Jalapeño Chicken Fried Steak
Anthony Brefo, the kitchen manager of the Fulshear, Texas, location of Molina’s Cantina, outside of Houston, developed this dish in response to customers who asked for chicken fried steak, even though it’s a Tex-Mex restaurant.
He starts with a roux made with flour and a mixture of butter and rendered fat from pork butt that he uses to make carnitas. Then he adds whole milk, let’s that reduce and then adds heavy cream. He said the pork fat gives the gravy a deeper flavor and the cream makes it richer and gives it a silkier texture. He finishes it with grilled and diced jalapeño peppers
He seasons tenderized beef top round with paprika, cumin, garlic, black pepper, and salt, dredges it in similarly seasoned flour, egg and flour again and then he deep fries it in vegetable oil.
It’s served with the restaurant’s charro beans.
Price: $16.95