Patrick's No-Fail Baked Steak

Step 1: Pour the regular flour on to a large plate and *dust* the steaks in it. Make sure that any notable wetness has been dabbed off the steaks beforehand with a paper towel before flouring them. Lay the steaks aside on wax paper or on a cookie rack (better) for 20 minutes or so. You can discard the flour or use some of it to make gravy later.

Step 2: Pre-heat the oven to 275-degrees F. Place the baking rack in the lower center position.

Step 3: After the steak has rested for the 20 minutes, in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat, melt the shortening. (If you are using a regular skillet, get the skillet fairly hot prior to adding the shortening which will avert most sticking. Then, do *not* move the meat around until it releases itself in the pan.)

Step 4: Whisk the eggs a bit in a large dish, (I use a 9-inch one which is fairly flat with low sides), and then add the water and whisk a bit more until it is all blended.

Step 5: Pour the seasoned flour on to a large plate. Dip a steak into the egg-wash and shake off any excess liquid. Then dredge the steak in the seasoned flour on both sides, shaking off any excess flour, and lay it into the hot shortening. (I just flip a few drops of water into the oil to check the temperature and when it *crackles*, it's hot enough.) Repeat this process until you have enough steaks for a batch in the skillet. Do not use the egg wash and seasoned flour on the steaks until they are each ready to fry.

Step 6: Fry about three steaks at a time, (do not crowd them in the skillet), perhaps in 2-3 batches, until they are all nicely browned on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side, depending upon the oil temperature. Portion out the salt and pepper to add additional seasoning to the steaks as they fry to a nice medium-brown on each side.

Step 7: Prepare a roasting pan, (I use the same one in which I bake my Thanksgiving turkey so there is lots of room inside), by spraying the inside with cooking spray. Place some sort of wire rack in the bottom to raise the steaks up a bit from the bottom of the roaster.

Step 8: Place the browned steaks inside the roasting pan, cover, and bake at 275-degrees for 90 minutes. Serve hot with the side dishes. NOTE: If you cannot find seasoned flour at the store, you can make your own by using 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, 2 teaspoons dried basil, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper. Also, do NOT place any liquids in the bottom of the roaster while baking or the coating will be steamed off.