Light Chicken Fried Steak Food

THE BEST CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• Pound the steaks to about 1/4-inch thickness. Place 2 cups of flour in a shallow bowl. Stir together the baking powder, baking soda, pepper, and salt in a separate shallow bowl; stir in the buttermilk, egg, Tabasco Sauce, and garlic. Dredge each steak first in the flour, then in the batter, and again in the flour. Pat the flour onto the surface of each steak so they are completely coated with dry flour.
• Heat the shortening in a deep cast-iron skillet to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Fry the steaks until evenly golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Place fried steaks on a plate with paper towels to drain. Drain the fat from the skillet, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid and as much of the solid remnants as possible.
• Return the skillet to medium-low heat with the reserved oil. Whisk the remaining flour into the oil. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to release solids into the gravy. Stir in the milk, raise the heat to medium, and bring the gravy to a simmer, cook until thick, 6 to 7 minutes. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Spoon the gravy over the steaks to serve.

CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• Salt the meat: Sprinkle a little salt over the meat. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Put a wire rack over a baking sheet and place in the oven. You'll use the oven to keep the finished steaks warm and crisp while you cook the gravy.

THE BEST CHICKEN-FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• Liberally sprinkle the steaks with salt and pepper (see Cook's Note). Put them on a rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet and let sit at room temperature while you make the gravy.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the flour until combined and cook until golden and bubbling, about 1 minute. Whisk in the whole milk, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, whisking frequently, until the gravy boils. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, whisking occasionally, until the gravy thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep warm; it will seem loose but will thicken as it sits.
• Whisk the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl. Whisk the buttermilk, egg and hot sauce in a medium bowl. Working with 1 steak at a time, dredge in the seasoned flour, turning to coat and packing into the crevices. Shake to remove any excess and return to the rack. Repeat with the remaining steaks.
• Pour 3 tablespoons of the buttermilk mixture into the seasoned flour and work it in with your fingers; it should feel like wet sand with some clumps. (These clumps will give the steak a crispy, shaggy crust.) Dip the dredged steaks into the remaining buttermilk mixture, allowing any excess to drip off. Pack the moistened flour firmly onto each steak. Very gently shake off any excess and return to the rack. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Pour the oil into a large cast-iron skillet fitted with a deep-fry thermometer (the oil should come about halfway up the sides). Heat the oil over high heat until the thermometer registers 350 degrees F. Fry the steaks in 2 batches until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Whisk the warm cream gravy to loosen it and serve over the chicken-fried steak.

CHICKEN-FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper evenly over steaks.
• Combine cracker crumbs, 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, red pepper, and baking powder.
• Whisk together 3/4 cup milk and eggs. Dredge steaks in cracker mixture; dip in milk mixture, and dredge again in cracker mixture.
• Pour oil into a 12" skillet; heat to 360 degrees (do not use a nonstick skillet). Fry steaks 3-4 minutes. Turn and fry 2-3 minutes or until golden. Remove steak to wire rack in a jellyroll pan. Keep steaks warm in a 225 degree oven. Carefully drain hot oil, reserving cooked bits and 1 tablespoon of dripping in skillet.
• Whisk together remaining 4 cups of milk, 1/4 cup of flour, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1 teaspoon black pepper. Add milk mixture to reserved dripping in skillet; cook, whisking constantly, over medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes, or until thickened. Serve gravy with steaks.

CHICKEN-FRIED STEAK (CHICKEN WITH CREAMY GRAVY)

Steps:

• Season the chicken breasts with black pepper.
• In a shallow dish combine crushed cracker crumbs with flour 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, cayenne pepper (if using) and baking powder.
• In another shallow dish whisk together eggs with 3/4 milk.
• Dredge the chicken breasts in the cracker mixture then dip in the egg/milk mixture, then dredge AGAIN in the cracker mixture.
• Pour the oil into a large skillet and heat to 360 degrees F.
• Fry the breasts in hot oil for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown; remove to a wire rack and cover lightly with foil.
• Carefully drain oil but reserve the browned bits in the bottom of the skillet along with a couple tablespoons of the oil.
• In a bowl mix together 4 cups half and half cream, 1/4 cup flour 1 teaspoon seasoned salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper; whisk until combined, then add to the reserved drippings in the skillet, cook whisking constantly over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes or until thickened.
• Serve the creamed gravy with the breasts.

CHICKEN FRIED STEAK WITH GRAVY

Steps:

• For the steak: Begin with setting up an assembly line of dishes. Mix the milk with the eggs in one; the flour mixed with the seasoned salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, paprika and cayenne in another; and the meat in a third. Then have one clean plate at the end to receive the breaded meat.
• Work with one piece of meat at a time. Sprinkle both sides with kosher salt and black pepper, then place it in the flour mixture. Turn to coat. Place the meat into the milk/egg mixture, turning to coat. Finally, place it back in the flour and turn to coat (dry mixture/wet mixture/dry mixture). Place the breaded meat on the clean plate, then repeat with the remaining meat.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. Drop in a few sprinkles of flour to make sure it's sufficiently hot. When the butter sizzles immediately, you know it's ready. (It should not brown right away, if it does, the fire is too hot.) Cook the meat, 3 pieces at a time, until the edges start to look golden brown, about 2 minutes each side. Remove the meat to a paper towel-lined plate and keep them warm by covering lightly with another plate or a sheet of foil. Repeat until all the meat is cooked.
• After all the meat is fried, pour off the grease into a heatproof bowl. Without cleaning the skillet, return it to the stove over medium-low heat. Add 1/4 cup of the grease back to the skillet and allow it to heat up.
• For the gravy: When the grease is hot, sprinkle the flour evenly over the grease. Using a whisk, mix the flour with the grease, creating a golden-brown paste. Add more flour if it looks overly greasy; add a little more grease if it becomes too pasty/clumpy. Keep cooking until the roux reaches a deep golden brown color.
• Pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Add the seasoned salt and black pepper to taste and cook, whisking, until the gravy is smooth and thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Be prepared to add more milk if it becomes overly thick. Be sure to taste to make sure gravy is sufficiently seasoned.
• Serve the meat next to a big side of mashed potatoes. Pour gravy over the whole shebang!

LIGHT CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• Mix together 2 tablespoons flour and pepper.
• Pound into meat with a meat cleaver.
• Spray a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray.
• Heat to medium and brown beef on both sides.
• Drain off fat if needed.
• Add water and boullion to skillet and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer, covered 1 1/4 hours until meat is tender.
• Remove meat and keep warm.
• In a bowl, gradually add skim milk to the flour and whisk until smooth.
• Stir into the pan juices.
• Cook until thickened and bubbly, and cook an additional minute.
• Serve over meat.

LIGHT AND CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large bowl mix together the buttermilk, hot sauce and salt and pepper, to taste. Add the chicken parts and turn to coat completely. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
• In a deep heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat to 350 degrees F.
• Put the flour in a shallow baking dish or pie plate, stir in the baking soda, poultry seasoning, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper, to taste.
• Working in 2 batches, shake off excess buttermilk and put the chicken pieces into flour mixture, coating thoroughly. Carefully add them, in batches, to the hot oil and fry until golden brown on the outside and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from oil and drain on a paper lined sheet tray. Transfer to a baking sheet with a rack and bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving platter to serve.

CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
• Cut the meat with the grain into 1/2-inch thick slices. Season each piece on both sides with the salt and pepper. Place the flour into a pie pan. Place the eggs into a separate pie pan. Dredge the meat on both sides in the flour. Tenderize the meat, using a needling device, until each slice is 1/4-inch thick. Once tenderized, dredge the meat again in the flour, followed by the egg and finally in the flour again. Repeat with all the pieces of meat. Place the meat onto a plate and allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before cooking.
• Place enough of the vegetable oil to cover the bottom of a 12-inch slope-sided skillet and set over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the meat in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook each piece on both sides until golden brown, approximately 4 minutes per side. Remove the steaks to a wire rack set in a half sheet pan and place into the oven. Repeat until all of the meat is browned.
• Add the remaining vegetable oil, or at least 1 tablespoon, to the pan. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of the flour left over from the dredging. Add the chicken broth and deglaze the pan. Whisk until the gravy comes to a boil and begins to thicken. Add the milk and thyme and whisk until the gravy coats the back of a spoon, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Season to taste, with more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve the gravy over the steaks.

AS EASY AS IT GETS CHICKEN-FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• Mix the flour, salt and pepper together in a bowl; I use soup bowls. You may measure these, as I do, Rachael Ray style ~ in other words I eyeball the amounts. In a second bowl. whisk together the milk and egg until lemon colored. I a third bowl, add the dry bread crumbs. Line the bowls up assemble-line style.
• Dredge the meat in the seasoned flour, knocking off excess. Dip floured meat in the egg and milk mixture, coating well. Then dredge in the bread crumbs, again, coating well.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet (traditional but your own skillet will work) over medium-high heat. Add oil. When oil is hot enough to spit back at you if you sprinkle water on it, add meat and brown 2-1/2 minutes per side for rare, 4 minutes per side for medium and 6 minutes per side for well-done. Turn only once. As you see, this goes fast and the meat requires your full attention while cooking. Remove meat to a serving dish and keep warm.
• Notes: A traditional meal of chicken-fried steak includes:.
• Mashed potatoes: use a prepared mix or refrigerated potatoes.
• Country gravy: use an envelope of country-style gravy and prepare according to package directions.
• Green beans: canned beans work well, perhaps flavored with some bacon.
• Biscuits: use refrigerated baking powder style biscuits. These are a vital part of the Southerner's meal.
• Salad: A wedge of lettuce or tossed green salad goes well.
• Dessert: That's up to you. Mississippi Mud Cake was a fave in our home (recipe is posted).
• Remember to prepare as much as possible of the menu beforehand so that once the meat is cooked, you're ready to heat.
• To make CHICKEN-FRIED CHICKEN, I follow this same recipe, but I use pounded boneless skinless chicken breasts (your butcher will do this for you). I do like Panko on the chicken.

CHICKEN-FRIED STEAKS

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, combine 1-3/4 cups flour, baking powder and seasonings. In another shallow bowl, combine egg and 3/4 cup buttermilk. Dip each cube steak in buttermilk mixture, then roll in flour mixture. Let stand for 5 minutes., In a large skillet, heat 1/2 in. of oil on medium-high. Fry steaks for 5-7 minutes. Turn carefully; cook until coating is crisp and meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes longer. Remove steaks and keep warm., Drain, reserving 1/3 cup drippings; stir remaining flour into drippings until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk and remaining buttermilk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with steaks.