I was somewhat baffled when I realized that not everyone knows what chicken fried steak is. Chicken fried steak (also known as country fried steak - though I've never heard a Texan call it that) is a piece of beef steak (generally cubed steak) coated and fried. It is associated with Southern U.S. cuisine. Its name is likely due to the dish's similarity to fried chicken, though chicken fried steak's preparation and presentation are more like the classic Austrian dish wiener schnitzel. Chicken fried steak is prepared by taking a thin cut of beef steak and tenderizing it by pounding. It is then either immersed in batter or dredged in flour to which salt, pepper, and often other seasonings, have been added. After this, the steak is fried in a skillet or, less commonly, deep-fried. The frying medium has traditionally been butter, lard, or other shortening, but in recent years health concerns have led most cooks to substitute vegetable oil. The cuts of steak used for chicken fried steak are usually the less expensive, less desirable ones, such as chuck steak, round steak, and occasionally flank steak. The method is seldom used for higher-quality cuts such as rib-eye or sirloin, since the results are little better than those achieved with lesser cuts, at greater expense. The method is also sometimes used for chopped, ground, or especially cube steak. It is traditionally served for lunch or dinner with cream gravy {NOT brown gravy for the love of God!}, mashed potatoes and vegetables, or at breakfast with eggs, fried potatoes, and biscuits. The precise origins of the dish are unclear but many sources attribute its development to German and Austrian immigrants to Texas in the nineteenth century who brought recipes for wiener schnitzel. The German preparation, of course, is different but the similarities are obvious. Lamesa, the seat of Dawson County on the Texas South Plains, claims to be the birthplace of chicken fried steak. Variants are common, with chicken fried chicken having appeared on many menus substituting a boneless chicken breast for the steak. Notably, the dish known as "chicken fried chicken" is very different from the dish known as "fried chicken," despite the similarity in name. The former is chicken fried steak with poultry substituted for beef, while the latter has a different preparation method. Another variant is steak fried chicken. Note that although the dish described here is the most common definition of "Country fried steak," some regions of the U.S. use this term to refer to what in other regions would be called chicken fried chicken (or at least something similar depending on how one precisely defines the recipes). Typically, in Texas, country fried steak is served with brown gravy and chicken fried steak with the traditional peppered milk gravy. Otherwise, the meat is prepared the same way. In some areas, Country Fried Steak may refer to Salisbury Steak, a different dish entirely.

Chuck, Round, Sirloin Roast. (How much depends on how many you are feeding. This recipe will work for any amount from 1 to about 3 or 4 pounds. I prefer chuck as I find the slightly fattier cut usually make for a more tender roast.) 1 package Mrs Grass Onion-Mushroom soup mix (this comes in a box with 2 envelopes in it, I use both) 1-3/4 to 2 cups water 3 beef bouillon cubes 1 tsp Kitchen Bouquet browning and seasoning sauce (any browning sauce will probably work, but this is what we use). Crock Pot method: Place roast in crock pot. Mix soup mix, water, bouillon and seasoning sauce. Pour over roast. Cook 5-6 hours on low or until meat is cooked and tender (usually the longer it goes the more tender it is). Over method: Brown roast in 1 (or so) tbs margarine in a dutch oven. Mix soup mix with water, add bouillon and seasoning sauce. Pour over meat. Cover and cook at 350* for 3 hours or until meat is cooked through and tender. To make gravy: Transfer liquid to a sauce pan, mix about 1 tbs cornstarch with 1 tbs cold water. Add to meat juice. Cook and stir until gravy is thickened.