Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Cookbook Snobbery?

Last night, faced with a piece of top round beef and suddenly remembering that A. used to sometimes make chicken-fried steak with this cut of meat, I managed to convince A. that maybe he should resurrect that particular meal of fried fat covered in liquid fat (mmm, cream gravy . . .). Not that it took much convincing. He really likes fried foods. But I really don't like to make them, so he only has them when he makes them.

ANYWAY.

It had been years since he had made chicken-fried steak, and he wanted to consult a recipe. No problem, said I. It's, like, a classic American dish. There should be a recipe for it in every cookbook we have (well, not the Lebanese cookbook, maybe). First I tried Best Recipes from Cook's Illustrated. No chicken-fried steak. Okay. Maybe in The Yellow Farmhouse Cookbook? It's a farmy kind of thing. Nope, no chicken-fried steak. Joy of Cooking, The New York Times Cookbook, The Best Recipes in the World, The Way To Cook, The Good Housekeeping Cookbook . . . Not a single one of these books had a recipe for chicken-fried steak. In fact, the only cookbook that did was the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. And their recipe was weird, calling for an initial frying of the meat followed by 45 minutes of simmering, which sounds gross to me since wouldn't the crispy coating just get soggy and fall off?

In the end, A. ended up consulting the omniscient Internet for a suitable recipe. But it left me wondering: why don't these cookbooks have this recipe? Is it too low class? Is it possible that a cookbook that has Spam recipes (hello, Good Housekeeping circa 1973!) considered chicken-fried steak beneath notice?

The MiL suggested that maybe chicken-fried steak is just one of those recipes that's so basic a recipe isn't considered necessary. Or maybe it's just a dish so inevitably associated with diners that it didn't make it into cookbooks for home use. Whatever, it was weird.

But the chicken-fried steak was really good.

8 comments:

Kris said...

I used to not like CFS till I had it done right at a diner in AZ ( It was a real greasy spoon diner )Now I look for it and compare them. The one in AZ is still the best.

Anonymous said...

I have never had chicken-fried steak, but Brad loves it. I'm a little afraid to try it, because I'm afraid I will love it way too much (this is precisely what happened to me re: biscuits and gravy).

Anonymous said...

Foods that are addicting....yes , biscuits and gravy, chicken fried steak.....I guess that is what keeps folks going back to the diner day after day....good food addiction.

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dognutmom said...

I don't think I've ever had chicken fried steak. I think I am afraid to ask what it is!

Sounds like it is diner food, so probably delish ....

FinnyKnits said...

Having never had chicken fried steak or quested for a recipe for it, I would still imagine that I'd just make my normal fried chicken batter and cook it just like fried chicken.

But, that's me.

Meanwhile, I was looking for a berry crisp recipe this AM and was dismayed to find that Joy did NOT have a recipe for one. Only for an apple crisp, which, No.

What's up, Joy of Cooking? You're my standby, man!

rls said...

Possibly I, too, have never had really good chicken fried steak, because I seem to remember that the coating was soggy and falling off, instead of crisp and yummy. And darn you, Jive Turkey, for making me hungry for biscuits and gravy!

Seren Dippity said...

Maybe because chicken fried steak is considered such a regional dish. Here's a great recipe to try:
http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com/2007/03/independence-and-chicken-fried-steak.html

It is by the Homesick Texan and seriously, everything she cooks is good eating.

Julie said...

The Better Homes recipe is pretty good, so long as you make sure the outside is plenty crispy before you start the cooking for 45 minutes part. That's what I use, with my own modifications.

I only learned how to make it this year, and that was the first time I'd had it. Definitely qualifies as the new ultimate comfort food in our house. :o)

You're lucky to have a man who's willing to cook for himself once in awhile!