For a while there, I was trying to pinch pennies and was shopping the managers special cabinet at the store. It went well for a while, until I started buying too much and we couldn’t eat it fast enough. I had to slow down.
During that experimenting, a cut of meat appeared that I hadn’t tried before; cube steak. I was intrigued and immediately started looking into it. Now, before you judge me, understand I live in the desert southwest. I know all about Mexican cuisine, but not much at all about southern cuisine. I’m learning though.
For my first attempt, I didn’t have enough meat for everyone so I decided to make some chicken as well. Oh man! Don’t regret that decision at all! It was a hit and now the chicken is requested more than the steak.
I have found the key to frying any meat is seasoning. You have to season the meat and let it rest a bit. You also need to season the breading and let that set for a few minutes. These two tips will make your meat, either chicken or steak, taste amazing. Juicy, flavorful, and perfect with or without the gravy… and a side of mashed potatoes. Mmm… mashed potatoes…
Chicken Fried Chicken (or Steak)
1 lb of chicken pieces, about 4oz each (or steak)
1 ½ c flour
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp each paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, baking soda, and baking powder
1 ½ cups buttermilk
2 eggs
Frying oil, about 4 cups
Gravy:
2 Tbs butter
3 Tbs flour
½ c chicken broth
½ c half and half (or ¼ milk, ¼ heavy cream)
Salt and pepper to taste
Pour the frying oil into the deep fryer and begin heating it to 325-350 degrees. Pat the chicken dry and season with kosher salt and pepper. Let it sit for a few minutes while you prepare the breading.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and pepper, and the seasonings including baking soda and baking powder. Whisk it together.
In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk and the eggs and whisk it together.
Pat your chicken once more and dredge it in the flour mix. Shake the excess off and dip it into the buttermilk mix. Let it drip off and then transfer it back to the flour mix once more. Once it’s coated, leave it on the drying rack while you finish the other pieces.
Let the coating set for a few minutes. Once the oil is heated and ready, start carefully dropping your pieces into the deep fryer. Don’t overcrowd the fryer as it will drop your temperature, and the pieces will stick together. It will take about 4-5 minutes to get a nice golden brown fry on it. Once it’s cooked through, pull it out of the fryer and place it on the rack to drip and cool. You can heat the oven to 220F and keep the chicken warm in the oven while you cook all the pieces.
While the chicken is frying, you can work on the gravy. In a saucepan, melt the butter and then add the flour to make a paste. Give it a minute and then add the chicken broth and heavy cream. Bring it to a simmer and it will thicken. If it’s too thick, add more broth. You can also add salt and pepper to taste. Once it’s ready, set it aside.
These are amazing with mashed potatoes and some yummy green beans. Enjoy!
