WHAT IS CHICKEN FRIED DEER STEAK?
Is it chicken? Is it steak? What the heck is it?!
If you’re not from Texas, this may sound strange to you. Chicken Fried Deer Steak is actually venison steak that has been battered and fried similarly to fried chicken – hence the name!
INGREDIENTS IN CHICKEN FRIED VENISON STEAK
This recipe uses basic ingredients you could already have on hand or else can easily find at any grocery store.
- Venison Steaks – cut from the deer’s backstrap or hindquarters and tenderized to one-quarter inch thickness.
- Buttermilk – used to marinate the deer steaks and also used in the batter for a thicker breading.
- Flour – use all-purpose flour for the batter.
- Seasonings – seasoned salt, black pepper, paprika, salt, and cayenne pepper (optional).
- Oil – use canola or vegetable oil with one tablespoon of olive oil (added for flavor) to fry the steaks in.
- Butter – adds a golden-brown color to the breading.
- Gravy (optional) – save your pan drippings to make my peppery Country Cream Gravy to pour over your delicious deer steaks.
Start by using a tenderizing meat mallet to pound the deer steaks to one-quarter inch thickness.
- Marinate your venison in buttermilk overnight or for at least 2 hours.
- Mix flour and seasonings together in a bowl or small pan. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of buttermilk into the flour mixture while stirring, until tiny clumps start to form.
- Remove the steaks from the buttermilk one by one, allowing excess buttermilk to drip off. Coat both sides of the steaks in the seasoned flour.
- Place battered steaks on a large baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes. (This helps the batter stick to the steaks better while frying.)
- Add cooking oil and butter (for browning the meat) to a deep cast-iron skillet or frying pan. Heat to 325°F.
- Fry 2 to 3 steaks at a time for 2-3 minutes on the first side, until blood starts to surface.
- Flip over and cook for 1-2 minutes, until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Save your pan drippings to make my Country Cream Gravy to drizzle over the delicious chicken fried deer steaks. Serve and enjoy!
Enjoy!
