Chicken Fried Steak and Gravy

One Year Ago:  Chocolate Pound Cake with Chocolate-Rum Ganache  

I am very happy and proud to say that I got my husband hooked on Guy Fieri's show, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Network.  One night while we were watching it, Guy stopped in at a restaurant and had chicken fried steak.  It looked so appealing to my husband that he asked for it for dinner that week.  I came across a recipe from a chef that I love and trust, so I thought I would give it a try.  Let me say, Alton Brown sure knew what he was doing with this recipe!  It was amazing!  And the gravy?  Oh, the gravy!  Perfection!  WE enjoyed this so much that we had it twice in one week!



Ingredients:

• 2 lb beef bottom round, trimmed of visible fat
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 c all-purpose flour
• 3 lg eggs 
• 1/4 c vegetable oil
• 2 c chicken broth 
• 1/2 c whole milk 
• 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Cut the meat with the grain to 1/2-inch thick slices.  Dredge with flour.  Tenderize to 1/4-inch thickness.  Dredge again in the flour.  Coat with the egg and dredge once more in the flour.  Reserve 3 tbsp of the flour used for dredging.  

Allow the meat to sit out for 10 minutes. 

Bring the oil in a large skillet to medium-high heat.  When the oil begins to shimmer, add the meat.  Being careful to not overcrowd the pan, cook the meat on both sides until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes per side.  Remove the meat and set on wire rack over a baking sheet and put in oven to keep warm.  

Make the gravy.  Whisk 3 tbsp of the flour left from dredging into the skillet.  Deglaze with chicken broth.  Whisk until the juices come to a boil and start to thicken.  Whisk in the milk and thyme.  Continue to cook and stir until the gravy coats the back of a spoon, about 5 to 10 minutes.  Season with the salt and pepper. 

Remove the steaks from the oven.  Pour the gravy over all. 

Serve and enjoy!