Dolly Parton’s Country Fried Steak

Makes 6 servings

1 1/2 pounds round steak, trimmed of fat and cut into 6 equal portions

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons bacon drippings or beef tallow

2 cups milk

Directions:

1. Pound the steaks with a rolling pin to tenderize them.

2. Combine 1/2 cup of the flour and the salt and pepper in a shallow bowl.

3. Dredge each steak in the flour mixture, coating well on both sides.

4. Heat the bacon drippings in a large, heavy-lidded skillet until hot but not smoking.

5. Brown the steaks on both sides, reduce the heat, cover and fry the steaks until cooked to desired doneness, 15 to 20 minutes.

6. Transfer the steaks onto clean paper bags or paper towels to drain.

7. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the pan drippings and keep all of the browned bits.

8. Heat the drippings over medium-low heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons flour and stir to prevent lumps as it browns.

9. Gradually add the milk while stirring and cook until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.

10. Season to taste and ladle over the steaks.

My recent social media feeds have suddenly inundated me with videos, testimonials and advertisements for a sure-fire way to reverse the aging process for skin and reducing wrinkles, especially targeted for the facial landscape.

I’m age 54, so I must be a key demographic for anti-aging?

Or is my web browser confused by my recent research about an infamous trending ingredient?

It could be the same answer to both questions because my ingredient info hunt is about beef tallow, which also happens to be today’s new “wonder remedy” to prevent aging skin.

What once was old is new again in every way, be it cooking or skincare.

Last weekend I attended a St. Patrick’s Day party at the Valparaiso home of David and Mary Beth (Schultz) Kominiak, the latter forever known in my columns and cookbooks as the much beloved 2006 finalist in the 42nd Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off held in Orlando. Mary Beth turned me on to the latest hot ingredient for adding flavor to cooking and recipes.

Mary Beth led me to her kitchen and displayed a small tub in her hand. It was clearly labeled “Beef Tallow” and had a small illustration of a cow’s head.

Ironically, the container could be compared to the same size of a jar of “cold cream,” those glass receptacles found on the vanity dressing tables of yesteryear as part of the nightly skincare regimen for those ladies forever in search of the fountain of youth.

“Whether frying up hamburgers or added to a skillet for pan-fried potatoes and onions, you’ll be amazed what a difference a dollop of tallow makes in a hot frying pan compared to oils, butter or margarine,” Mary Beth explained to me.

A recently published story by Mayo Clinic in a June 2024 newsletter gave this build-up: “Once a staple in your grandparent’s or great-grandparent’s savory roasts, buttery-flaky pastries and greasing pans, beef tallow is making an unexpected return to households and marketed as a wellness superstar.”

This story goes on to explain: “Tallow is a whiteish substance that is solid at room temperature. It’s made by removing, simmering and clarifying the fatty tissue that surrounds the organs of ruminant animals. Ruminant animals chew their cud and include cows, buffaloes, sheep, goats and deer. Beef tallow is commonly made from cows and is sometimes called ‘beef drippings.’ Beef tallow is typically used for cooking at high temperatures such as deep frying and roasting. Tallow also has many nonfood uses and can be an ingredient in candles, soaps and topical skincare and is often used to season cast-iron pans.”

Tallow should not be confused with “lard,” which comes from pigs, has a softer texture with a milder flavor and is often preferred for preparing baked goods.

The article from Mayo Clinic continues with healthy attributes connected with tallow, explaining: “While saturated fats have been demonized in the past, eating certain kinds or small amounts might not be as harmful as previously thought.

In tallow, some of the saturated fat is a specific type known as stearic acid. Stearic acid appears to not raise cholesterol in the same way as other saturated fats.

Tallow also contains monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are considered healthier. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is one polyunsaturated omega-6 fat found in animal fats and linked to potential health benefits such as preventing plaque buildup in the arteries (atherosclerosis). However, more research is needed about the effects of conjugated linoleic acid.

In addition to fat, beef tallow contains fat-soluble vitamins that are vital for various bodily functions, including immune support, bone health, cellular function and skin health. Animal varieties that are 100% grass fed will provide a more expensive nutrient profile.”

And yes, the research from the Mayo Clinic even mentions the skincare benefits: “Since the composition of beef tallow is similar to natural oils produced by skin, it can be used as a moisturizer and is gentle on sensitive skin. CLA has anti-inflammatory benefits that help lock in moisture and reduce oxidation, which, along with the fat-soluble vitamins in beef tallow, may improve skin’s elasticity and overall healthy appearance when applied topically.”

Ever-youthful singing icon Dolly Parton, 79, has been using recipes passed along by her family for decades using both tallow and lard.

Parton lost her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, who died March 3 at age 82.

I’ve met and interviewed Dolly a few times, the first being in 1993 when I was first beginning my reporting career and covered the eighth annual season-opening weekend of her Dollywood amusement park in April 1993 in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

I returned to Dollywood again in 2009 with my mom Peggy at my side for another one-on-one interview with Dolly, and we exchanged copies of our recently published cookbooks.

On March 14, Dolly made her first public appearance since her husband’s passing to open the 40th season of Dollywood, and she seems to have just as much energy and smiling genuine country charm as always from the media coverage and photos.

In her 2006 published cookbook “Dolly’s Dixie Fixin’s,” she dedicated the book to her mom Avie Lee Owens Parton and her mother-in-law Virginia Bates Dean, as well as to her grandmothers, aunts and sisters, “who provided food not only for the table but for the soul.”

Anyone who knows me knows, like Dolly, I love any recipe for a simple old-fashioned pan-fried country-fried steak. Dolly’s recipe, fried up in tallow, is beyond compare, especially drenched in her white pan country gravy.

“During the time that I performed with Porter Wagoner, we spent a lot of time on the road and ate at some pretty crazy places,” Dolly writes in the narrative accompanying this recipe in her cookbook.

“One of my fondest memories is of Aunt Fannie’s Cabin, which used to be in a suburb north of Atlanta. Their specialty was steak and chicken. I always ordered the Country Fried Steak and still love to make it at home today.”

Philip Potempa has published four cookbooks and is a radio host on WJOB-AM 1230 He can be reached at PhilPotempa@gmail.com or mail your questions: From the Farm, PO Box 68, San Pierre, Ind. 46374.