> The term "Country Fried Steak" has at least two very different meanings in
> various parts of the country. In many areas it is a floured, quick-fried
> steak coated with a white gravy -- what we often call Elmer's gravy
> because of its floury texture and lack of flavor. In the area of Virginia
> where I lived for many years, Country Fried Steak is floured, browned in
> oil, and simmered slowly in a rich, brown gravy with lots of onions. Here
> is the way we do it:
>
> Country Fried Steak
>
> cubed steak
> flour
> sliced onions (1 medium per 2 servings)
> water
> salt and pepper
>
> Flour steak. Brown over high flame. Remove from pan. Cook onions in same
> pan until soft. Remove from pan, leaving all fat and drippings in pan.
> Reduce heat to medium. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons flour (enough to make a
> thick paste); stir constantly until deep brown. Gradually add water (still
> stirring constantly) until consistency of thin gravy. Reduce heat to low.
> Season with salt and pepper. Stir in meat and onions. Spoon gravy over the
> top. Cook about 1 hour, or until tender, adding more water if needed.
> (Note: If desired, steaks may be seasoned with salt and pepper before
> coating.)
>
> Ron
>
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In my little neck of NC where I grew up, this was served with Milk gravy.
Substitute milk for the water in the gravy.
-ginny

Ginny replied:

>> Flour steak. Brown over high flame. Remove from pan. Cook onions in same
>> pan until soft. Remove from pan, leaving all fat and drippings in pan.
>> Reduce heat to medium. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons flour (enough to make a
>> thick paste); stir constantly until deep brown. Gradually add water
>> (still stirring constantly) until consistency of thin gravy. Reduce heat
>> to low. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in meat and onions. Spoon gravy
>> over the top. Cook about 1 hour, or until tender, adding more water if
>> needed. (Note: If desired, steaks may be seasoned with salt and pepper
>> before coating.)
>
> In my little neck of NC where I grew up, this was served with Milk gravy.
> Substitute milk for the water in the gravy.

Why would you call it Country-FRIED Steak? It's clearly braised.

Bob

Bob Terwilliger wrote:
> Ginny replied:
>
>>> Flour steak. Brown over high flame. Remove from pan. Cook onions in
>>> same pan until soft. Remove from pan, leaving all fat and drippings
>>> in pan. Reduce heat to medium. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons flour (enough
>>> to make a thick paste); stir constantly until deep brown. Gradually
>>> add water (still stirring constantly) until consistency of thin
>>> gravy. Reduce heat to low. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in
>>> meat and onions. Spoon gravy over the top. Cook about 1 hour, or
>>> until tender, adding more water if needed. (Note: If desired,
>>> steaks may be seasoned with salt and pepper before coating.)
>>
>> In my little neck of NC where I grew up, this was served with Milk
>> gravy. Substitute milk for the water in the gravy.
>
> Why would you call it Country-FRIED Steak? It's clearly braised.
>
> Bob

Because it was breaded and crispy fried first? It's really the gravy that
makes this dish. When I make it these days I *do* fry it crispy until
cooked through and then prepare the gravy separately. I have done it the
other way, however, sans onions, and I used milk (not water) after stirring
in the flour to make the gravy.

Jill

jmcquown wrote:
> Bob Terwilliger wrote:
> > Ginny replied:
> >
> >>> Flour steak. Brown over high flame. Remove from pan. Cook onions in
> >>> same pan until soft. Remove from pan, leaving all fat and drippings
> >>> in pan. Reduce heat to medium. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons flour (enough
> >>> to make a thick paste); stir constantly until deep brown. Gradually
> >>> add water (still stirring constantly) until consistency of thin
> >>> gravy. Reduce heat to low. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in
> >>> meat and onions. Spoon gravy over the top. Cook about 1 hour, or
> >>> until tender, adding more water if needed. (Note: If desired,
> >>> steaks may be seasoned with salt and pepper before coating.)
> >>
> >> In my little neck of NC where I grew up, this was served with Milk
> >> gravy. Substitute milk for the water in the gravy.
> >
> > Why would you call it Country-FRIED Steak? It's clearly braised.
> >
> > Bob

It there a differance between the 'country' fried steak and a 'chicken'
fried steak? I use a meat mallet to tenderize and pound thin a nice
slice of beef shoulder. Season with salt and pepper, dip in beaten egg
yolk and then in seasoned bread crumbs and fry in chicken fat till
done.

I then use the chicken fat in the pan with any flavor added by frying
the steak to make a gravy with, adding a roux, milk & etc. most often
i serve this with mashed potatoes and fresh peas.

I will prepare a boneless, skinless breasst of chicken much the same
way, no pounding flat but diping in beaten egg yolk, sesaoned bread
crumbs and then browning in oil just long enough to set up the out side
coating of breading, i then put the breaded chicken in a pot of beef
gravy and red wine and let simmer for about 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken, stir the gravey and serve with potatoes and
veggies.

A half breast of chicken can be pounded flat, gently, treated the same
way with egg yolk & bread crumbs as above and pan fried, though if i am
going to pound flat a breast of chicken i like to add a slice of ham,
and a nice slice of chese roll it up and dip in a thick frying batter
and deep fry.
---
JL

>
> Because it was breaded and crispy fried first? It's really the gravy that
> makes this dish. When I make it these days I *do* fry it crispy until
> cooked through and then prepare the gravy separately. I have done it the
> other way, however, sans onions, and I used milk (not water) after stirring
> in the flour to make the gravy.
>
> Jill

On 18 Jul 2006 15:54:23 -0700, "JL" > wrote:

>
>jmcquown wrote:
>> Bob Terwilliger wrote:
>> > Ginny replied:
>> >
>> >>> Flour steak. Brown over high flame. Remove from pan. Cook onions in
>> >>> same pan until soft. Remove from pan, leaving all fat and drippings
>> >>> in pan. Reduce heat to medium. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons flour (enough
>> >>> to make a thick paste); stir constantly until deep brown. Gradually
>> >>> add water (still stirring constantly) until consistency of thin
>> >>> gravy. Reduce heat to low. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in
>> >>> meat and onions. Spoon gravy over the top. Cook about 1 hour, or
>> >>> until tender, adding more water if needed. (Note: If desired,
>> >>> steaks may be seasoned with salt and pepper before coating.)
>> >>
>> >> In my little neck of NC where I grew up, this was served with Milk
>> >> gravy. Substitute milk for the water in the gravy.
>> >
>> > Why would you call it Country-FRIED Steak? It's clearly braised.
>> >
>> > Bob
>
>It there a differance between the 'country' fried steak and a 'chicken'
>fried steak? I use a meat mallet to tenderize and pound thin a nice
>slice of beef shoulder. Season with salt and pepper, dip in beaten egg
>yolk and then in seasoned bread crumbs and fry in chicken fat till
>done.
>
>I then use the chicken fat in the pan with any flavor added by frying
>the steak to make a gravy with, adding a roux, milk & etc. most often
>i serve this with mashed potatoes and fresh peas.
>
>I will prepare a boneless, skinless breasst of chicken much the same
>way, no pounding flat but diping in beaten egg yolk, sesaoned bread
>crumbs and then browning in oil just long enough to set up the out side
>coating of breading, i then put the breaded chicken in a pot of beef
>gravy and red wine and let simmer for about 20 minutes.
>
>Remove the chicken, stir the gravey and serve with potatoes and
>veggies.
>
>A half breast of chicken can be pounded flat, gently, treated the same
>way with egg yolk & bread crumbs as above and pan fried, though if i am
>going to pound flat a breast of chicken i like to add a slice of ham,
>and a nice slice of chese roll it up and dip in a thick frying batter
>and deep fry.
>---
>JL
>
>>
>> Because it was breaded and crispy fried first? It's really the gravy that
>> makes this dish. When I make it these days I *do* fry it crispy until
>> cooked through and then prepare the gravy separately. I have done it the
>> other way, however, sans onions, and I used milk (not water) after stirring
>> in the flour to make the gravy.
>>
>> Jill



Where my background is, chicken fried steak is done in a cast iron
skillet with maybe a half-inch of oil. Country fried is DEEP FREID -
doesn't look like it ever was in a pan.


jim

ensenadajim wrote:
> On 18 Jul 2006 15:54:23 -0700, "JL" > wrote:
>
> >
> >jmcquown wrote:
> >> Bob Terwilliger wrote:
> >> > Ginny replied:
> >> >
> >> >> In my little neck of NC where I grew up, this was served with Milk
> >> >> gravy. Substitute milk for the water in the gravy.
> >> >
> >> > Why would you call it Country-FRIED Steak? It's clearly braised.
> >> >
> >> > Bob
> >
> >It there a differance between the 'country' fried steak and a 'chicken'
> >fried steak?
> >---
> >JL
> >
> >>
>
> Where my background is, chicken fried steak is done in a cast iron
> skillet with maybe a half-inch of oil. Country fried is DEEP FREID -
> doesn't look like it ever was in a pan.
>
>
Shortly after i posted the above i was watching a cooking show and they
mentined that a chicken fried steak is served with 'country gravy'
prepared as mentioned above. The steaks were prepared the same way as
i described and the gravy was called country gravy.
---
JL
> jim