SPRING HILL RANCH'S NEW MEXICO STYLE FRIED STEAK

Steps:

• 1. To make the chicken fried steak: Cut the steak into 4 evenly sized pieces. Pound each piece with a meat tenderizer to about a 1/4-inch thickness and almost doubled in surface area. Lightly season the steaks with salt and pepper.
• 2. In a pie pan or other shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, and chipotle powder. In another similar bowl wide enough to accommodate the steaks, beat the egg and milk. Coat both sides of one piece of steak with the flour mixture. Tap off any excess and dip it into the egg mixture. Dredge it again in the flour mixture, and place it on a rack or large plate. Repeat with the remaining steaks. Reserve 1/4 cup of the flour mixture to use in the gravy. Preheat the oven to 200°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• 3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm 1/2 inch of oil to 300°F. Working in batches of 2 steaks, gently place the steaks in the skillet in a single layer. There will be a lot of popping and hissing, so be careful. After 2 to 3 minutes, or when juices start bubbling out of the top of the steak, use tongs to gently flip the steaks and continue to cook them until they are lightly browned, about 3 more minutes. Transfer the steaks to the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining steaks.
• 4. To make the chile gravy, reserve 1/4 cup of oil from the skillet, then drain the rest and wipe out the skillet with a paper towel. (If your oil is too burnt tasting, you can use fresh oil, lard or bacon grease.) Return the oil to the skillet and warm over medium-low heat. Add the onion and, stirring occasionally, cook until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Add in the flour, whisking until everything is well combined. Cook for a minute or until it is just beginning to brown, then stir in the broth, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and black pepper. While stirring, cook until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the jalapeño pickle juice then taste and adjust seasonings, adding salt if needed.
• 5. Remove the steaks from the oven. Turn on the broiler. Remove the steaks from the oven and top each one with a handful of grated cheese and a few jalapeño slices. Position the steaks about 6 inches from the heating element and broil them just until the cheese is melted. Remove them from the broiler.
• 6. For plating, place a few spoonfuls of your gravy on each plate. Lay the steaks on top of the gravy. Add a side serving of rice and beans. Pour the remaining gravy into a bowl or pitcher to pass around at the table, along with nicely warmed tortillas.