I went bird hunting in Montana last October with a buddy from Kansas. We shot some sharptail grouse, pheasants and ducks.
I've never shot or eaten sharptail grouse before this trip. Neat bird. My buddy highly recommended doing chicken fried steak with the breast meat so that's what I did.
First, mix up the buttermilk, 2 eggs, and 10 drops of Tomorrow Sauce (made by my friend in Maryland with peppers from his garden). It really not that bad.....<wink, wink> Think Tabasco X20....
Next, pound out the sharptail breasts with a meat mallet to about 1/4" thick. I like to use a large piece of saran wrap to make it easy and contain the splatter. Put the meat in the buttermilk wash and then in the frig. Let soak for about 4 hours.
Now it's time to start prepping for the Tasso Home Fries.
Cube the tasso and dice the onion.
Slice the potatoes 1/4" thick in either rounds or half rounds. par boil the potatoes in boiling salted water 3 minutes, then drain.
In a #8 cast iron pot, Fry down the onion in a little bacon grease for 10 min. or so, then add the tasso. Fry another 5 minutes, then add the potatoes. Stir together then let fry. Flip the potatoes after 3 minutes, Do not stir. Should look somehting like this when done.
When ready to start cooking the steaks, start mixing up the flour:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup corn starch
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Then pull a steak out of the buttermilk with a fork and shake excess off. Coat in flour and set on a baking sheet. Be sure to sprinkle flour on the surface to prevent sticking. After all are done, repeat once again, in buttermilk, and back in flour mix.
Heat up 1/2 cup of oil in a cast iron skillet. Let the cutlets sit for about 5 minutes in the sheet pan then you are ready to start frying.
Fry the steaks 3 minutes per side @ 325*; 2 at a time...do not overcrowd the pan.
When done, make the gravy. Drain all but 1/4 cup of the oil out of the pan into a stainless steel bowl. Add about 2 TBSPS. flour to the pan and stir 2~3 minutes to make the roux. Slowly add the milk and stir in. Bring to a slow simmer. Season with salt and cracked Black pepper to taste.
And there you have it.....
A hearty meal on a cold night. Just remember..that Tomorrow Sauce ain't too bad......LOL!!!
I've never shot or eaten sharptail grouse before this trip. Neat bird. My buddy highly recommended doing chicken fried steak with the breast meat so that's what I did.
First, mix up the buttermilk, 2 eggs, and 10 drops of Tomorrow Sauce (made by my friend in Maryland with peppers from his garden). It really not that bad.....<wink, wink> Think Tabasco X20....
Next, pound out the sharptail breasts with a meat mallet to about 1/4" thick. I like to use a large piece of saran wrap to make it easy and contain the splatter. Put the meat in the buttermilk wash and then in the frig. Let soak for about 4 hours.
Now it's time to start prepping for the Tasso Home Fries.
Cube the tasso and dice the onion.
Slice the potatoes 1/4" thick in either rounds or half rounds. par boil the potatoes in boiling salted water 3 minutes, then drain.
In a #8 cast iron pot, Fry down the onion in a little bacon grease for 10 min. or so, then add the tasso. Fry another 5 minutes, then add the potatoes. Stir together then let fry. Flip the potatoes after 3 minutes, Do not stir. Should look somehting like this when done.
When ready to start cooking the steaks, start mixing up the flour:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup corn starch
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Then pull a steak out of the buttermilk with a fork and shake excess off. Coat in flour and set on a baking sheet. Be sure to sprinkle flour on the surface to prevent sticking. After all are done, repeat once again, in buttermilk, and back in flour mix.
Heat up 1/2 cup of oil in a cast iron skillet. Let the cutlets sit for about 5 minutes in the sheet pan then you are ready to start frying.
Fry the steaks 3 minutes per side @ 325*; 2 at a time...do not overcrowd the pan.
When done, make the gravy. Drain all but 1/4 cup of the oil out of the pan into a stainless steel bowl. Add about 2 TBSPS. flour to the pan and stir 2~3 minutes to make the roux. Slowly add the milk and stir in. Bring to a slow simmer. Season with salt and cracked Black pepper to taste.
And there you have it.....
A hearty meal on a cold night. Just remember..that Tomorrow Sauce ain't too bad......LOL!!!
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