# smothered steak and.... do you insist on the rice? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 1, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766 "2013-03-01T21:50:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766/1 "2013-03-01T21:50:10Z")
[![](http://s3-media4.ak.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/hSjjBY2MhLXZCCgI7h2mig/l.jpg) ](http://s3-media4.ak.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/hSjjBY2MhLXZCCgI7h2mig/l.jpg) Thats what we’re talking about. 😛 Sometimes called country steak and gravy or smothered steak. I want mine over rice. I won’t bother ordering it at a restaurant without rice. Rice is so popular in Louisiana and East Texas. It’s part of the region’s heritage. I like soup over rice. Beans and rice. Rice just makes it better. I never eat rice as a side dish. boring. How about you? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766/2 "2013-03-01T22:21:22Z")
I like the gravy on the rice. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766/3 "2013-03-01T22:22:33Z")
That rice looks like nothing but a delivery method for gravy, so I’d go no rice. Nowadays, I don’t eat rice unless it’s really good rice, which is a rare and wondrous thing in a restaurant. So I’d go with no rice, and maybe hope they had some kinda veggy thing I could use as a gravy mop. Barring that, it’s gravy eaten by spoon! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766/4 "2013-03-01T22:25:39Z")
If it comes with rice I’ll eat it that way, but I won’t make it that way myself. Now if you served it over egg noodles… ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766/5 "2013-03-01T22:28:18Z")
I like rice enough that I would happily eat it without the gravy. Also, that’s a rather pallid gravy in that picture. It’s not the library paste most Texans seem to call “gravy”, but it needs help. I’m originally from Louisiana, and I’m a roux snob. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766/6 "2013-03-01T23:33:52Z")
We have plates that look like that pattern. Try jasmine rice made with garlic and chicken or beef broth. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766/7 "2013-03-01T23:35:28Z")
I would eat that dish over mashed potatoes, but then I grew up in Idaho. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766/8 "2013-03-01T23:46:44Z")
I voted _Don’t like food over rice_, but the truth is I just don’t eat rice. I like rice and I used to love stuff over rice, but now I’ve pretty much given up grains, so no rice for me. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766/9 "2013-03-01T23:48:13Z")
I am from the Louisiana/Texas border region and I didn’t visualize what “smothered steak” was. I clicked on the picture realized you meant chicken fried steak (or maybe not, it could be a little different but chicken fried steak is what you want if you are going that route). Rice is good with that. I don’t think I would order it these days but it is pretty tasty. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766/10 "2013-03-01T23:51:54Z")
I voted yes, but it’s rice, noodles, or potatoes for me. Needs a starch of some sort. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766/11 "2013-03-02T00:48:15Z")
If it was on the menu, I’d go instead with the chicken fried steak, and a big pile of mashed potatos. With a white gravy that’s just slightly more liquid than spackle. Yeah, I’m in Texas. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766/12 "2013-03-02T00:48:36Z")
I love rice! I especially like to use it in a lot of my casseroles. My favorite is chicken curry and broccoli cheesy rice. Yummers. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766/13 "2013-03-02T01:16:44Z")
Chicken fried steak needs mashed taters. Where does this rice idea come from? ---
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766/14 "2013-03-02T01:18:50Z")
I grew up eating gravy (of any sort) over rice. I was amazed the first time I saw anyone put gravy on mashed potatoes–don’t you just put butter on those?! We never put gravy on noodles either, though…gravy was for rice or occasionally bread. So I’m glad to see it wasn’t just a weird family thing. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766/15 "2013-03-02T01:24:39Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > I am from the Louisiana/Texas border region and I didn’t visualize what “smothered steak” was. I clicked on the picture realized you meant chicken fried steak (or maybe not, it could be a little different but chicken fried steak is what you want if you are going that route). Rice is good with that. I don’t think I would order it these days but it is pretty tasty. It looks a lot like something I grew up with (Houston/Galveston area)- basically the steaks (or pork chops!) are pan-fried, and the fond and grease are used along with some gravy flour and stock to make that kind of gravy, which is served over rice. Good stuff! I haven’t had it in years though. Anyway, rice is great stuff; I actually grew up on chili over rice, if that gives anyone an idea of how prevalent rice is in SE Texas and SW Louisana. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766/16 "2013-03-02T02:16:24Z")
I’m okay with or without rice. But I don’t want the gravy to be white. That’s not right. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766/17 "2013-03-02T03:00:08Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Anyway, rice is great stuff; I actually grew up on chili over rice, if that gives anyone an idea of how prevalent rice is in SE Texas and SW Louisana. One would think that would have leaked over to Arkansas, but I never heard of it. I’ll make some rice the next time I cook chilli. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766/18 "2013-03-02T03:06:41Z")
> [@Darth\_Nader](#): > > If it was on the menu, I’d go instead with the chicken fried steak, and a big pile of mashed potatos. With a white gravy that’s just slightly more liquid than spackle. Yeah, I’m in Texas. I like the way you think. I can’t not order it if it’s on the menu. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766/19 "2013-03-02T03:21:29Z")
Smothered steak with brown gravy pretty much demands rice. Maybe it was the way I was brought up. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766/20 "2013-03-02T03:43:11Z")
I don’t like steak unless its thick and red inside. As for rice, I try to avoid it but I only like it with Chinese or plain/salty/buttery. I will smother any type of potato, though. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smothered-steak-and-do-you-insist-on-the-rice/651766.md?page=2)