Someone who used to live in Austin told me today that many people in Austin will throw a fit if they order chicken fried steak at a restaurant and it isn't cooked in chicken fat.

Can this possibly be true? Was he pulling my leg?

If they think that chicken fried steak got its name by being fried in chicken fat, I can't think of any reason to ever visit that town.

I use vegetable shortening for both fried chicken and for chicken fried steak.

eric76 said:

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Someone who used to live in Austin told me today that many people in Austin will throw a fit if they order chicken fried steak at a restaurant and it isn't cooked in chicken fat.

Can this possibly be true? Was he pulling my leg?

If they think that chicken fried steak got its name by being fried in chicken fat, I can't think of any reason to ever visit that town.

I use vegetable shortening for both fried chicken and for chicken fried steak.

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He's got to be full of it. Never heard anything like that before.

I did a little reading and it appears that it is common to use chicken fat in cooking some items because it is considered to be kosher. Google Schmaltz.

According to some sites, schmaltz can reportedly also be made with goose fat which is considered to be the best fat to use for some things like cooking potatoes. From what I've read in the past, people in Europe who didn't raise pigs would usually raise geese in order to have goose fat for cooking since they didn't have lard.

It is possible that those he mentioned are Jews. If that is the case, then they also need to make sure that the cook didn't add any milk to the egg wash because you can't eat dairy and meat together and remain true to Jewish dietary laws.

I suspect, though, that it is a bunch of pseudo-intellectual food snobs who take delight on showing waiters and other pseudo-intellectual food snobs how "intellectual" they are.

Your friend is full of it.

they must be throwing a fit a lot. I can't think of one place I've been that cooks in chicken fat, much less a place that cooks their CFS is in it.

eric76 said:

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I did a little reading and it appears that it is common to use chicken fat in cooking some items because it is considered to be kosher. Google Schmaltz.

According to some sites, schmaltz can reportedly also be made with goose fat which is considered to be the best fat to use for some things like cooking potatoes. From what I've read in the past, people in Europe who didn't raise pigs would usually raise geese in order to have goose fat for cooking since they didn't have lard.

It is possible that those he mentioned are Jews. If that is the case, then they also need to make sure that the cook didn't add any milk to the egg wash because you can't eat dairy and meat together and remain true to Jewish dietary laws.

I suspect, though, that it is a bunch of pseudo-intellectual food snobs who take delight on showing waiters and other pseudo-intellectual food snobs how "intellectual" they are.

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Goose fat is an entirely different subject. For those who have never used it - do it! Double roasted potatoes with goose fat are unbelievable. Also, have made a goose gumbo with part goose fat to make the roux. Adds another even deeper level of flavor.

If you ever roast an entire goose drain the fat and keep it - it is very clear and can be frozen for longer storage. You can even buy goose fat in higher end grocery stores.

Now, chicken fat - barf!

Potcake said:

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Your friend sounds like a Forum 16 poster. FOS.

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I told my wife to fry my chicken fried steak in Olive Oil since I am on a Mediterranean diet. Ate two big steaks last night.

I fry mine in Crisco, but, before the steaks go in I'll season the oil with bacon and a few onion slices

Is that an internet recipe?

Chicken fried tofu?

Here's a great dish you can make utilizing chicken fat and drippings and use that broiler pan that came with your oven. Line the bottom of the boiler pan (the part without the preferations) with heavy duty aluminum foil and lightly oil it. Slice a couple potatoes about 3/16" of an inch thick, and a large onion 1/8" or thinner. Mix those together and roughly layer them in the broiler pan. Put about 3-4 Tbs of butter dotted over the potatoes and season with salt and pepper (go a little easy on the salt if you heavily salt the chicken. Keep reading). Spatchcock a chicken in the 4 pound range, and season it liberally with salt and pepper, and add whatever else you like. Place the perforated part of the broiler pan on the potatoes, and put the chicken on top. Put the whole contraption into a 425 degree oven, and cook until the chicken is done. Chances are the chicken will be done before the potatoes are. That is fine. Remove the chicken and the top pan and let the potatoes and onions finish. When the potatoes are done, scoop them onto a platter (some of the potatoes may stick a bit to the foil, those are the good ones), cut up the chicken, and eat. The beauty in this dish is the chicken fat and drippings that coat the potatoes.

Recipe from Never left Texas because everywhere else sucks.com

GAC06 said:

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Chicken fried tofu?

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Axis

Sounds tasty

HTownAg98 said:

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Here's a great dish you can make utilizing chicken fat and drippings and use that broiler pan that came with your oven. Line the bottom of the boiler pan (the part without the preferations) with heavy duty aluminum foil and lightly oil it. Slice a couple potatoes about 3/16" of an inch thick, and a large onion 1/8" or thinner. Mix those together and roughly layer them in the broiler pan. Put about 3-4 Tbs of butter dotted over the potatoes and season with salt and pepper (go a little easy on the salt if you heavily salt the chicken. Keep reading). Spatchcock a chicken in the 4 pound range, and season it liberally with salt and pepper, and add whatever else you like. Place the perforated part of the broiler pan on the potatoes, and put the chicken on top. Put the whole contraption into a 425 degree oven, and cook until the chicken is done. Chances are the chicken will be done before the potatoes are. That is fine. Remove the chicken and the top pan and let the potatoes and onions finish. When the potatoes are done, scoop them onto a platter (some of the potatoes may stick a bit to the foil, those are the good ones), cut up the chicken, and eat. The beauty in this dish is the chicken fat and drippings that coat the potatoes.

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Can't read ever heard of paragraphs?

Snort my taint.

I asked him about it yesterday and he said that he would check again with his friends in Austin. I got the impression that he never personally saw anyone throw a fit over chicken fried steak not cooked in chicken fat.

FIDO*98* said:

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I fry mine in Crisco, but, before the steaks go in I'll season the oil with bacon and a few onion slices

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SO a B that looks good