The following was published at “Old Ones Dream” July 21, 2014.
The Quest
Nine months ago, a proper gestation period I think, I announced that I would continue my quest for “The Best Chicken Fried Steak I Ever Had”. I know that your pulse has quickened and you murmur “be still my heart.”
The Territory
According to Wikipedia:
“Chicken fried steak ... is a breaded cutlet dish consisting of a piece of steak (tenderized cube steak) coated with seasoned flour and pan-fried. ...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.”
The Search
I dined on CFS at well regarded restaurants in the Texas Hill Country and the Big Bend area of Texas, from Wimberley to Marfa. Though the quest spanned 4 trips in three years, I didn’t find as many mentionable offerings as I would have liked and that is because you don’t often find CFS on the menu of well regarded restaurants. I wish the time had been available to count the pickup trucks parked in front of roadside cafes and diners and then sample the fare accordingly, but it wasn’t which is my loss and doubtless limited the range of results.
No Conclusion
On the separate trips, I had real good CFS at the Wimberley Cafe twice, twice at Reata in Alpine, and at Jett’s Grill in the Hotel Paisano in Marfa. The atmosphere of the Marfa meal was the best and the food was boldly seasoned to my liking, but the others were good and I added salt and pepper. Because the recipe for Chicken Fried Steak is so simple (5 ingredients including the lard), there is not a lot of variation in quality in quality restaurants. I don’t believe that it is a meal that is a good candidate for “The Best I Ever Had”.
Reata, Alpine, Texas -Photo by Old Ones Dream
To date I have never met a Chicken Fried Steak that I didn’t like.
Next, I will prepare it myself and test my theory. Should I use Alton Brown’s recipe?
-Photo courtesy of The Food Network
After Note: As I look back on this piece from a vantage point 12 years later, the meal at Jett’s Grill in the Hotel Paisano in Marfa was the most memorable. I would love to have it again.
An email reply from a friend:
"The “gravy” to me is key. Plus-don’t cook the steak too hard or dry. Need crunch on the outside and soft in the middle. Quick fry."