What's the secret to great chicken fried steak?

Question

Cracker crumbs? Bread crumbs? Bake or fry? Egg wash or not?

Answer 1

I have always cooked it the way my granny made it. We owned a restaurant for 22 years and she made it once a week for a special. She never made it difficult.
She used cubed steak. Salt and pepper each side of steak, coat with flour (no need for an egg wash) and place into a skillet preheated with crisco or veggie oil. Cook over med - med high heat until browned on each side and meat is cooked thru. She reserved the drippings, added flour to make a roue then gradually added milk to make a gravy. Just season gravy with salt and pepper to taste. The trick is to be patient with your gravy and stir often as the milk will scorch. Also keep the heat between med low and med for the gravy.

Answer 2

Chicken Fried Steak

4 cube steak cutlets
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 and 1/2 (approx.) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (approx.) cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
In a small bowl, beat the egg and milk together. Set aside.

In a little cup, shake all the spices together. Sprinkle on both sides of the cutlets.

Lay flour out on a large plate or cutting board. Drag the cutlets through the flour so that both sides are completely covered. Dip each cutlet into the egg/milk mixture and then drag once more through the flour. Set cutlets aside.

Add cooking oil to a large, heavy skillet - oil should be about 1/2 inch deep. Heat skillet to medium-high heat. When a drop of water sprinkled into skillet "pops", you're ready to cook.

With tongs or a long fork, Carefully place each cutlet into the hot oil. Fry cutlets on both sides, turning once, until golden brown. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 4 or 5 minutes until cutlets are done through. Drain cutlets on paper towels.

Here's a tip for some gravy:
Save 2 Tablespoons of the oil when you're finished. Add about 3 Tablespoons of flour and a 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Heat over medium heat and gradually add 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of water. Add dashes of pepper to taste. Makes a good thick gravy.

Answer 3

Chicken-Fried Steak:

Prep: 10 min., Fry: 7 min., Cook: 12 min.

2 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1 3/4 teaspoons black pepper, divided
4 (4-ounce) cube steaks
38 saltine crackers (1 sleeve), crushed
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 3/4 cups milk, divided
2 large eggs
3 1/2 cups peanut oil
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley

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-inch skillet; heat to 360°. (Do not use a nonstick skillet.) Fry steaks 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and fry 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove steaks to a wire rack in a jelly-roll pan. Keep steaks warm in a 225° oven. Carefully drain hot oil, reserving cooked bits and 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet.

Whisk together remaining 4 cups milk, 1/4 cup flour, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1 teaspoon black pepper. Add milk mixture to reserved drippings in skillet; cook, whisking constantly, over medium-high heat 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened. Serve gravy with steaks. Garnish, if desired.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Answer 4

Aside from any good recipes or hints you might get here, the following cuts of meat are recommended by the Cattlemen's Beef Board, state beef councils, and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association:

Beef Chuck, Shoulder Clod
Beef Chuck, Shoulder Clod, Top Blade
Beef Loin, Bottom Sirloin Butt, Ball Tip Steak
Beef Loin, Bottom Sirloin Butt, Flap
Beef Loin, Top Sirloin Cap Steak, Boneless (Coulotte Steak)
Beef Rib, Blade Meat
Beef Round, Bottom Round
Beef Round, Eye of Round

You might want to consider working your cutlets over with a meat tenderizing hammer too.

Answer 5

INGREDIENTS

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* salt-free herb seasoning to taste
* salt and ground black pepper to taste
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 2 pounds veal cutlets (you can use round steak, if you want)
* 1/4 cup oil for frying (I use Canola)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a shallow bowl, combine flour, herb seasoning, salt and pepper. In another bowl, place the beaten eggs. Coat each veal cutlet with the flour mixture, then dip into egg, then back into the flour mixture.
2. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Place veal cutlets into hot oil, and cook until browned, about 10 minutes on each side.