Chicken Fried Steak With Cracked Pepper Gravy Recipes

Steps:

• For the chicken: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, mustard powder, paprika, garlic and onion powders, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce and vinegar in a second bowl.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Line a second baking sheet with a cooling rack.
• Place the chicken on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle both sides generously with salt and pepper.
• Working with one hand dedicated to the flour mixture and one hand dedicated to the buttermilk, dredge the chicken thoroughly in the flour mixture. Shake each piece individually to make sure it is fully coated and any excess flour is released. Place in the buttermilk mixture and toss gently to coat. Place the chicken back into the flour mixture to dredge again. Remove from the flour mixture and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet. (Reserve flour mixture.)
• Place a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the vegetable shortening to the skillet and heat until melted. Once all the shortening has turned to liquid, add oil to the skillet until it comes up 1 inch from the rim. Attach a deep-frying thermometer to the skillet and preheat the oil to 350 degrees F.
• Carefully add half the chicken to the oil. This will cause the temperature to decrease, so adjust the heat to maintain 325 degrees F. Fry the chicken, flipping only once halfway through, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat, avoiding bone, registers 170 degrees F, 14 to 18 minutes. Remove the chicken to the cooling rack. Sprinkle with kosher salt and set aside; fry the remaining chicken.
• For the gravy: Transfer 1/4 cup of the frying oil to another cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Whisk in 1/4 cup of the flour mixture used to dredge the chicken. Cook until a smooth paste is formed, 2 to 3 minutes. While whisking continuously, pour in the milk. Simmer until the sauce thickens and can easily coat the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce. Pour the gravy over the fried chicken.

Steps:

• Pat the steaks dry and season with salt and pepper.
• Sift the flour and cayenne pepper onto a plate and dredge the steaks in the flour.
• Using the flat side of a meat cleaver or a rolling pin, pound out the steaks until they are about 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick.
• Dredge again in the flour, shaking off any excess.
• Dip the steaks into the beaten eggs, and then again in flour, making sure all of the beef is well covered with flour.
• Pour enough oil into a large skillet to come about 1/4 inch up the sides and set over medium-high heat.
• When the oil is hot, carefully add the steaks with tongs and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
• Remove the steaks and keep warm.
• For the gravy:.
• Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the oil and remove any burnt drippings from the skillet.
• Reduce the heat to medium, and add the flour, salt and pepper.
• Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the flour is light golden.
• Slowly whisk in the milk, about 1/2 cup at a time.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the gravy is thick and creamy, stirring constantly, about 7-8 minutes.
• Season again with salt and pepper, if necessary.
• Serve the gravy over the chicken-fried steaks.

Steps:

• Prepare the flour spice by blending the flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Set aside on a plate or wax paper.
• Prepare the batter by mixing the eggs with a whisk, in a large bowl.
• Add the cream, and beer. Whisk to blend.
• Set aside. In a deep, heavy skillet, heat the oil to 350 degrees. While the oil is heating, prepare the round steaks by dredging them in the flour spice, taking care to evenly coat the meat. Shake off any excess.
• Dip the meat into the batter, and then again in the flour spice, evenly coating the batter so it is dry on the outside. When the oil temperature reaches 350 degrees (when a drop of batter sizzles when dropped in it), gently slide one steak into the hot oil. Cook the steak about 5 minutes.
• Turn in, taking care not to break the coating, and cook the meat 5 more minutes, or until the batter is nicely browned. Drain the cooked steak on paper towels. Repeat with the other steaks.
• Hold the cooked steaks in a 225 degree oven until all four are done. Pour Cracker-Pepper Gravy over the steaks and serve. Yield: 4 servings.
• CREAM GRAVY Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan.
• When the foam goes down, whisk in the flour. Continually whisk until the flour cooks, becoming a fragrant light brown.
• Slowly add the milk, continuing to whisk to keep lumps from forming.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Simmer gravy for 10 minutes to cook and reduce. Serve hot.

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!

Steps:

• Set up your grill for cooking with indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only.
• Set up a breading station for the cube steak. Add 1/2 cup flour to a dish, then season with salt and pepper and set aside. Add the beaten eggs to a separate dish, then season with salt and pepper and set aside. Mix together the rice flour, instant coffee, crushed BBQ chips and 1 cup flour in a third dish and season with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Place a large cast-iron skillet over the direct-heat side of the grill. Add enough olive oil to come 1 inch up the side of the skillet. Preheat the oil to 350 degrees F.
• Dredge each piece of cube steak in the flour, egg and then flour/chips mixture, shaking off any excess in between. Add the steaks to the oil in batches and cook until golden brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove to a cooling rack and set aside. Pour out the leftover oil from the skillet and discard it. Be careful to keep all the brown bits on the bottom of the skillet-they have all the flavor! Place the skillet back on the grill over direct heat and add the butter. Cook until melted, then whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons flour, creating a roux that looks like wet sand. Cook the roux, whisking, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Whisk in the milk a third at a time, continuing to whisk so no lumps form. Whisk in the buttermilk and season with salt and pepper. Cook, whisking, until luscious and thick, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the parsley and chives. Move to the indirect side to keep warm.
• To serve: Place a piece of chicken fried steak on a plate. Spoon the gravy over the top.

Steps:

• Trim fat caps off steaks. Rub steaks with salt, then Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce. Let rest for 30 minutes.
• Transfer one steak to a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet to pound the steak until it is about half the original thickness and twice the original area. Repeat with remaining two steaks.
• Place 2 cups flour in a shallow bowl. Whisk buttermilk, eggs, and hot sauce together in a second bowl. Combine remaining 3 cups flour, bread crumbs, baking powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, Cajun seasoning, sea salt, chile seasoning, black pepper, thyme, oregano, sweet paprika, chipotle powder, cumin, sage, mustard powder, and cayenne pepper in a third, large bowl.
• Dunk each piece of steak in the plain flour, then in the egg wash, and then in the breading, making sure it gets completely coated in each step. Transfer to a plate and refrigerate for 1 hour; this is crucial and ensures the breading will adhere to the meat.
• When ready to cook, prepare gravy: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and stir until the mixture becomes paste-like and light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk beef broth into the flour mixture, then gradually whisk in cream, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, to let it further thicken. Keep warm as you cook the steaks.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Drop steaks into the hot oil and fry until breading is crisp and golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
• Serve hot steaks with gravy.