Mama’s Country-fried Venison Steak
For years, I assumed that since my grandfather was a country boy who had grown up on the river, he had hunted his entire life. But he only started hunting deer as an adult. Actually, he killed his first deer while fishing. A deer started swimming toward the boat. Dede had a fishing pole, but no gun. The story goes that he reached out with his mammoth hands, grabbed the deer’s rack of antlers, and held the large buck’s head under water until he quit fighting. Dede then towed the deer back to shore, old man and the sea, Southern style. The quality of venison depends on the age of the animal, its diet, and the time of the year the animal was hunted. The meat is very lean, yet the flavor is more assertive than beef. If you are unable to find venison, substitute boneless rib-eye steaks rather than top round, the more common cut for country-fried steak, and too tough. I’ve jazzed Mama’s recipe up a little bit with mustard and panko.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
To prepare the venison, season both sides of the meat with salt and pepper, then brush both sides with mustard to coat. Combine the breadcrumbs and flour in a shallow plate. Season with salt and pepper. Place the egg whites in a separate shallow bowl or pie plate and whisk lightly. Dip the meat first into the egg whites, allowing the excess to drip off. Then dip into the breadcrumb mixture, patting on both sides to coat.
Step 2
Line a plate with paper towels. To cook the venison, in a large, heavy-duty skillet, preferably cast iron, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat to the skillet without crowding, in batches, if necessary, and cook on both sides until dark brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side; transfer to the prepared plate once cooked. Serve immediately.
