The Best Chicken-Fried Steak South of Omaha

Texas on the Halfshell

Servings: 2

Bill Maxwell, former Texas restaurateur, originally claimed his chicken-fried steak was the "best found south of the Rio Brazos."  Subsequent chicken-fried steak contests proved him truthful, so he extended his claim to include all lands south of the Arkansas River.  In another conversation with Bill, we found his "boundary" had crept north to Omaha, Nebraska.  Well, eventually he's gonna have to stop at the North Pole ... we hope.

Ingredients

Cooking Method

Sprinkle salt, pepper and garlic salt on both sides of tenderized steak to taste.

1. Put steak onto a tray that is well covered with flour. 

2. Then "pound the .... out of it (the steak), working from the center out, until it reaches the size of an L.P. record."  (That's those things they used to make before compact discs). 

3. Flip several times and repeat pounding. 

4. Mix eggs, beer, 1 teaspoon salt and Adolph's meat tenderizer in a shallow bowl. 

5. Add enough flour to make a thin, watery batter. 

6. Beat mixture smooth.  Dip meat into batter. 

7. "Flop" back onto flour tray and cover with four. 

8. Pound again with fingertips until moisture is absorbed. 

9. Cook in deep fat at 350° until golden brown. 

Serve with French fries and cover with white gravy.