# Chicken Fried Steak... Batter? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 30, 2008, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-fried-steak-batter/470186 "2008-10-30T01:26:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2008, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-fried-steak-batter/470186/1 "2008-10-30T01:26:07Z")
So, I was watching a YouTube clip about Chicken Friend Bacon. Yeah, I know. But one thing that caught my attention was the fact that they appeared to use a batter they dipped their bacon in. In the past, the few times I have tried to make Chicken Fried Steak I’ve just dredged the cubesteak in flour and fried. The idea of batter however, intrigues me. So, what I’m asking… Do you doper cooks use a batter for frying, and if so, what’s your recipe? ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2008, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-fried-steak-batter/470186/2 "2008-10-30T02:04:30Z")
In my experience, chicken fried steak is battered. Country fried steak is dredged. ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2008, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-fried-steak-batter/470186/3 "2008-10-30T16:11:01Z")
Well that would make sense, and explain why my CFS never comes out quite like I hope. Anyone else? ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2008, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-fried-steak-batter/470186/4 "2008-10-30T16:17:07Z")
I don’t make a batter for CFS. I dredge it in flour, then dip it in a mixture of egg and oil, and then coat it with cracker crumbs. I’ve tried CFS with a batter but I didn’t like how it turned out, and the batter got brown before the meat was done. Also, it seemed like there was a lot of fat (grease) between the batter and the meat. That doesn’t happen with the other coating method. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2008, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-fried-steak-batter/470186/5 "2008-10-30T16:25:28Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > I don’t make a batter for CFS. I dredge it in flour, then dip it in a mixture of egg and oil, and then coat it with cracker crumbs. Never done CFS, but that sounds almost quite like the method my mom taught me for breaded chicken breasts… little sprinkle of salt and pepper in the flour, dash of milk in with the beaten egg instead of oil. DELICIOUS. I need to make them again soon! ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2008, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-fried-steak-batter/470186/6 "2008-10-30T16:25:42Z")
> [@Tristan](#): > > So, I was watching a YouTube clip about Chicken Friend Bacon. > > … Bacon is always your friend. Is the bacon raw or cooked already? Because it seems like either batter or dredging would all cook off as the bacon cooks and produces fat but I would guess the batter would hold better. But that begs the question if you get a mouthful of hot fat when you bite into it. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-fried-steak-batter/470186/7 "2008-10-30T16:26:08Z")
[Here’s](http://southernfood.about.com/od/recipes_southern/a/chickfrysteak.htm) a site that has several recipes. They use the terms interchangeably. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-fried-steak-batter/470186/8 "2008-10-30T16:26:19Z")
Alton uses a flour-egg-flour technique. > **[Chicken Fried Steak](https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chicken-fried-steak-recipe-1917219)** > > Get Chicken Fried Steak Recipe from Food Network ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2008, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-fried-steak-batter/470186/9 "2008-10-30T17:20:58Z")
Ok - Southern Fried cook here. Chicken Fried Steak is made like fried chicken, hence the name. My mama taught me to use round steak and beat the hell out of it with the edge of a plate. I use cube steak now. 😉 Salt and pepper your steak pieces. Dredge in flour, and shake off excess. Dip in egg beaten with a bit of milk. Back in the flour, pressing hard to get it coated well. Fry in about 1/4 inch veg oil at around 325°-350°. Turn with tongs when golden. Drain on paper towels.