Chicken Fried steak can be served as a sandwich. I’ve seen some big sandwiches. This is not the healthiest dish to prepare, but when you’re in hunting camp it is one that will give you the fat and carbs that are needed to climb those mountains and stay warm. Remember recipes are guidelines. When you’re preparing this in hunting camp you won’t be using the recipe, you will just wing it. And, it’ll taste even better!
Good Cooking,
Chef Wutsch
Ingredients:
- 1-2 lbs Venison Top Round Medallions
- S&P tt
- 1 qt Canola Oil
Seasoning Spice Blend (divide into thirds)
- 1 T Onion Powder
- 1 T Garlic Powder
- 1 T Black Pepper
- 1 T Paprika
- 1 T Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
Marinade
- 1 pt Buttermilk
- 1/3 Spice Blend from above
Dry Blend
- 1 c Flour
- ½ c Cornstarch
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/3 Spice Blend from above
Gravy
- ½ lb Breakfast Sausage
- ¼ c Bacon Fat
- ½ c Flour
- 1/3 Spice Blend from above
- 1 qt Chicken Broth
Garnish
- 2 T Chives, chopped
Method:
Prepare spice blend and divide into thirds. Use one third for seasoning in marinade for cutlets, one third for dry blend, and one third for seasoning the gravy.
Remove fascia from venison, slice into 2 oz medallions, lightly pound into thin cutlets, reserve. Blend one third of the spice blend with buttermilk, place in zip lock bag, add cutlets and marinate overnight.
Prepare dry blend by combining flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and 1/3 the spice blend, reserve.
Mise en place gravy ingredients.
Heat canola oil in large cast iron pan.
Remove cutlets from marinade, let excess buttermilk drip off.
Dredge seasoned marinated cutlets in the dry blend, reserve.
Heat oil in pan. The pan should be at least 3 times deeper than the amount of fat used. (oil or fat approx. ½” deep)
Place coated cutlet into hot fat, turn once, remove, reserve. Once all cutlets have been cooked, pour out fat and reserve, with paper towel wipe out pan.
Prepare gravy by adding bacon fat and what little fat is left from frying meat (total fat ¼ c)
Add flour to hot fat, add the last third of spice blend, creating roux.
Add chicken broth, bring to boil. Adjust flavor and consistency.
Serve gravy under steak and on top edge. Garnish with chopped chives.
Substitutions:
Use pheasant, grouse, turkey, or hog for venison.
Substitute bacon and bacon fat for the sausage for gravy.
Use avocado oil instead of canola, or all bacon fat.
Substitute milk or combination of buttermilk and half & half.
Leave out sausage and use bacon fat and milk or cream in place of broth.
Cooking Options:
Use bread crumbs in place of second flour dredging.
Use Jaccard to tenderize meat before dredging.
Notes:
Don’t smoother meat in gravy for too long because it will ruin the coating.
Serve with smashed potatoes topped with gravy.
Be careful to not overload pan when frying, too much meat cools the pan and fat and will result in meat sticking to pan and losing its coating as will if you turn too many times or not have enough fat.
