EAST TEXAS: CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

by Dave Bolger
Sat, Aug 11, 2007

East Texas is almost as much a state of mind as it is a geographic region. Covering sort of the upper right hand corner of the state and bordered by Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, the people, the culture, the accents and the food basically represent the westernmost extension of the South. Think black-eyed peas, grits, corn bread, chicken and dumplings, watermelon. Think "soul food." Think Chicken Fried Steak.

But how did a veal dish likely brought to Texas in the mid-1800’s by the German and Austrian immigrants who mostly settled in Central Texas become the signature "Southern" dish of East Texas?

Two words: "Divine intervention!"

The Teutons breaded and deep friend veal cutlets, and they even put cream sauce on ‘em. But Texas was beef country and back in those days the country folks had to make do with tougher cuts of meat - just the kind that needed to be pounded out, coated in flour, fried like chicken, and covered with cream gravy. So, being ever adaptable, Texans made do with what they had and how they knew to cook it. As people moved around, so did the food. And there is no better representation of this wonderful dish than right here at the TEXAZ Grill! Lucky for us, ain’t it? Yum, yum, yum.