Saturday, December 3, 2011

Cast iron, it’s all gravy

I know that the large one and the small one were Grandma’s. I think I picked up the medium one at a garage sale somewhere.
All of them have been well seasoned with use and have never really been scoured nor washed with soap.
I’ve steamed asparagus in the largest one by laying a thin layer in about a cup of water. Made an upside-down pineapple cake in the medium one. And the eggs just slide out without sticking in any of the pans.
Cornbread just wouldn’t be cornbread if it were prepared in anything other than a cast-iron pan.
One of my dad’s favorite dishes is chicken fried steak and gravy made in a cast-iron pan. It’s not a heart-healthy choice, so Shari and I only make it for him about once or twice a year.
Start with cubed steak or what was once called “minute steak,” a palm-sized cut of meat that looks like it’s been pounded down to about a quarter-inch thick (the reason it’s called minute steak is because it only takes a few minutes to fry in a hot pan). Season about a cup and a half of flour with salt and freshly ground pepper, maybe add a bit of garlic powder if you like. Lightly coat a piece of steak on both sides with the flour. Shake most of the flour off, leave a little bit on because you want to make crumbs (for eating as well as for seasoning the gravy).
Heat up about two tablespoons of oil (vegetable or bacon grease) in a medium cast iron pan. When the oil is hot, carefully place the meat in the pan, about four pieces at a time. What you’re looking for is a medium to deep brown color on the meat, about three to five minutes per side.
When done, take the meat out of the pan and place on a couple of paper towels. Scrape most of the crumbs out of the pan and put them with the steak on the paper towels.
Reserve about one tablespoon of grease in the pan. With that, we’ll make a roux for gravy.
What follows are inexact measures as I find that making gravy is a personal preference. Some folks like a thick gravy, some thin; some like it made with milk, some with water. My sister Shari adds onions . . . sometimes LOTS of onions . . . that were sautéed in the pan after the steak had been fried.
You’ll have to trust your eye and your own taste buds with this. Just keep in mind that it’s just flour and water and oil/grease and if it doesn’t turn out the way you like, you can always start again.
Heat up the oil/grease in the pan over medium high. Sprinkle in about one-third cup of flour. Have your choice of liquid (water or milk) handy, starting with about one cup. With a metal whisk, stir the flour as it browns in the pan. Once the flour turns a medium brown color, slowly begin pouring in your liquid, a tablespoon or two at a time, whisking as you go so that lumps don’t form. Continue to slowly add liquid until you get the consistency you prefer for your gravy.
Now you have a choice: you can return the fried steak to the pan along with the crumbs or leave it out and serve the gravy on the side. Either way, this is great over rice. Serve it with a simple green salad for a comforting meal.


Read more: http://cajuncastiron.com/gravy.asp

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