Independence and chicken-fried steak

"Only a rank degenerate would drive 1,500 miles across Texas without eating a chicken-fried steak." —Larry McMurtry

It's been said there are three food groups in Texas: Tex-Mex, barbecue and chicken-fried steak. And as chicken-fried steak is also known as the (unofficial) state dish of Texas, I can't think of anything more appropriate to serve on March 2, Texas Independence Day. (In case you're wondering, this day marks our freedom from Mexico in 1836, which was the beginning of Texas' nine-year stint as a sovereign nation before it became part of the United States of America.)

While many foods hold sway over my heart, none (except for my beloved refried beans) reigns supreme more than chicken-fried steak, which is neither chicken nor steak (at least in the dry-aged, marbled-slab of prime beef sense of the word). This Texan delicacy is a cutlet of tenderized top-round beef, battered and fried in a skillet (much like fried chicken, hence the name), and served with cream gravy. In other parts of the country, you may see it labeled country fried steak, but a Texan would never call it that—it's always chicken fried to us. While the first time the term appeared in print is said to have been in the early 1950's, I have it on good authority that people were eating it long before then.
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