The first time I saw it, I wondered, “What in the world is chicken fried steak?”
Despite its name, there is no chicken involved.
It is a beef steak that has been battered and fried like Southern fried chicken, then smothered in a creamy white gravy made from the residual frying fat and browned bits left in the pan.
Using buttermilk is considered the gold standard for making chicken fried steak batter.
Compared with regular milk, its acidity gently tenderises the meat while helping the coating develop into a light, flaky crust.
This recipe includes a simple substitute that closely mimics buttermilk, although regular milk will also work if you do not wish to go through the trouble.
Purists also insist that chicken fried steak should be fried in melted vegetable shortening rather than oil.
Their reasoning is that because shortening is solid at room temperature, the thin layer of fat clinging to the crust firms up as it cools, instead of soaking into the coating, helping it stay crisp rather than greasy.
Another hallmark of chicken fried steak is the generous ladle of creamy white gravy poured over the crunchy crust.
Reserve a little of the frying fat along with all those flavourful browned crumbs in the pan, then whisk in some of the leftover dredging flour and cook until the raw flour smell disappears and the roux turns lightly golden.
Gradually whisk in milk to create a silky gravy that is equally delicious when served over other Southern comfort foods such as biscuits, chicken tenders and mashed potatoes.
The technique has become so iconic that Southerners have even created chicken fried chicken, where boneless chicken breast is pounded thin before being battered and fried using the same method.
To balance such a hearty main course, the accompanying side dishes are usually kept light, such as blanched French beans, creamed corn or coleslaw.
My personal favourite is the lemon butter broccoli included in this recipe.
The bright acidity of the lemon cuts through the richness of the gravy, while the butter ties the entire plate together.
As Americans celebrate the Fourth of July, this iconic Texan comfort food offers a delicious way to savour a small piece of the Lone Star State’s culinary heritage, no passport required.
Chicken fried steak
Ingredients
350g beef cube steaks
1½ cups vegetable shortening, for frying
100g frozen crinkle-cut fries
Dredging
150g all-purpose flour, divided
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp salt
Buttermilk batter
¾ cup whole milk
1 tsp cream of tartar
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ large egg, beaten
1 clove garlic, grated
White gravy
¼ cup leftover dredging flour
2 cups whole milk
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp chopped parsley, for garnish
Lemon butter broccoli
100g broccoli
100g unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp salt to taste
½ tsp ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Pound the steaks firmly with a meat mallet until about ½cm thick.
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, pepper and salt in a bowl for the dredging.
In another bowl, combine the milk with the cream of tartar and lemon juice.
Leave for a few minutes until slightly curdled to form a buttermilk substitute, then whisk in the egg and garlic.
Heat the vegetable shortening in a deep pan over medium-high heat.
Fry the crinkle-cut fries until golden and crisp. Remove and drain.
Meanwhile, coat each steak in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.
Dip into the buttermilk batter, allowing any excess to drip back into the bowl, then dredge once more in the flour until evenly coated.
Place on a wire rack and repeat with the remaining steaks.
Fry the steaks, in batches if necessary, until golden brown and crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes per side.
Transfer to a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
Carefully pour off most of the fat from the skillet, leaving about ¼ cup along with as many browned crumbs as possible.
Return the skillet to medium-low heat. Add ¼ cup of the leftover dredging flour and whisk continuously, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Cook until the roux is lightly golden and no longer smells raw.
Gradually whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium and simmer, stirring frequently, until the gravy thickens, about 6 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
For the broccoli, whisk together the melted butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper until emulsified.
Blanch the broccoli in boiling water until just tender, drain well and drizzle with the lemon butter dressing.
Serve the chicken fried steak generously smothered with white gravy, alongside the fries and lemon butter broccoli.
