Chicken Fried Steak//Pepper Gravy//Warm Sweet Potato & Wilted Arugula Salad

I absolutely love chicken fried steak. The name is ridiculous and it sits like a lead sinker in your stomach, but the combo of rich gravy with the crispy batter makes this classic irresistible. I paired the steak with a little bit of a lighter accompaniment. The salad has enough weight to feel like a real southern dinner, but not so heavy that it stays with you all day.

I'm not sure who thought it was a good idea to deep fry tough steaks, but thank God you did.

Ingredients:

• 2 Cubed Steaks, about 1/4 of an inch thick
• 2 cups flour, seasoned with salt, pepper and paprika, plus 2 tablespoons plain flour for roux
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups oil for frying
• 2 sweat potatoes, large dice
• half an onion finely diced
• 2 tablespoons cream
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/3 a stick of butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups fresh arugula

For the Salad

1.  Cut the potatoes into a large dice, keep the skins on.  Preheat oven to 400
2. Finely dice half an onion. 
3. Spread evenly on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil and add salt, pepper and paprika
4. Bake at 400 for about 40 minutes or until soft/starting to brown
5. In a small tupperware container add 2 tablespoons cream, 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper. Add lid and shake. Boom. Dressing. 
6. Once potatoes are cooked, scrape into a large bowl and while still hot add the arugula and mix well until arugula starts to wilt
7. Add dressing, mix and set aside

For the Steaks

1. In a large frying pan heat up 3 cups of oil to 350. 
2. Set up a dredging station. 
3. From left to right, set up one plate with 1 cup flour, another large dish with 4 eggs that have been beaten, and one more plate closest to the hot oil with more flour. 
4. Season the steaks with salt and pepper as you see fit. 
5. Go from left to right, first making sure there is an even coat of flour on the steaks, then dip in the egg and finally coat heavily in the seasoned flour. Shake off any excess and gently drop into the oil. Place them away from you so if any oil splashes you won't burn the living shit out of your hand. 
6. Fry that side for about 6-8 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Repeat on the other side and then do the same with the other steak. 
7. Place on a paper towel after it's cooked to drain all oil. 

For the pepper Gravy: 

1. Melt 1/3 of a stick of butter over medium heat in a medium sauce pan. If you have any leftover bacon grease use some of that as well. Makes the gravy even better. 
2. Add 2 tablespoons of flour, and cook the roux until it starts to become just a little browned.
3. Add milk in small 1/4 cup measurements until the gravy starts to thicken up.
4. Once you achieve desired thickness add 1/2 tablespoon black pepper. You can add more if you like 
5. Season with salt and a dash of garlic powder and paprika. 
6. Finish with a dash of cream. 
7. Place gravy over the steaks. 

Burger: Smoked Cheddar//Jalapeño Beer BBQ Sauce//Caramelized Onion//Fried Jalapeño//Chipotle Slaw//Bacon

The made-from-scratch BBQ sauce really ties this whole burger together. I love the standard Kraft Single, frozen patty, and grocery store bun as much as the next guy, but why not try and blow their socks off with this sweet and spicy burger. It's almost the 4th of July after all.

For Sauce: 

• 1 Cup Lager
• 3 Jalapeños, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon honey mustard
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• Salt/pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder

For Everything Else

• Hamburger Buns
• 1 lb groundbeef
• 1/2 red onion cut into ribbons
• 4 Slices smoked Cheddar Cheese
• 4 slices bacon
• Salt/pepper
• 1/2 bag cole slaw mix
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• 1 tbsp chipotle sauce (or 3 whole pureed canned chipotle peppers)
• 1 Head of lettuce
• 2 jalapenos, sliced into rings

For the Sauce: 

1. Finely dice 3 of the jalapeños
2. Heat up a small sauce pan to medium heat, add diced jalapenos and sweat. 
3. Once the Jalapeños have devloped some color add the beer, and reduce for about 3 minutes. 
4. Add ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, honey mustard, soy sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
5. Reduce until the sauce thickens and can easily coat a spoon, aprox. 12 minutes. 

For the burger: 

1. Slice half a red onion into shreds and cut the 2 jalapenos into rings, discarding the stem. 
2. In a small frying pan, add 1 teaspoon oil, and apply low heat. Add onions and slowly cook for 20-30 minutes until brown and caramelized.Remove from pan and set aside
3. In the same pan, fry 3 slices of bacon over medium heat. Once cooked, remove the bacon and add the jalapeno rings and fry until they just start to brown. 
4. Drain Oil and set aside. 
5. In a medium bowl, mix cole slaw mix, chipotle sauce (or peppers) and sour cream. Set aside. 
6. Clean oil out of frying pan, and add a pad of butter, heat to medium. Add buns and toast until golden brown. 
7. Form 2 patties from the ground beef approx. 4 inches in diameter, and 1/2 an inch thick. 
8. Season with salt and pepper, and either grill or fry until medium. Add cheese once the burgers are almost finished, approx. 10 minutes. 
9. Allow the burger to rest for 5 minutes. 

To Stack

1. Lay the burger down on the bottom half of the toasted bun,
2. Place the bacon, fried Jalapeños and caramelized onions. 
3. Drizzle with homemade BBQ sauce
4. Add piece of lettuce, and spread slaw ontop of lettuce. 
5. Top burger with the other half of the bun, and eat that burger up.