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Venison Cube Steak

Editor’s Note: There’s not much more traditional and wholesome and comfortable than pan fried cube steak . . . At our house, mom preferred beef, so she’d make a pack of beef cube steak and a pack of venison, and this often left my sister and I fighting over the venison.  It’s that good.  In this recipe, long time friend of the show Chad Rischar takes us on the perfect pan fried venison cube steak

Pan Fried Venison Cube Steak

Beef or chicken cube steak can be supplemented for venison (strong preference for deer cube steak)

Mix together the following ingredients for the cube steak breading
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup corn meal
1 tblsp. smoked paprika
1 tblsp. sweet paprika
1 tblsp. Filé powder
1 tblsp. cumin powder
Cracked pepper and sea salt to taste

Prepare an egg and milk wash for breading (2:1 / milk:egg)
Lightly dredge each steak in milk/egg mixture
Bread cube steak evenly and thoroughly

*Ensure that the cube steak is at or near room temperature prior to breading and pan frying.

Heat a cast iron skillet on medium to high with a small amount of olive or similar high heat acceptable cooking oil. Pure butter is always a solid option.

When the skillet nears the correct temperature, add enough oil to have ¼ inch throughout the pan.

Depending on the thickness of the cube steak, pan fry to medium rare.

Remove from oil and place on paper towels to dry. Keep steaks warm in oven or grill on ~200 F.

Venison Gravy
Oil and drippings from pan frying make a good base for the gravy
Add ½ cup of minced white or Vidalia onion and render until lightly browned.
Add 2 tblsp. of minced garlic, 1 tsp of Filé powder and stir well for a few minutes
Deglaze skillet with 1 cup white wine and a 1 tblsp. of white balsamic vinegar
Stir well to deglaze skillet
Reduce temperature of skillet to medium low
Add ~ 1 cup of half and half cream or whole milk
Stir gravy together to incorporate.
Add flour or cornstarch if the gravy is thin.
Chopped chives, scallions, and/or garlic chives can be added as garnish as well as fresh cracked pepper.

Chad Rischar is the former Chair of the Southeast Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. He currently sits on the board of the Florida Wildlife Corridor and is active in Florida BHA leadership as well as being a father, husband, dog owner, and outdoorsman.

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