Chicken Fried Steak - History of the DishIf you want to get fancy, you can call it "Beef Paillard", and prepare it using filet mignon; but that really isn't necessary. Plain old Chicken Fried Steak is a down-home, classic American favorite. Chicken Fried Steak is now popular almost everywhere, but it is most commonly associated with Texas, where it is something akin to a State Dish. That the Texas-Chicken Fried Steak link is so strong is evidenced by that fact that a database search of Texas Monthly magazine for the last several years returns 106 hits for the term, and not just in food related articles! A distinction is sometimes made between Chicken Fried- and Country Fried Steak. If there is a categorizable difference, it might be that the latter, which is perhaps more popular in the Southeast, is "smothered" - being returned to the pan after the gravy is prepared, and served completely moistened with gravy - whereas the former, preferred in Texas, is served "dry", with some gravy poured on top, and on the side. The dish probably finds its ultimate origins in central Europe; think Wienerschnitzel. In the 19th century, German immigrants populated the Texas hill country, and brought a hankering for this type of dish. Instead of the veal of Wienerschnitzel, a thinly sliced or pounded cheap cut of beef, usually round steak, is used. A gravy is made from the pan drippings; mashed potatoes make the perfect accompaniment. Vintage menu from 1920 advertising the Forum Lunch counter in Kansas City, Missouri (lots of seating - 59 stools!). Their list of specials included a meal of "Chicken Fried Steak, Cream Gravy, Potatoes and Coffee" , all for 25 cents. |
Chicken Fried Steak Recipes
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