Emerils Chicken Fried Steak Recipes

FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine the buttermilk, 1/4 cup Essence, salt, sugar, and garlic in a large nonreactive bowl. Stir to blend. Immerse the chicken in the mixture and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and for up to 24 hours.
• Combine the flour, the remaining 1/4 cup Essence, and the cayenne in a large doubled brown paper bag or plastic freezer bag and shake to blend. Drop the chicken, a few pieces at a time, into the flour mixture and shake thoroughly to completely coat. Remove the chicken and shake off the excess flour. Repeat the coating process with the remaining chicken pieces. Place the coated chicken on a large wire rack set over a sheet pan and let rest until ready to fry, at least 20 minutes.
• Heat 4 inches of oil to 300 degrees F over medium-high heat in a medium Dutch oven or heavy pot. Fry the chicken in batches, skin side down, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Turn and fry until golden brown on the second side, 8 to 10 minutes longer. Remove the chicken and drain on paper towels. (Note: An even oil temperature is the key to success; a clip-on candy/deep-fry thermometer should be kept in the pot at all times. And the temperature should remain between 280 degrees F and 300 degrees F at all times.) Allow the chicken to rest at least 5 minutes before serving.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch
• Published by William Morrow, 1993.

EMERIL'S CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• Heat the oil to 360 degrees F in a large, heavy skillet. Pound the round steak to tenderize it. Season with salt and pepper. Beat the egg with the first measure of milk. Place first measure of flour in a shallow plate and season with salt and pepper. Dredge each piece of steak in the flour, shaking off any excess. Dip the meat in the egg wash and let any excess drip off then dredge again in the seasoned flour. Fry the steaks in the hot oil until golden brown on each side, about 3-4 minutes. Remove and drain well on paper toweling. Pour off all but 1/4 cup of the oil in the pan. Over medium heat, stir in the second measure of flour and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes. Add the remaining milk 1/2 cup at a time, whisking constantly. Bring the milk to a boil then reduce the heat to medium low for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper or Old Bay seasoning. Serve the chicken fried steak with the cream gravy. Recipe Source: Adapted from Emeril Lagasse

THE BEST CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• Pound the steaks to about 1/4-inch thickness. Place 2 cups of flour in a shallow bowl. Stir together the baking powder, baking soda, pepper, and salt in a separate shallow bowl; stir in the buttermilk, egg, Tabasco Sauce, and garlic. Dredge each steak first in the flour, then in the batter, and again in the flour. Pat the flour onto the surface of each steak so they are completely coated with dry flour.
• Heat the shortening in a deep cast-iron skillet to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Fry the steaks until evenly golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Place fried steaks on a plate with paper towels to drain. Drain the fat from the skillet, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid and as much of the solid remnants as possible.
• Return the skillet to medium-low heat with the reserved oil. Whisk the remaining flour into the oil. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to release solids into the gravy. Stir in the milk, raise the heat to medium, and bring the gravy to a simmer, cook until thick, 6 to 7 minutes. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Spoon the gravy over the steaks to serve.

COUNTRY FRIED STEAK WITH WHITE GRAVY

Steps:

• Place the pieces of steak on a plastic wrap covered work surface and cover with another piece of plastic wrap. Pound the meat to a 1/4-inch thickness with a meat mallet. Season both sides of the meat with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the Essence.
• Fry the bacon in a large skillet until just crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain, leaving the fat in the pan. Set the pan aside.
• Combine the flour with 1 tablespoon of the Essence in a large shallow bowl. Whisk the egg with 1/2 cup of the milk and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the Essence in another bowl. Combine the bread crumbs and the remaining 1 tablespoon Essence in another shallow bowl or baking dish.
• Dredge the meat in the seasoned flour, then dip in the egg wash, letting the excess drip off. Dredge the meat in the seasoned bread crumbs, coating each side evenly. Shake off any excess bread crumbs. Reserve the seasoned flour.
• Reheat the bacon fat in the skillet over high heat until very hot but not smoking. In batches, without crowding (you may only be able to cook 1 portion at a time), carefully add the meat and fry until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes on each side, adding a small amount of the vegetable oil, if necessary, for frying. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Add 3 tablespoons of the reserved seasoned flour to the pan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes, to make a light roux. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Whisk in the remaining 2 cups milk, the salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is thickened and there is no raw flour taste, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bacon.
• Serve the steaks with the hot gravy and cheesy grits, if desired.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch
• Published by William Morrow, 1993.

FRIED CHICKEN WINGS WITH EMERIL'S ESSENCE

Steps:

• Cut the chicken wings at the joints, and set the wing tips aside for another purpose. In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, hot sauce, 1/4 cup Essence and 3 teaspoons salt. Whisk to combine, add the chicken, and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover the bowl, transfer to the refrigerator, and marinate for at least 1 hour, and up to 4 hours before proceeding.
• Preheat a large cast iron Dutch oven with 1 quart of peanut oil to 360 degrees F. Place the flour in a large resealable plastic food storage bag and season with 1/4 cup of the Essence and remaining salt. Add 8 pieces of chicken at a time to the seasoned flour and shake to evenly coat. Remove from the bag and place on a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Continue to coat the wings and allow them to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before proceeding.
• Fry the chicken in batches, about 10 to 12 pieces at a time. When you add the chicken to the hot oil, the temperature will drop drastically. Raise the heat to high once the chicken is in the pot. The temperature should level off at around 300 degrees F. Fry the chicken until golden brown and the meat is cooked all the way through, about 7 to 8 minutes. Be sure to return the oil to 360 to 370 degrees F before frying another batch of chicken. Continue this process until all of the chicken is fried. Season the fried chicken with the remaining tablespoon of Essence. Serve hot. (The chicken can be kept in a preheated 200 degree F oven once fried to keep warm while you fry the remainder of the chicken.)
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William and Morrow, 1993.

FRIED CHICKEN, EMERIL STYLE

Steps:

• Combine the buttermilk, 1/4 cup Essence, salt, sugar, and garlic in a large nonreactive bowl. Stir to blend. Immerse the chicken in the mixture, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and for up to 24 hours.
• Combine the flour, the remaining 1/4 cup Essence, and the cayenne in a large doubled brown paper bag or plastic freezer bag and shake to blend. Drop the chicken, a few pieces at a time, into the flour mixture and shake thoroughly to completely coat. Remove the chicken and shake off the excess flour. Repeat the coating process with the remaining chicken pieces. Place the coated chicken on a large wire rack set over a sheet pan and let rest until ready to fry, at least 20 minutes.
• Heat 4 inches of oil to 300 degrees F over medium-high heat in a medium Dutch oven or heavy pot. Fry the chicken in batches, skin side down, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Turn and fry until golden brown on the second side, 8 to 10 minutes longer. Remove the chicken and drain on paper towels. (Note: An even oil temperature is the key to success; a clip-on candy/deep-fry thermometer should be kept in the pot at all times. And the temperature should remain between 280 degrees F and 300 degrees F at all times.) Allow the chicken to rest at least 5 minutes before serving.
• Bayou Blast: Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Yield: 2/3 cup.