In yet another episode of “eating our feelings.” Brian Hainley, head chef and owner of Mason’s Restaurant & Grocery, walks us through what goes into making our emotional support breakfast — the train wreck.
If you’ve never taken a bite of this Mason’s staple, the train wreck consists of fried chicken, egg, bacon, sausage gravy and cheese piled high on one of their freshly-made biscuits. Here’s the method to this flavor-filled madness.
Step 1: Prep the chicken.
Brian uses a 3-step dredge system for the chicken. Without giving too much away, the system involves a buttermilk mixture with Texas Pete and cajun seasoning, and three types of flour.
Step 2: Drop it, drop it low … into the fryer.
This one is pretty self explanatory. The chicken starts a-fryin’.
Step 3: Start your egg.
The train wreck includes an over-easy egg to add to the flavor. After dropping in the chicken to do its thing, Brian begins with the egg, checking on the chicken every so often to make sure it’s good to go.
Step 4: Start pilin’ it all on.
With a biscuit cut and ready, Brian adds the chicken first. If you’ve never had one, the biscuits at Mason’s are the size of your head and made fresh every morning.
Next up is the aged cheddar with the egg on top. Wood smoked bacon is piled on to add a little razzle dazzle and then — then comes the gravy, baby.
Brian finishes the masterpiece by layering on house-made sausage gravy that rivals your Southern nana’s. He sprinkles on some chives aannnnd …
Viola! We thought being called a train wreck by our great Aunt Janet was an insult but now, we’ll take it.
