Week #25: Montana - Finger Steak & Gravy Pizza

State:  Montana

When I think of Montana, I think of the open range and cattle.  After doing research, I found out that the state is known for a popular dish called Finger Steaks.  Basically, they are chicken tenders but made with cube steak, which is very similar to country fried steak.  Instead of having long strips, I cut into smaller bite size pieces for the pizza.  Montana and everyone else, I hope you enjoy!!

Ingredients Needed:

Meat:

1/2 pounds Tenderized Round Steak or Cube Steak, Cut Into 1-inch Strips

1 cup Flour

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

1/4 tsp Cayenne

3 whole Eggs

1 cup Milk

½ cup of Canola Oil or enough to fry in

1 tbsp of Butter for Frying

Gravy

1 cups Milk (additional)

4-5 tbsp of flour or flour mixture from above

¼ cup of cooked grease

Salt And Pepper, to taste

1 Pizza Crust

Gravy:

Remove all the grease from the pan, but save ¼ cup and add back into the pan.  Add 4-5 tablespoons of flour or use the mixture with the spices.  Whisk the flour into the grease to create a roux and cook on medium heat until it turns a golden brown color.  Whisking constantly, pour in the milk and allow gravy to cook until it thickens.  Whisk regularly to keep gravy smooth and add more milk if gravy becomes to thick.  Remove from heat and add salt/pepper to taste. 

Meat:

First, combine flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a dish.  Whisk together the milk and eggs in a separate dish.  Next, dredge the meat into the flour, dip quickly into the egg mixture and then dredge back into the flour.  Continue until all the meat is breaded.

Heat the canola oil with 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat.   Place the steak pieces into the pan, usually 4 or 5 at a time .  The goal is not to crowd the pan.  Turn the steak midway through to ensure there is a good sear on both sides.  When both sides are a golden brown color, remove the strips from the pan and place onto a paper towel-lined plate.   Continue process until all of the strips are cooked. Remove from heat and set aside.  

Pizza:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cook crust until slightly brown or 5-7 minutes.  Next, add sauce onto crust and add a layer of mozzarella cheese.  Add finger steak pieces and then add additional sauce onto top of finger steaks.  Cook for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.  

Pairing:  

When pairing a beer for this pizza, I attempted to find a Montana beer and had no such luck.  Montana has great brewing companies like Big Sky Brewing, Flathead Lake, and Bozeman.  A good amber or red ale would be great for this pizza.  For wine, go with a soft red like a Chianti or a Cabernet.  

Learning Moments:

I really enjoyed this pizza and it was very simple to make.  Next time I make it, I will use the cube steak as it is tougher to chew real steak on a pizza.  The finger steaks will be much easier to eat that way.  Overall, I enjoyed it and would make it again.  I hope you like it too!