Mex-Tex Chicken Fried Steak with a Green Chili Country Gravy
Off we went, driving straight into the unknown and I immediately felt relief. Some of us function in an organized world and the rest of us can’t handle life unless a little chaos is mixed in. I not only function in chaos, but it also calms me. We started to backtrack and head toward the border. If we had to quarantine, why not make it an adventure? The plan was to just head to the next airport and avoid contact with anyone. Fueled by adventure and Adderall we were on our way.
The first lesson when you drive through Mexico, take the toll roads. They are incredibly safe. little traffic and wonderfully maintained. In the second lesson, get ready with that camera. We had no idea how beautiful this drive was going to be. As you drive you enter lush forests that open into rolling mountains.
My girls and I have been on three-month-long road trips and this one stands out. Our first stop was Los de Marcos. A tiny beach village that has all that someone who wants the beach without the tourist traps could desire. We just did a drive around and we knew this was going to be marked down under the category “ Visit here before the others find out”. Next stop Mazatlan. At this point, our home tests were negative so we were desperate for a real bed. Last minute booking landed us in a unique situation. Exhausted and road weary we parked and headed toward the door. Outside sitting on the curb was Lorraine puffing away. As we introduced ourselves she immediately decided that not only could we be trusted with entry we could hear all the juicy Canadian snowbird gossip. Apparently, Phil is always planning potluck nights just so he can put up sign-up sheets and wield his power, Irene is a “ you know what” and complains if she smells any smoke even though she barely leaves her room and plays her T.V. way too loud and avoid Jim and Nancy they don’t have proof but everybody knows they are swingers. All of this while she walked us down the halls of this historic building. My ears wanted to listen but my eyes were enraptured with all the beauty of this building. It felt like we were in a museum of Mexican architecture and design.
We bid Lorraine goodbye and headed to our room. As we left the next morning it felt as if we had broken into a retirement home, all eyes were on us. While Mazatlan seems to be mainly occupied by locals and seniors that spend their days sipping coffee and complaining it is still really beautiful and worth a stop.
Mex Tex Chicken Fried Steak with Roasted Green Chili Country Gravy
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Cube Steak( cut into 6-8 pieces)
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Cumin
- 1/2 tsp Mexican Oregano
- 2 tsp Chipotle Chili Powder
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Paprika
- 1 1/4 cup Flour
- 38 Saltine Crackers, finely crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1/3 cup Whole Milk
- 2 Large Eggs, lightly beaten
- Vegetable Oil
- 2 tbsp lard or bacon drippings
- 1/4 cup Onion, finely diced
- 2 tbsp Flour
- 2 cups Whole Milk
- 2 large Green Chilis ( such as hatch, poblano or Anaheim) or sub a 4 oz can of diced green chilis.
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare cube steak, If it is too thick gently pound between parchment or plastic wrap it out to your desired thickness. ( I prefer thinner but others don't) Lightly season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Combine seasonings in a small bowl. Lay out three shallow pans for breading. In two put crushed saltines, flour, baking powder, and salt, and split evenly. Combine seasonings in a small bowl and split between the cracker mixtures. Combine. In the third pan combine eggs and milk.
- Place a wire rack on top of a cookie sheet. Lay out your breading station. In this order: cube steaks, cracker mixture, egg mixture, cracker mixture.
- One at a time place cube steaks in the first cracker mixture and coat, move to egg mixture and coat, last proceed to the last cracker mixture and fully coat the steak. Place on wire rack. Let the steaks sit on the rack for 5-10 minutes to allow the mixture to bind.
- In a large heavy-bottomed skillet add vegetable oil until it's halfway up the pan. Over medium-high heat get oil to 300 degrees( almost smoking). Place your first batch of cube steaks in the oil( Make sure to not crowd the pan). Fry until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes a side. Once done place on another wire rack on top of a cookie sheet and place in a warm oven while you cook the rest.
- When done keep warm while you make the gravy.
- Over an open flame char all sides of the peppers. Place the peppers in a paper bag and seal. Leave the peppers in until they cool. Once cool peel and seed. Finely dice and set aside.
- Place lard in a medium saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat. Heat until almost smoking. Add onion and saute until soft and slightly golden.
- Whisk flour into the onion mixture. Cook for two minutes, whisking constantly. Slowly whisk in milk. Whisking constantly while bringing the mixture to a boil. Reduce the temperature and bring it to a simmer. Simmer while whisking until gravy thickens. Add green chilis, salt, and pepper.
