Jill,

Would you consider Country Fried Steak different from Chicken Fried Steak?
I've always considered them essentially the same thing.

One thing I do differently, regardless of name, is that I buy a round steak
and have the butcher put it through the "cubing machine" or "tenderizer". I
thinnk it's only because that's what my mother always did. My grandmother
and aunts always just pounded the hell out of it. I supposed it's all in
what you're used to. Either way, it's a delicious meal!

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Tuesday, 04(IV)/29(XXIX)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Countdown till Memorial Day
3wks 5dys 5hrs
-------------------------------------------
'Conduct is three-fourths of our
life.' -- Arnold
-------------------------------------------

Wayne Boatwright > wrote:

> Jill,
>
> Would you consider Country Fried Steak different from Chicken Fried Steak?
> I've always considered them essentially the same thing.

To me, chicken fried steak has either a cornmeal, cracker crumb, or
bread-crumbed breading, or is egg-washed and bread-crumbed - not
just pounded and coated with seasoned flour as her recipe indicated.
That just the making of swiss steak, IMO.

-sw

Sqwertz > wrote:

> Wayne Boatwright > wrote:
>
>> Jill,
>>
>> Would you consider Country Fried Steak different from Chicken Fried Steak?
>> I've always considered them essentially the same thing.
>
> To me, chicken fried steak has either a cornmeal, cracker crumb, or
> bread-crumbed breading, or is egg-washed and bread-crumbed -

Scratch one of those "bread-crumbed" methods and insert "or is
battered".

CFS is often battered here in TX, at least.

-sw

Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>
> Jill,
>
> Would you consider Country Fried Steak different from Chicken Fried Steak?
> I've always considered them essentially the same thing.

In my experience they are quite different. Country fried is floured and
pan browned and then simmered in a pepper cream gravy, while chicken
fried steak is battered and deep fried just like chicken and then topped
with some similar pepper cream gravy. There isn't really anything crispy
about country fried, while there is with chicken fried.

On Tue 29 Apr 2008 07:39:09p, Pete C. told us...

>
> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>>
>> Jill,
>>
>> Would you consider Country Fried Steak different from Chicken Fried
Steak?
>> I've always considered them essentially the same thing.
>
> In my experience they are quite different. Country fried is floured and
> pan browned and then simmered in a pepper cream gravy, while chicken
> fried steak is battered and deep fried just like chicken and then topped
> with some similar pepper cream gravy. There isn't really anything crispy
> about country fried, while there is with chicken fried.
>

Maybe it was just in our family that they both meant the same thing. :-)

I know my one aunt used to simmer hers in gravy, but I didn't particularly
like it, since I like it crisp. :-)

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Tuesday, 04(IV)/29(XXIX)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Countdown till Memorial Day
3wks 5dys 4hrs
-------------------------------------------
Everybody wants to be a cat!
-------------------------------------------

"Wayne Boatwright" > wrote in message
3.184...
> Jill,
>
> Would you consider Country Fried Steak different from Chicken Fried Steak?
> I've always considered them essentially the same thing.
>
> One thing I do differently, regardless of name, is that I buy a round
> steak
> and have the butcher put it through the "cubing machine" or "tenderizer".
> I
> thinnk it's only because that's what my mother always did. My grandmother
> and aunts always just pounded the hell out of it. I supposed it's all in
> what you're used to. Either way, it's a delicious meal!



Yes, It is the same thing and like most Texas/German Hill country recipes
where it came from, it is how your Momma/Aunt/ Grandma cooked it and what
she had in the pantry. It is all bragging rights and variations on making a
schitzel with a tough cut of meat for something they was homesick for.

On Tue 29 Apr 2008 08:52:27p, gunner told us...

>
> "Wayne Boatwright" > wrote in message
> 3.184...
>> Jill,
>>
>> Would you consider Country Fried Steak different from Chicken Fried
>> Steak? I've always considered them essentially the same thing.
>>
>> One thing I do differently, regardless of name, is that I buy a round
>> steak and have the butcher put it through the "cubing machine" or
>> "tenderizer". I
>> thinnk it's only because that's what my mother always did. My
>> grandmother and aunts always just pounded the hell out of it. I
>> supposed it's all in what you're used to. Either way, it's a delicious
>> meal!
>
>
>
> Yes, It is the same thing and like most Texas/German Hill country
> recipes
> where it came from, it is how your Momma/Aunt/ Grandma cooked it and
> what she had in the pantry. It is all bragging rights and variations on
> making a schitzel with a tough cut of meat for something they was
> homesick for.

That's really interesting, Gunner. I would never have thought to associate
the two, nor did I realize the history, but I certainly love both schnitzel
and chicken fried steak. My family is from NE MS and probably never
prepared schnitzel in my memory, but there were many Saturday dinners of
chicken fried steak. :-)

I make schnitzel occasionally, either with veal or more often with pork
tenderloin. I make chicken fried steak more frequently than that.


--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Tuesday, 04(IV)/29(XXIX)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Countdown till Memorial Day
3wks 5dys 3hrs 5mins
-------------------------------------------
The important things are always
simple. Simple things are always hard.
-------------------------------------------

Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> Jill,
>
> Would you consider Country Fried Steak different from Chicken Fried
> Steak? I've always considered them essentially the same thing.
>
Goodness, we had this discussion about 10 years ago! I call it country
fried steak but to me it's the same thing. And yes, I tenderize the heck
out of the beef. I don't pay extra for having someone beat the crap out of
it for me

> One thing I do differently, regardless of name, is that I buy a round
> steak and have the butcher put it through the "cubing machine" or
> "tenderizer". I thinnk it's only because that's what my mother
> always did. My grandmother and aunts always just pounded the hell
> out of it. I supposed it's all in what you're used to. Either way,
> it's a delicious meal!

If you do an egg wash, then dredge it in flour and brown it well it stays
crispy even after simmered in gravy I prefer the white peppery gravy to
brown. And of course mashed potatoes.

Jill

On Tue 29 Apr 2008 09:06:02p, jmcquown told us...

> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>> Jill,
>>
>> Would you consider Country Fried Steak different from Chicken Fried
>> Steak? I've always considered them essentially the same thing.
>>
> Goodness, we had this discussion about 10 years ago! I call it country
> fried steak but to me it's the same thing. And yes, I tenderize the
> heck out of the beef. I don't pay extra for having someone beat the
> crap out of it for me

Now that you mention it, I think we did. :-) I don't pay extra, I just
choose the steak I want and they put it through machine at no charge. I
guess it depends on the store.

>> One thing I do differently, regardless of name, is that I buy a round
>> steak and have the butcher put it through the "cubing machine" or
>> "tenderizer". I thinnk it's only because that's what my mother
>> always did. My grandmother and aunts always just pounded the hell
>> out of it. I supposed it's all in what you're used to. Either way,
>> it's a delicious meal!
>
> If you do an egg wash, then dredge it in flour and brown it well it
> stays crispy even after simmered in gravy I prefer the white peppery
> gravy to brown. And of course mashed potatoes.

I don't like the egg wash, besides, I just don't like gravy on the meat.
I'm probably the only who doesn't. If I have this in a restaurant and the
only gravy is white, I'll eat a bit, sometimes dipping a bite of meat in
it, and maybe a little on the potatoes.

> Jill
>
>
>



--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Wednesday, 04(IV)/30(XXX)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Countdown till Memorial Day
3wks 4dys 23hrs 35mins
-------------------------------------------
Our houseplants have a good sense of
humous.
-------------------------------------------

On Apr 29, 9:05 pm, Wayne Boatwright >
wrote:
> Jill,
>
> Would you consider Country Fried Steak different from Chicken Fried Steak?
> I've always considered them essentially the same thing.
>

Now that Jill has responded I'll chime in. I don't think the naming
issues will ever be solved. Essentially it's the same thing, with one
reputedly requiring a heavy white gravy and the other not. One
edition of Joy of Cooking dispensed with the pounding of flour but a
later edition returned to pounding. And one Southern Living recipe
dispensed with cubed steak and recommended a cut of bottom round. I
tried it and it was relatively tender with more chew than cubed. I do
like a little exercise with my dinner.

I believe that recipe also recommended saltine crackers for the
crust. I seem to remember trying panko which may have browned a
little to quickly but was certainly crunchy. What was the original
question? With my fading memory p'haps I should just read and not
reply.

Sqwertz wrote:
> Sqwertz > wrote:
>
>> Wayne Boatwright > wrote:
>>
>>> Jill,
>>>
>>> Would you consider Country Fried Steak different from Chicken Fried Steak?
>>> I've always considered them essentially the same thing.
>> To me, chicken fried steak has either a cornmeal, cracker crumb, or
>> bread-crumbed breading, or is egg-washed and bread-crumbed -
>
> Scratch one of those "bread-crumbed" methods and insert "or is
> battered".
>
> CFS is often battered here in TX, at least.
>
> -sw

CFS has a crunch to it, like fried chicken. It is served with cream
gravy. Jill's recipe had the meat simmering in gravy until it was
tender. Both are good, IMO.

Becca

On Apr 30, 9:37�am, Becca > wrote:
> Sqwertz wrote:
> > Sqwertz > wrote:
>
> >> Wayne Boatwright > wrote:
>
> >>> Jill,
>
> >>> Would you consider Country Fried Steak different from Chicken Fried Steak? �
> >>> I've always considered them essentially the same thing.
> >> To me, chicken fried steak has either a cornmeal, cracker crumb, or
> >> bread-crumbed breading, or is egg-washed and bread-crumbed -
>
> > Scratch one of those "bread-crumbed" methods and insert "or is
> > battered".
>
> > CFS is often battered here in TX, at least.
>
> > -sw
>
> CFS has a crunch to it, like fried chicken. �It is served with cream
> gravy. �Jill's recipe had the meat simmering in gravy until it was
> tender. �Both are good, IMO.
>
> Becca- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Whenever I see "Chicken Fried Steak" on a menu, whether locally or out
of state it invariably has a crispy coating and gravy on top. (Straight
out of the skillet with a ladle of gravy splashed across the meat.)

When I see "Country Fried Steak" on a menu it has been simmered in the
gravy. This results in a much more tender cut of meat. 99% of the time
it can be cut with a fork. The Chicken Fried Steak is excellent but
many times will need a knife to cut it into bite sized portions.

Hey, I'll take either one!

I saw Alton Brown prepare Country Fried Steak a few weeks ago. After
browning in a dutch oven it was placed in the oven with about 2 cups of
chicken stock. I don't remember the oven temperature, but it was left
to slowy cook for about an hour or two. There was indeed gravy when he
brought the finished pan out and it looked scrumptious! Gravy, but not
milk gravy.

Sqwertz wrote:
> Sqwertz > wrote:
>
>> Wayne Boatwright > wrote:
>>
>>> Jill,
>>>
>>> Would you consider Country Fried Steak different from Chicken Fried Steak?
>>> I've always considered them essentially the same thing.
>> To me, chicken fried steak has either a cornmeal, cracker crumb, or
>> bread-crumbed breading, or is egg-washed and bread-crumbed -
>
> Scratch one of those "bread-crumbed" methods and insert "or is
> battered".
>
> CFS is often battered here in TX, at least.
>
> -sw

Here's a recipe for CFS I got from the Houston Chronicle many years ago.
I've tried it and it's pretty good, but I prefer to make mine with matzo
meal. It gives me the crispiest crust.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Chicken Fried Steak

Recipe By :West APawnee Ranch (printed in Houston Chronicle)
Serving Size : 2 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : beef Meat

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/4 c flour
salt
ground black pepper
2 tenderized steaks
1 egg -- beaten
1/2 c biscuit mix
3 tbsp vegetable oil

Mix flour with salt and pepper. Dredge steaks in flour mixture. Dip in
egg and coat with biscuit mix. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet.
Fry steaks over medium heat 4 - 5 min. per side.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -



Serving Ideas : Serve with cream gravy (see sauces and gravies)

NOTES : To tenderize steaks, choose 1" thick steak and pound with
tenderizing mallet or use pre-tendrized steaks available in Texas.





--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> Jill,
>
> Would you consider Country Fried Steak different from Chicken Fried Steak?
> I've always considered them essentially the same thing.
>
> One thing I do differently, regardless of name, is that I buy a round steak
> and have the butcher put it through the "cubing machine" or "tenderizer". I
> thinnk it's only because that's what my mother always did. My grandmother
> and aunts always just pounded the hell out of it. I supposed it's all in
> what you're used to. Either way, it's a delicious meal!
>

Country fried is cooked in gravy. Chicken fried gets the gravy afterward.

We are going through San Antonio on the way back from a 2 week car trip
to Colorado and New Mexico this summer. We have already planned to stop
at Lulu's Cafe for CFS on the way home. I've had it in many places, but
Lulu's is my favorite.

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

Joan NOTJoAnn wrote:

> I saw Alton Brown prepare Country Fried Steak a few weeks ago. After
> browning in a dutch oven it was placed in the oven with about 2 cups of
> chicken stock. I don't remember the oven temperature, but it was left
> to slowy cook for about an hour or two. There was indeed gravy when he
> brought the finished pan out and it looked scrumptious! Gravy, but not
> milk gravy.
>

That method sounds closer to Swiss steak to me. I think Swissing is the
best thing to do with round steak. I've used it for quick stir frys and
cut it into little pieces for chili, but Swissing it seems to be the
preferred recipe here.

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

On Tue 29 Apr 2008 07:23:06p, Sqwertz told us...

> Wayne Boatwright > wrote:
>
>> Jill,
>>
>> Would you consider Country Fried Steak different from Chicken Fried
>> Steak? I've always considered them essentially the same thing.
>
> To me, chicken fried steak has either a cornmeal, cracker crumb, or
> bread-crumbed breading, or is egg-washed and bread-crumbed - not
> just pounded and coated with seasoned flour as her recipe indicated.
> That just the making of swiss steak, IMO.
>
> -sw
>

Our family has always used seasoned flour Chicken Fried Steak, the same for
fried chicken. No egg wash, no crumbs, or cornmeal.

Swiss steak pre-pared as you mention, but it's also simmered in a sauce,
usually with a few flavoring vegetables.

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Wednesday, 04(IV)/30(XXX)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Countdown till Memorial Day
3wks 4dys 5hrs
-------------------------------------------
Life is sometimes like a pizza round:
hot, greasy, and delivered by a guy
named 'Tony'.
-------------------------------------------

On Wed, 30 Apr 2008 07:32:48 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
> wrote:

>I don't like the egg wash,

Me too... on anything. Maybe on fried chicken if *someone else* makes
it, but not on fish and definitely *not* on beef.

>besides, I just don't like gravy on the meat.
>I'm probably the only who doesn't. If I have this in a restaurant and the
>only gravy is white, I'll eat a bit, sometimes dipping a bite of meat in
>it, and maybe a little on the potatoes.

and you call *your* SO a picky eater? LOL.... birds of a feather
(etc)

--
See return address to reply by email
remove the smile first

On Wed 30 Apr 2008 08:12:07p, sf told us...

> On Wed, 30 Apr 2008 07:32:48 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
> > wrote:
>
>>I don't like the egg wash,
>
> Me too... on anything. Maybe on fried chicken if *someone else* makes
> it, but not on fish and definitely *not* on beef.
>
>>besides, I just don't like gravy on the meat.
>>I'm probably the only who doesn't. If I have this in a restaurant and
the
>>only gravy is white, I'll eat a bit, sometimes dipping a bite of meat in
>>it, and maybe a little on the potatoes.
>
> and you call *your* SO a picky eater? LOL.... birds of a feather
> (etc)
>

The difference is, I *will* eat almost anything even if it isn't to my
preference, whereas David will flatly refuse to even taste it. We *all*
have "preferences".

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Wednesday, 04(IV)/30(XXX)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Countdown till Memorial Day
3wks 4dys 3hrs 50mins
-------------------------------------------
Useless Invention: Blinker Fluid.
-------------------------------------------