Poor Mans Chicken Fried Steak Food

POOR MAN'S CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• Divide the meat into 4 pieces, and flatten into thin beef patties. Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat until almost smoking, and cook the beef patties until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes per side; set the cooked burgers aside. Drain excess grease but leave any browned drippings in the skillet.
• In a shallow bowl, mix together 1 cup of flour with salt and black pepper. In a separate shallow bowl, beat the eggs until smooth, mixing in a half teaspoon of water if needed.
• Heat the vegetable oil in the skillet over medium heat. Dip both sides of cooked burgers into the eggs, then dredge in the seasoned flour; repeat 3 times to build up a thick coating on the burgers. Place the burgers into the hot oil, and pan-fry until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Set burgers aside.
• Spoon away any excess vegetable oil. Melt butter in the skillet over medium heat, and stir to loosen any brown flavor bits left in the bottom of the skillet. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of flour until smooth. If you prefer a very thick gravy, use more flour. Gradually whisk in milk, cooking until the gravy is thick. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, and serve the gravy over the chicken-fried beef patties.

AMISH POOR MAN'S STEAK

Steps:

• Mix ground beef, milk, saltine cracker crumbs, onion, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Shape mixture into a narrow loaf and place onto a baking sheet; cover and refrigerate 8 hours to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cut loaf into 1-inch-thick slices and sear the 'steaks' in the hot skillet until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Insides will still be pink. Arrange slices in a roasting pan. Spread mushroom soup over steaks.
• Bake steaks in the preheated oven until mushroom soup is bubbling and meat is no longer pink inside, about 1 hour. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of a meat slice should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

COUNTRY FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• Place 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup milk, and eggs in 3 separate shallow bowls in the working area.
• Mix 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and the paprika into the flour and mix well.
• Season both sides of cube steaks with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
• Dip cube steaks in milk, then dredge in seasoned flour.
• Dip floured steaks in egg wash, then again in the seasoned flour.
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet on medium heat and do half the cube steaks at a time, or work with two skillets, if you desire.
• Brown the cube steaks on each side, about 8-10 minutes total cooking time; remove from heat and set the steaks aside.
• Drain all but 1 tbsp oil (if any- I don't usually have any, but the steaks are less greasy with less oil) from the pans.
• Add enough butter to the pan to equal 3 tbsp along with the oil.
• Melt the butter and add 3 tbsp flour and stir with a whisk to make a roux, deglazing the bottom of the pan, and cook for a few minutes on LOW heat; do not burn.
• Slowly add the remaining 2 cups milk, and stir or whisk constantly until mixture comes to a boil and thickens; cook for another minute or so and remove from heat.
• Serve Country Fried Steaks (Chicken Fried Steak, as we call it) with plenty of gravy on top, and mashed potatoes on the side (double gravy recipe if you use a LOT of gravy on your potatoes, etc).

OLD-FASHIONED POOR MAN'S STEAK

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine cracker crumbs, water, salt and pepper. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Press into an ungreased 9-in. square pan. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. , Cut into 3-in. squares; dredge in flour. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat; add beef and cook until browned on both sides, 2-3 minutes on each side. , Transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker with a slotted spatula or spoon. Add soup. , Cover and cook on high until meat is no longer pink, 4 hours. Serve with mashed potatoes or noodles.

OVEN BAKED POOR MAN'S HAMBURGER STEAKS

Steps:

• preheat oven to 350F
• Make the gravy and set it aside. In a medium-sized bowl, combine cream of mushroom soup, milk, and parsley until well blended.
• To make the hamburgers, combine ground beef, crushed saltines, milk, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste
• Using your hands, or a fork, mix all ingredients together, divide into 6-8 portions and make pattie
• Dredge each patty in flour to coat all sides lightly.
• In a cast-iron skillet that has been lightly oiled, brown patties on both sides. This will add tons of flavor
• Once patties are browned, pour prepared gravy on top of them
• Cover skillet with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes

CROCK POT POOR MAN'S STEAK WITH GRAVY

Steps:

• Place your cube steaks in your 2-quart slow cooker
• In a bowl, mix together your soup mix, water and soup until well blended
• Pour over your cube steaks
• Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

POOR MAN'S CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• Heat a small amount of oil in your pan for frying.
• Mix up meat and salt and pepper form into patties.
• Dip in the egg.
• Roll in cracker crumbs.
• Place in the oil and cook until needing to be flipped then flip and finish until desired doneness.
• Can be topped with mushroom soup for gravy or you can make a milk gravy.
• Other substitutions are adding garlic powder or onion soup mix or Worcestershire sauce.