Unlike chicken-fried steak, country-fried steak is covered in brown gravy with a coating that is slightly less crisp. Also, country-fried steak is sometimes smothered with gravy before the final stage of cooking, so that the outer layer is infused with the gravy.
Ingredients:
For the country-fried steak:
1 1/2 pounds cube steak pieces
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
Canola oil, as needed
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
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For the brown gravy:
2 tablespoons reserved canola oil from chicken-fried steak, or bacon fat
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 275°.
2. Enclose cube steak pieces in sheets of wax or parchment paper. Using a meat tenderizer or rolling pin, gently pound the meat to tenderize it. Season cube steak with salt and pepper.
3. Set up a breading station by mixing 2 cups of flour with salt and pepper in large bowl. In a medium bowl, mix 2 cups milk with salt and pepper.
4. In a large sauté pan or cast-iron skillet, fill with canola oil until 1/4-inch deep. Warm over medium-high heat.
5. While the oil is heating, dredge cube steak pieces into the milk mixture and then dredge with seasoned flour.
6. Add the breaded meat into the warmed oil in batches (do not overcrowd). Cook cube steak until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove, transfer to a baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm.
7. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of canola from sauté pan. Warm over medium-high heat, add flour, and whisk to combine to create a roux. Add the milk and chicken stock, whisking to incorporate it with roux until gravy comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low, letting gravy cook and thicken to desire consistency, about 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Remove country-fried steak from oven. Serve country-fried steak with brown gravy spooned over it, or simmer country-fried steak in the gravy for a couple minutes and serve.
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Dessert recipe
Peach Ambrosia.A delicious southern fruit mixture, featuring peaches and sliced bananas. Top this dessert with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla yogurt and a few strands of lemon zest.
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh ripe but firm peach slices
1 medium banana, sliced
1/2 cup red seedless grapes, optional
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup flaked coconut
Preparation:
Combine peaches, banana, grapes, lemon juice, and sugar. Chill for about 1 hour. Add coconut just before serving. Spoon into dessert dishes.
Serves 4.
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Banana parfait recipe with ice cream, bananas, caramel sauce, and a little rum. If you don't want to use alcohol, use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of vanilla or rum flavoring and a little water.
Ingredients:
1 jar caramel ice cream topping, about 1 1/2 cups
2 tablespoons rum, or use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon vanilla or rum flavoring and 1 1/2 tablespoons of water
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 medium bananas, ripe but firm
vanilla or butter pecan ice cream
Preparation:
In a large skillet over medium-low heat, combine ice cream topping, rum, and cinnamon. Cut bananas in half lengthwise then cut in half again crosswise. Add the bananas to the caramel mixture; heat through. Spoon bananas into dessert dishes; top each serving with a generous scoop of ice cream then spoon warm caramel-rum sauce over the ice cream.
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1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.
Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.
Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.
Ingredients:
4 (1/2 pound) beef cube steaks
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 egg
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups vegetable shortening for deep frying
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
- Pound the steaks to about 1/4-inch thickness. Place 2 cups of flour in a shallow bowl. Stir together the baking powder, baking soda, pepper, and salt in a separate shallow bowl; stir in the buttermilk, egg, Tabasco Sauce, and garlic. Dredge each steak first in the flour, then in the batter, and again in the flour. Pat the flour onto the surface of each steak so they are completely coated with dry flour.
- Heat the shortening in a deep cast-iron skillet to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Fry the steaks until evenly golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Place fried steaks on a plate with paper towels to drain. Drain the fat from the skillet, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid and as much of the solid remnants as possible.
- Return the skillet to medium-low heat with the reserved oil. Whisk the remaining flour into the oil. - - - Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to release solids into the gravy. Stir in the milk, raise the heat to medium, and bring the gravy to a simmer, cook until thick, 6 to 7 minutes. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Spoon the gravy over the steaks to serve.
