the gravy. (Otherwise, use butter.) Place over medium heat until hot. Add the all-purpose flour, and whisk until the flour begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Then slowly add the whole milk, and whisk continuously until it begins to thicken and is smooth. Add more milk as needed to reach the desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Plate the chicken fried steak with gravy. It goes great with a side of mashed potatoes and green beans. Finish with freshly cracked black pepper, and enjoy!

Serves 4