3/12/08

I just have to ask why?


As a foreigner, and I have another imported friend locally who I have discussed this with who feels the exact same way....

Why would you want to put batter on a perfectly good steak for goodness sake and call it a Chicken Fried Steak?

I have tried to eat one on a few occasions, most successfully at the Flying W Ranch. But do I really enjoy a Chicken Fried Steak, a resounding NO!

I have no doubt there are baffling things we do with food too, but this so far is perhaps the one I least understand here......especially as all your steak is generally good quality!

Although Calf Fries come a very close second - and NO I have never tried them and will never be persuaded to either!!

10 comments:

Mary (Bookfan) said...

I've always wondered about the whole chicken-fried phenomenon and I'm a US native!!! I grew up in the north and the only time I recall seeing it on a menu was a truck stop when we did a road trip. You're more adventurous than I, as I've never had the nerve to try it. My cholesterol level suffers enough without it!

Vickie said...

Calf fries being Mountain Oysters?? I grew up mostly in Kansas, so am aware of the 'delicacy' but was never made to try them. I draw the line at innards, except chicken gizzards and those have to fixed a certain way.
DH loves a good chicken fried steak, I can take or leave, especially now that I try to avoid the fried foods as much as possible. It is a Southern thing for the most part. DH is from Appalachian Virginia area.

Anonymous said...

Well, for one thing, it's not a perfectly good steak. It's cover in batter and "chicken-fried" to try to mask the poor quality of meat they are trying to serve.

I don't personally like them all that much and I can count on two fingers just how many chicken-fried steaks I've enjoyed during my 20+ years in Oklahoma.

Unknown said...

Brad trust me on this....even your low grade steak is generally better than all but the best steak in the UK!!

I think I have had my allotted 2 fingers worth as well...lol

Stacy at Exceedingly Mundane said...

Well, I was born and raised in the South and there are people here who fry anything and everything. Down here, the way it's made is with a lesser cut of meat. At least for us, as you said, the meat in the UK might be different. For us, it's a cheap cut of meat that is pounded or tenderized, then battered and fried. It's the gravy that's good to me :) Down here, you can find lots of good places that do a "country fried steak" or "chicken fried steak". It's just good old-fashioned southern cooking to us!

Personally, I rarely have country fried steak. I try to limit my red meat and I also don't fry much of anything. I rarely pan fry something like a chicken strip or fish fillet in olive oil, but that's it. My mother-in-law, though, cooks like this every day, so this is common in her home. My husband loves to go home, so he can get all that bad food!

Have a great day!

Its Just Me - Daring to Dream said...

Oh Sarah, coming from the South, I think everything I ate growing up was battered and fried in something. And yes, I ate chicken fried steak and it was smothered in white gravy (yum). I guess there's a lot out there for you to eat and try in the US and I hope that you continue to at least try anything (within reason) once or be open to different foods. I dont eat much friend foods now adays as I watch my diet and cholesterol. However, I have to admit my mouth watered when I opened your blog today and saw the picture of that wonderful dish of my past!

TR Ryan said...

I have traveled the world far and wide - more than 85 countries and spent plenty of time in yours. When I start craving chicken-fried steak - I know its time to go home. It is, rightly so, the State Food of Oklahoma.

I like it best for breakfast. If you have one shot left in you -- you should try it at Annie's on 39th (Route 66).

For the next best thing -- try just plain ol fried chicken -- the very best fried chicken in the world is at Eischen's Bar in Oklahoma. You should try it once. It is a slice of heaven and a bijillion times better than shepherd's pie.

Unknown said...

TJ we are planning a visit to Eishens this year with friends.

Anonymous said...

I'm from Yorkshire and I lurve chicken friend steak. The best kind is hand breaded pan friend, all the meat juice runs into the batter and it fries up wonderfully, yum

ox said...

a batter fried steak dont sound too bad for this mad welshman living in bonnie scotland where they deep fry every thing from pizza (also covered in batter) to steak pies(no batter) and would you believe a mars bar (sarah i know you know what this is) but for your followers its a chocolate bar with caramel and yes this is dipped in batter before frying !!!!