Chicken-fried steak

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Chicken-fried steak
Chicken Fried Steak.jpg
Chicken-fried steak smothered in cream gravy with sides of mashed potatoes, fried okra and a dinner roll
CourseMain course
Place of origin United States
Region or state West Texas/Oklahoma
Created byMultiple claims
Serving temperatureHot
Main ingredientsTenderized cube steak, flour

Chicken-fried steak, also known as country-fried steak, is an American breaded cutlet dish consisting of a piece of beefsteak (most often tenderized cube steak) coated with seasoned flour and either deep-fried or pan-fried. It is sometimes associated with the Southern cuisine of the United States. It is breaded and fried with a technique similar to the more common fried chicken, hence "chicken-fried". When deep-fried, it is usually referred to as "chicken-fried steak". Pan-fried versions are typically referred to as "country-fried steak". [1]

Contents

Chicken-fried steak resembles the Austrian dish Wiener schnitzel and the Italian dish cotoletta alla milanese , which is a tenderized veal or pork cutlet, coated with flour, eggs, chicken stock cube, and bread crumbs, and then fried. It is also similar to the recipe for Scottish collops. [2]

History

Lamesa, Texas, hosts an annual chicken-fried steak celebration. Lamesa, TX, and chicken-fried steak IMG 1471.JPG
Lamesa, Texas, hosts an annual chicken-fried steak celebration.

The precise origins of the dish are unclear, but many sources attribute its development to German and Austrian immigrants to Texas in the 19th century, who brought recipes for Wiener schnitzel from Europe to the USA. [2] Lamesa, the seat of Dawson County on the Texas South Plains, claims to be the birthplace of chicken-fried steak, and hosts an annual celebration accordingly. [3]

The Virginia Housewife, published in 1838 by Mary Randolph, has a recipe for veal cutlets that is one of the earliest recipes for a food like chicken-fried steak. The recipe for what we now know as chicken-fried steak was included in many regional cookbooks by the late 19th century. [2] The Oxford English Dictionary's earliest attestation of the term "chicken-fried steak" is from a restaurant advertisement in the 19 June 1914 edition of the Colorado Springs Gazette newspaper. [4]

A 1943 American cookbook recipe for Wiener schnitzel includes a white salt and pepper cream gravy. [5]

Chicken-fried steak is among numerous popular dishes which make up the official state meal of Oklahoma, [6] [7] added to the list in 1988. [2]

Preparation

Chicken-fried steak is prepared by taking a thin cut of beefsteak and tenderizing it by pounding, cubing, or forking. It is then immersed in egg batter or buttermilk, then dredged in flour to which salt, pepper, and often other seasonings have been added. Chicken-fried steak is typically deep-fried and served with cream gravy, while country fried steak is typically fried in a skillet and served with brown gravy. The frying medium has traditionally been shortening, but butter and lard have sometimes been used instead. Health concerns have led many cooks to replace the shortening with vegetable oil.

When there are problems with the breading separating from the meat while cooking, it can be very useful to first dredge the meat in the flour mixture, then the egg or buttermilk, and then the flour mixture again, and then let it sit for a half-hour or more before cooking.

The cuts of steak used for chicken-fried steak are usually the less expensive, less desirable ones, such as cube steak, chuck, round steak, and occasionally flank steak. The method may be used for chopped or ground beef, but it is not called chicken-fried steak. Chicken-fried steak is usually served for lunch or dinner topped with cream gravy and with mashed potatoes, vegetables, and biscuits or Texas toast served on the side. In the Midwest, it is also common to serve chicken-fried steak for breakfast, along with toast and hash browns.

The steak can be served on a hamburger bun with cream gravy as a "chicken-fried steak sandwich". It can also be cubed and stuffed in a baked potato with gravy and cheese.

Alternatively, the tenderized steak may be cut into strips, breaded, deep-fried, and served for breakfast with eggs and toast or for other meals in a basket with fries and cream gravy. Known as "finger steaks" or "steak fingers", this is a popular dish in the state of Idaho.

Variants

Chicken-fried steak with chipotle cream gravy Flickr wordridden 3397801155--Chicken fried steak.jpg
Chicken-fried steak with chipotle cream gravy

In Texas and neighboring states, chicken fried steak is commonly prepared by either deep frying or pan-frying in a generous layer of oil. It is typically served with the classic accompaniment of peppered milk gravy.

Regionally, the pan-fried variation is sometimes known as "country fried steak." Although some recipes and dining establishments opt for the traditional peppered milk gravy with country fried steak, a distinctive version featuring a brown, beef stock-based gravy with onions is prevalent. This variation serves as the main distinguishing factor between the two dishes in regions where both are enjoyed.

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Tonkatsu</i> Japanese dish of deep-fried pork

Tonkatsu is a Japanese dish that consists of a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet. It involves coating slices of pork with panko, and then frying them in oil. The two main types are fillet and loin. Tonkatsu is also the basis of other dishes such as katsukarē and katsudon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gravy</span> Sauce made from the juices of meats

Gravy is a sauce often made from the juices of meats that run naturally during cooking and often thickened with corn starch or other thickeners for added texture. The gravy may be further coloured and flavoured with gravy salt or gravy browning or ready-made cubes. Powders can be used as a substitute for natural meat or vegetable extracts. Canned and instant gravies are also available. Gravy is commonly served with roasts, meatloaf, rice, noodles, chips (fries), mashed potatoes, or biscuits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schnitzel</span> Breaded, fried flat piece of meat

A schnitzel is a thin slice of meat. The meat is usually thinned by pounding with a meat tenderizer. Most commonly, the meat is breaded before frying. Breaded schnitzel is popular in many countries and is made using veal, pork, chicken, mutton, beef, or turkey. Schnitzel originates in Austria as wiener schnitzel and is very similar to dishes such as escalope in France and Spain, panado in Portugal, tonkatsu in Japan, cotoletta in Italy, kotlet schabowy in Poland, řízek in Czech Republic, milanesa in Latin America, chuleta valluna in Colombia, chicken chop in Malaysia, and chicken-fried steak and pork tenderloin of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milanesa</span> South American variation of an Italian dish

The milanesa is a variation of the Lombard veal Milanese, or the Austrian Wiener Schnitzel, where generic types of breaded cutlet preparations are known as a milanesa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rissole</span> European dish of meat covered in pastry

A rissole is a small patty enclosed in pastry or rolled in breadcrumbs, usually baked or deep fried. The filling has savory ingredients, most often minced meat, fish or cheese, and is served as an entrée, main course, or side dish.

Cutlet refers to:

  1. a thin slice of meat from the leg or ribs of mutton, veal, pork, or chicken
  2. a dish made of such slice, often breaded
  3. a croquette or cutlet-shaped patty made of ground meat
  4. a kind of fish cut where the fish is sliced perpendicular to the spine, rather than parallel ; often synonymous with steak
  5. a prawn or shrimp with its head and outer shell removed, leaving only the flesh and tail
  6. a mash of vegetables fried with bread
<i>Cotoletta</i> Italian word for a veal breaded cutlet

Cotoletta is an Italian form of breaded cutlet made from veal. The dish originated in France as the côtelette de veau frite, and was created by the chef Joseph Menon in 1735. Côtelette means 'little rib' in French, referring to the rib that remains attached to the meat during and after cooking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pork tenderloin sandwich</span> Type of sandwich originating from the United States

The pork tenderloin sandwich, also known as a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich (BPT), contains a breaded and fried cutlet similar to Wiener Schnitzel and is popular in the Midwest region of the United States, especially in the states of Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and Iowa. The sandwich is claimed to have originated at Nick's Kitchen restaurant in Huntington, Indiana, near Fort Wayne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicken parmesan</span> Italian-American dish

Chicken parmesan, or chicken parmigiana, is a dish that consists of breaded chicken breast covered in tomato sauce and mozzarella, parmesan, or provolone cheese. A quantity of ham or bacon is sometimes added.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicken fried bacon</span> American fried bacon dish

Chicken fried bacon consists of bacon strips dredged in batter and deep fried, like chicken fried steak. It is an American dish that was introduced in Texas in the early 1990s. Frank Sodolak of Sodolak's Original Country Inn in Snook, Texas, states that he invented the dish; however, there is a similar recipe in the 1954 cookbook Louisiana Cookery by Mary Land which uses salt pork instead of bacon. It is usually served as an appetizer with cream gravy or sausage gravy for dipping and sauce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cordon bleu (dish)</span> Meat and cheese dish

A cordon bleu or schnitzel cordon bleu is a dish of meat wrapped around cheese, then breaded and pan-fried or deep-fried.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kotlet schabowy</span> Polish variety of breaded pork cutlet

Kotlet schabowy is a Polish variety of a breaded cutlet of pork coated with breadcrumbs. It is similar to Viennese schnitzel or Italian cotoletta, French côtelette de veau frite, and North and South American milanesa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wiener schnitzel</span> Viennese meat dish, breaded veal cutlet

Wiener schnitzel, sometimes spelled Wienerschnitzel, is a type of schnitzel made of a thin, breaded, pan-fried veal cutlet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texan cuisine</span> Food and drinks from Texas

Texan cuisine is the food associated with the Southern U.S. state of Texas, including its native Southwestern cuisine influenced Tex-Mex foods. Texas is a large state, and its cuisine has been influenced by a wide range of cultures, including Tejano/Mexican, Native American, Creole/Cajun, African-American, German, Czech, Southern and other European American groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breaded cutlet</span> Meat in breading or batter

Breaded cutlet or braised cutlet is a dish made from coating a cutlet of meat with breading or batter and either frying or baking it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Veal milanese</span> Italian dish in Milanese Lombard cuisine

Veal milanese or veal alla milanese is a popular variety of cotoletta found in the city of Milan. According to some sources it has a French origin and was brought to Milan during the Napoleonic Wars, where it was first known as cotoletta rivoluzione francese. It is traditionally prepared with a veal rib chop or sirloin bone-in and made into a breaded cutlet, fried in butter. Due to its shape, it is often called oreggia d'elefant in milanese or orecchia d'elefante in Italian, meaning elephant's ear.

References

  1. "Chicken-fried steak | Description, Preparation, & Origin". Britannica.com . Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Weaver, Bobby. "Chicken-Fried Steak". Oklahoma Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Oklahoma Historical Society. Archived from the original on January 23, 2014. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
  3. Dizone, Alyssa (April 27, 2011). "Lamesa to have chicken-fried steak festival this weekend". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved June 23, 2011.
  4. "OED Definition "chicken-fried, adj" (see n.1 under "chicken")". Oxford University Press. March 2013. Retrieved June 1, 2013.(subscription required)
  5. Victory Binding of the 'American Women's Cookbook', Wartime Edition, Ruth Berolzheimer 1943
  6. 'Oklahoma State Icons' Archived 2014-01-15 at the Wayback Machine
  7. 'Oklahoma State Emblems' Archived October 26, 2007, at the Wayback Machine