Breaking news! This is now a health food blog!

Wait, what’s that you say? Chicken fried steak isn’t healthy.

Uh well, haven’t you ever heard of soul food? Food that’s good for the soul?

That’s where this meal will live, in the land of soul food.

And Love.

Now that we are clear on that we can proceed.

Growing up I knew it had been a good hunting season when we had a freezer full of yummy venison. Steak filets, snausage, and good ole round steaks.

Most Sunday’s in my house my mom would make chicken fried venison for dinner. While my dad, sister and I sat on the couch and watched America’s funniest home videos, our background music was the sizzling of steak, the whisking of gravy and the smell of Heaven coming from the kitchen. What’s a better way to close out the weekend with a good ole family meal? If it’s my mom’s chicken fried steak, nothing!

Today’s not Sunday, and this isn’t venison; but it’ll get the job done my friends.

 

You can get steak already tenderized from the grocery store, but I choose to tenderize it myself. Just beat the livin’ smithereens out of it. Or buy it tenderized, whatever you prefer.

And let me just tell you; you MUST serve this with mashed potatoes and peas. My dad taught me the best way to enjoy peas is to mix them up in your mashed potatoes and top that bite off with a little CFS.

Are you still with me?

Ok, good!

 

Wanna come over Sunday for supper?

Ingredients, serves 4

For the fingers and gravy:

1 1/2 pound tenderized round steak

1 1/2 cups whole milk, plus 2 cups for gravy

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

LOTS of black pepper

Canola oil for frying

Salt and pepper

For the taters:

3 yukon gold potatoes

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup milk

Salt and pepper

For the peas:

Peas

 

Recipe:

For the fingers and gravy:

Begin with an assembly line of dishes for the meat: milk mixed with egg in one; flour mixed with spices in one; meat in one; then have one clean plate at the end to receive the breaded meat.

Work one piece of meat at a time. Season both sides with salt and pepper, then dip in the milk/egg mixture. Next, place the meat on the plate of seasoned flour. Turn to coat thoroughly. Place the meat back into the milk/egg mixture, turning to coat. Place back in the flour and turn to coat.
(So: wet mixture/dry mixture/wet mixture/dry mixture.) Place breaded meat on the clean plate, then repeat with remaining meat.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Drop in a few sprinkles of flour to make sure it’s hot. Cook meat until edges start to look golden brown; around 2 to 2 1/2 minutes each side.

Remove to a brown paper bag and keep warm. Brown paper bag? I do it, because my mom did it. You can use a plate with a paper towel if you prefer. Repeat until all meat is cooked.

Gravy:

After all meat is fried, pour off the grease into a heatproof bowl. BE CAREFUL IT”S HOT, GREASE BURNS ARE THE WORST!! TRUST ME!! Without cleaning the pan, return it to the stove over medium-low heat. Add 1/4 cup grease back to the pan. Allow grease to heat up.

Sprinkle 1/3 cup flour evenly over the grease. Using a whisk, mix flour with grease, creating a golden-brown paste. Keep cooking until it reaches a deep golden brown color. If paste seems more oily than pasty, sprinkle in another tablespoon of flour and whisk.

Whisking constantly, pour in milk. Cook to thicken the gravy. Be prepared to add more milk if it becomes overly thick. Add salt and pepper and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until gravy is smooth and thick. Be sure to taste to make sure gravy is sufficiently seasoned. Drink it if you like. I’m not here to judge.

Mashed Potatoes:

Peel and dice the potatoes. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the potatoes for 20 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain the potatoes and let them dry for a few minutes. In a small sauce pan, combine the butter and milk and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, rice your potatoes. Once the butter/ milk mixture is simmering add it to the potatoes in batches and season with salt and pepper. You may not need all of the butter/ milk mix just add it to your liking.

Peas:

Boil peas.

Then plate it up, mix your peas and taters together and then pour gravy over the whole enchilada. I mean steak fingers.