Alton Browns Chicken Fried Steak Recipes

CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• Heat oven to 250ºF.
• Cut the meat with the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Season each piece on both sides with the salt and pepper. Put the flour in a pie pan. Put the eggs in a separate pie pan. Dredge the meat on both sides in the flour. Tenderize the meat, using a needling device, until each slice is 1/4-inch thick. Once tenderized, dredge the meat again in the flour, followed by the egg, and finally in the flour again. Repeat with all the pieces of meat. Place the meat onto a plate and allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before cooking.
• Place enough of the vegetable oil to cover the bottom of a 12-inch slope-sided skillet and set over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the meat in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook each piece on both sides until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the steaks to a wire rack set in a half sheet pan and place in the oven. Repeat until all of the meat is browned.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining vegetable oil to the pan, (enough so that you have about a tablespoon and a half total). Whisk in 4 tablespoons of the leftover dredge flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the broth until thoroughly combined and cook until the gravy comes to a bare simmer and begins to thicken. until the gravy comes to a boil and begins to thicken. Add the milk and thyme keep whisking until the gravy falls off a spoon like a ribon (piling up a bit on the surface before smoothing out), 5 to 10 minutes. Season to taste (I always go with more gravy), and serve the gravy over the steaks.
• Tip: if you can't serve right away keep the steaks warm in a low oven and the gravy snug inside your favorite thermos.

FRIED CHICKEN: RELOADED

Steps:

• Place the chicken pieces on a cooling rack set over a half sheet pan and sprinkle on all sides with the salt. Set aside at room temp for 30 minutes.
• Combine the black pepper, sumac, cayenne and garlic powder in a small bowl, then divide the blend into two equal portions (total mixture = 6 teaspoons). Sprinkle the chicken on all sides with half of the spice mixture then refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 4 hours (overnight would be better).
• 30 minutes before cooking, remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Whisk together the flour, cornstarch and the remaining spice mixture in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg and bourbon.
• Dunk the chicken pieces, one at a time, into the buttermilk mixture, then dredge in the flour mixture. Use your fingers to massage the flour coating onto the chicken (see Cook's Note). Place the coated pieces back on the cooling rack and rest from 10 minutes to 1 hour.
• Heat the peanut oil to 350 degrees F in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, about 15 minutes.
• Fry the chicken in three batches, rotating the pieces every 3 to 4 minutes and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain 325 degrees F. If you manage the heat just right, the exterior of the chicken will be golden brown right as the interior temperature hits 155 degrees F, 12 to 15 minutes per batch. Rest the chicken on a cooling rack turned upside down on a paper towel?lined pan for at least 5 minutes before serving.

FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken pieces into a plastic container and cover with buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
• Melt enough shortening (over low heat) to come just 1/3-inch up the side of a 12-inch cast iron skillet or heavy fry pan. Once shortening liquefies raise heat to 325 degrees F. Do not allow oil to go over 325 degrees F.
• Drain chicken in a colander. Combine salt, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Liberally season chicken with this mixture. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
• Place chicken skin side down into the pan. Put thighs in the center, and breast and legs around the edge of the pan. The oil should come half way up the pan. Cook chicken until golden brown on each side, approximately 10 to 12 minutes per side. More importantly, the internal temperature should be right around 180 degrees. (Be careful to monitor shortening temperature every few minutes.)
• Drain chicken on a rack over a sheet pan. Don't drain by setting chicken directly on paper towels or brown paper bags. If you need to hold the chicken before serving, cover loosely with foil but avoid holding in a warm oven, especially if it's a gas oven.