“I Could Take It To Heaven” — Guy’s Love Affair with Green Mesquite’s Chicken Fried Steak
There’s chicken fried steak, and then there’s chicken fried steak with the biggest, crunchiest batter Guy Fieri has ever found. At Green Mesquite Barbecue in Austin, Texas, owner Tom Davis has been perfecting his version of this Texas favorite for over 20 years, and the results speak for themselves.
The Secret’s in the Seasoning
What makes Green Mesquite’s chicken fried steak stand out starts with an unconventional approach to the breading process. While most culinary schools teach you to flour first, then egg wash, Tom Davis does it backwards — and he’s been doing it that way for two decades. “I get yelled at every time I do it,” he admits, but the results don’t lie.
The seasoned flour mixture is where things get interesting. It’s not just your standard salt and pepper situation. Tom combines self-rising flour with salt, sugar, pepper, and then adds something unexpected: dried red, yellow, and green bell peppers. Tom calls it his “sweet black pepper” blend, and Guy was immediately impressed. “I love this bell pepper thing in here — that is wonderful, and it adds a little bit to it,” he noted while watching the prep.
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But the seasoning doesn’t stop there. The flour also gets a hit of Ranch dry mix, which Guy later picked up in the finished dish. “I think I pick up that ranch dressing in there a little bit,” he observed while tasting.
Double-Dipped and Deep-Fried to Perfection
The technique matters just as much as the ingredients. At Green Mesquite, they double dip all their chicken fried steaks to build up that signature thick batter. The steaks go into the egg wash (made simply with eggs and whole milk — “whole milk only please,” Tom specifies), then into that heavily seasoned flour, and back again.
Once coated, the steaks hit the fryer with a basket placed on top to keep them submerged. After about 3 minutes of frying, they emerge golden and ready for a generous smear of gravy.
Guy’s Verdict
The tenderness impressed Guy immediately — “You can cut it with a fork, so you got to know you got some tender factor there.” But it was that massive, crunchy coating that really won him over. “That’s probably the crunchiest or the biggest batter I found on one. I love it, I love it — it’s half gone!”
His final assessment? “I could take it to heaven.”
Just like when Guy discovered AWESOME Bulgogi Cheesesteak in Atlanta 🔥 or fell for a Killer Pork Pad Thai, you can tell when a dish genuinely moves him — and this chicken fried steak clearly did.
More Than Just Chicken Fried Steak
While the chicken fried steak stole the spotlight, Green Mesquite has been serving Austin since 1988 with an impressive lineup. The menu includes brisket and ribs (“the ribs are really tasty”), scratch-made jambalaya that Tom proudly calls “Texas jambalaya,” catfish poor boy sandwiches, and plenty of barbecue classics.
When Guy asked Tom about his obvious passion for the work, the answer was simple: “It’s not even work, is it?” Guy asked. “No,” Tom replied. “It’s fine. It’s home.”
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