Recipe: West Pawnee Ranch Chicken-Fried Steak with Smothered Green Beans

West Pawnee Ranch Chicken-Fried Steak with Smothered Green Beans

The West Pawnee Ranch is located in northeastern Colorado, just south of the Wyoming border. This family-run working ranch offers guests the opportunity to try their hands at ranch chores such as moving cattle, branding, and calving. Roping lessons may also be arranged. The ranch is surrounded by the Pawnee National Grasslands, one of the best bird-watching locations in the United States.

Owners Paul and Luanne Timm serve old-fashioned country food. Chicken-fried steak with cream gravy, mashed potatoes, and smothered green beans are West Pawnee Ranch favorites.

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Salt and ground black pepper
4 to 6 tenderized steaks
1 large egg, lightly beaten with 2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup Bisquick or other buttermilk baking mix
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Trail Drive and Bunkhouse Milk Gravy

Smothered Green Beans

1 pound fresh or frozen green beans
4 strips bacon
1/2 cup chopped onion
Salt and ground black pepper

Combine the flour with salt and pepper to taste. Dredge the steaks in the seasoned flour, dip in the egg mixture and coat with the Bisquick.

Heat the oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the steaks over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the steaks to a serving platter and keep warm.

Use the drippings in the pan to make the milk gravy. Serve the steaks with the gravy.

Clean and snap the ends off the beans.

In a large, deep skillet, fry the bacon until it begins to crisp. Remove the bacon, chop, and reserve. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings. Add the onion to the pan and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, until translucent. Add the reserved bacon, 1/4 cup of water, and the beans to the pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and steam the beans 6 to 8 minutes, stirring once or twice, until tender-crisp.

Trail Drive and Bunkhouse Milk Gravy

2 tablespoons meat drippings, bacon drippings or lard
3 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
salt and ground black pepper

In a large skillet, heat the drippings over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the flour turns golden. Cook, stirring, until the gravy is smooth and thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper and served over biscuits.

Recipe from:
Spririt of the West: Cooking from Ranch House and Range
By Beverly Cox and Martin Jacobs
Artisan, 1996
$35.00/224 pages/125 recipes/35 full-color photographs
ISBN: 1-885183-21-6
Recipe reprinted by permission.