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Ok, here is the rest or actually a redo of the Gluten Free post I had typed and lost- Well it's a few days later and I have been frying up a few things, oh I know it's not good for you and it just lands up on my butt, however I am married to that meat and potatoes man who had a grandma who fried up a Chicken Fry you just would die for. At least that is how it sounds when he tells it. In my recipes you will find the one where I did finally reach that long sought after pinnacle of "It tastes just like Grandma's" that is when I knew for sure he would keep me. Then horror of all horrors I had to go Gluten Free. Have you tried to fry with Rice Flour, or Soy Flour or anything OTHER than wheat flour???? Really have you? If so you know of what I speak, if not take my word for it that Gluten Free is a whole new world where the rules you knew and methods you used to cook with are out the window. So now after a couple of years of being Totally Gluten Free I have again in our minds anyway perfected Fried. This is a major thing in our house. Lots of day's I just don't feel up to cooking but when a good one comes along you might very well set down to a home cooked Chicken Fried Steak and Fried Potatoes (I have a lower fat, and faster way to do that too) No cool pics today, at least not of the frying, I mean when I fry I am quick about it and he likes to eat it hot and so no time for pics. Here are a few tricks to frying right, no matter the flour you use. 1. Have everything ready-down to the paper towels on the plate you are going to put the fried meat on. (Helps soak up any extra oil) 2. Have that oil hot, not smoking but darn close, I put my dial on medium high. 3. Use a nice heavy skillet, you want that puppy to hold the heat. 4. I don't salt before I fry, I read somewhere it makes it soak up more oil, don't know if its true, but I certainly have good luck the way I do it. 5. Use the best quality meats you can afford to fry, whether its chicken or tenderized steaks for Chicken Fry, A tough cut of meat is NOT going get any better or tender when you fry it. Tough meats need to be dealt with in other ways. Now here is how I do it for Gluten Free. 1. I use Brown Rice Flour. I started using White Rice Flour because it was easier to find (Asian Market ) and cheaper, but I have come to find it is much grainier and I just like the brown better, it also has more fiber. 2. Instead of the normal milk and egg to dip in, I am strictly using Egg Beaters to dip in, for some reason this works really well with the rice flour. I find it seals very quickly so not so much oil is used. 3. I use Canola Oil but pick your poison, there are any number of good oils out there to use. Method:::: 1. Prepare the meat, cut all the fat off, take that nasty white vein out of the chicken tender - whatever needs to be done to make it nice. 2. Heat your oil in a heavy pan on medium high heat. 3. Lightly dredge your meat in some Brown Rice Flour, rub it in there - This way grandma's trick- she actually beat it into the meat. 4. Now, I usually have the meat in a bowl at this point and I pour about 1/2 container of Egg Beaters in along with a few dashes of Hot Sauce. 5. On a paper plate I have a mixture of Brown Rice Flour, Gluten Free Corn Flakes crushed, and some pepper. If it's Chicken I add some Paprika, it adds color and color is important in food. 6. Roll the wet meat around in this mix till well coated. 7. By now that skillet of oil should be hot so drop them all in very carefully. Do not turn till bottom is cooked and then turn only once. Cook on other side till done and then remove to your paper toweled plate. See why no pics today.... 8. Serve Hot with Fried Potatoes or whatever Potato side you may be having, Mashed,Baked, Potato Salad. you get the idea. Gluten Free does not mean Taste Free- you just have to work a little harder at it, but when you hit a recipe on the head and it tastes as good or maybe even better than your old style it is a great feeling. Deprivation is not the idea on a Gluten Free diet, the idea is to find substitutes, I use a lot of Corn Tortilla's in place of what would be bread or let that hamburger go nekked, it's just not that big of a deal. When you do find something that works well or tastes good to you, splurge, buy it, enjoy it- life is short and you are worth it. I figure that with all the money we save with my not being able to have/buy things like Bread, Little Debbies- oh god how I miss those, and all the other gluten laden items that I now do without or have to make myself it all works out. Yes I know GF items or the substitutes are expensive but there are ways and you will taste the difference. Here is the link to the Brown Rice Flour I order, I also order my Bob's Red Mill Sorguhm here, and I buy Teff Flour at the normal store. For my other items in my Flour Mix- I usually can pick them all up at the Asian Market far cheaper than anywhere else.
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