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The other great advantage to inhaling (I mean enjoying) fried goodies is how well they are complemented by so many styles of beer.

So what are we gonna fry? Actually the question is, how are we gonna fry? We are taking advantage of two different frying techniques. First is "shallow, or pan frying," to sum it up, less fat in a heavy shallow pan, go figure. Examples of this kind of frying include country fried steak, chicken or pork, or even cornbread for that matter. Typically the oil for shallow frying is best kept at 325 degrees or so. The food will brown and crisp up slower and will generally cook all the way through.

Deep fat frying is a very common practice as well. I prefer to cook with gas powered deep fat fryers, such as a "turkey fryer" which is essentially a heavy pot sat on a burner which is attached to a propane tank. A commercial deep fat fryer is optimally the best, but quite impractical for home use. For smaller frying jobs, I recommend a good quality electric fryer such as a "Fry Daddy". No matter which piece of equipment you decide on, always keep the "safety first" motto in your mind. Hot oil makes hot burns. Be careful especially when placing foods in 350 degree oil. The best oil to use is vegetable oil. It is cheap, and has a high smoking point, compared to other oils such as olive oil which is expensive and burns quickly.

The beers I like to drink with fried foods depend on the food that we are frying. Crisp clean lagers work well when paired with a crispy juicy flavorful piece of fried chicken. But feel free to try your favorite beer because most will work.

Country Fried Pork Steaks with a Lager Based White Gravy

Here is a classic southern dish with the Brew Chef twist. We are going to shallow pan fry these delicious steaks, serve them with a beer enhanced white gravy -- "Comfort food at its best." This recipe will serve four and you will probably spend about two hours or so getting it all together. Enjoy with a cold crisp clean lager.

Country Fried Pork Steaks

Ingredients:

4 8-ounce boneless pork loin

steaks

1 cup all purpose flour

4 eggs, beaten

2 cups seasoned bread crumbs

2 cups vegetable oil

Method:

Lay the pork out on a hard surface. Cover with plastic wrap and using a meat mallet pound out the meat until it is a half inch thick. Place the pork steaks in the flour. Coat well and shake off any excess flour. Then place into the beaten eggs,. using a fork remove and place into the bread crumbs. (I prefer to use loin end pork steaks, they have a little fat which keeps them moist when fried.) Evenly coat the meat with the bread crumbs then place on a plate next to each other, not on top. Meanwhile heat the oil in a cast iron skillet. Use a thermometer to check the temperature. When the oil reaches 350 degrees, carefully place the pork into the pan, fry on one side for about five minutes, using a pair of tongs, turn the meat over and repeat. Remove pork from the pan and place on paper towel. Serve hot with lager laced white gravy.

Lager Laced White Gravy

Ingredients:

½ pound ground sweet Italian

sausage meat

½ small white onion, minced

¼ cup flour

1 cup lager

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon salt

Pinch white pepper

Pinch of dry sage (optional)

Pinch black pepper

Method:

In a heavy bottom sauce pan, cook the sausage until just brown. Stir in the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender. Using a wooden spoon stir in the flour, cook until the flour is thoroughly blended with the sausage fat. Slowly whisk in the beer. Stir and simmer for 2-3 minutes add the milk, stir and simmer until thick. Approximately 3 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper. Serve hot.