A story about fake chicken fried steak made a town in West Texas famous

When people talk about comfort food in Texas, chicken fried steak is always at the top of the list of favorites. There’s just something special about this piece of beef steak dipped in batter, fried to perfection, drenched in gravy, and served with fried okra and mashed potatoes. I won’t apologize for making you and me hungry. The dish is that good. Lamesa, Texas is the home of chicken fried steak thanks to a story that isn’t true, but turned out to be a true story.

A Texas sailor’s story

The story goes that in 1911, Jimmy Don Perkins, a short-order cook at Ethel’s Home Cooking in Lamesa, either misheard or misread an order for chicken and fried steak. Perkins took a piece of steak, dipped it in milk and flour, fried it, and served it with french fries and gravy. The thing is, this story was completely made up by Larry BeSaw, a columnist for the Austin American-Statesman at the time. The story spread and was even picked up by some national publications. Although BeShaw went to great lengths to portray the story as a parody, the legend became the truth.

The city of Lamesa has embraced this legend, which has turned out to be true. Even the state of Texas has recognized this incredible legend and passed law HCR 134, declaring Lamesa, Texas the “legendary home of the chicken-fried steak.”

Chicken Steak Festival

The city hosts a festival celebrating chicken fried steak every April. The 14th annual Chicken Fried Steak Festival was held April 26-28 this year, featuring a 5K run, concerts, a car show, a parade, and of course, a chicken fried steak cook-off.

There you have it: one of our favorite comfort food dishes comes from a West Texas town where the story isn’t even true. Enjoy it for dinner tonight.

HCR No. 134

WHEREAS Texas is known for its innovative cuisine and certain popular dishes have become an integral part of the state’s culture and folklore; one such dish is chicken fried steak, and the incredible deliciousness of this specialty has inspired not only countless satisfied diners but also a lasting Lone Star legend; and
WHILE Texans have been pondering the seemingly eternal mystery of who invented the chicken-fried steak for generations, the answer came in 1976: Larry BeSaw published an article in the Austin American-Statesman explaining that this wonderful combination of beef, batter and breading was first fried on a well-oiled
Frying pan in 1911 by Jimmy Don Perkins, a short-order cook at Ethel’s Home Cooking in Lamesa, Texas; according to the published story, Mr. Perkins had mistakenly combined two separate orders for chicken and fried steak into a single culinary creation whose savory deliciousness became famous far beyond West Texas; and
WHILE the story received wider attention after it was picked up by a columnist, and was later repeated in publications from the Washington Post to Texas Monthly to trivia books; was quoted repeatedly over the years and further promoted by Internet postings, the anecdote about Jimmy Don’s handiwork earned Lamesa the enviable status of being the home of the chicken-fried steak; there was just one small problem: it wasn’t true; and
WHEREAS Mr. BeSaw wrote his article as a parody and never intended it to be taken as fact, but the story quickly took on a life of its own; despite the journalist’s numerous attempts to set the record straight, the story continues to be widely told and has attained the status of a Texas tall tale; and
Since we don’t want to spoil a good legend,
Lamesa has retained its role as the epicenter of the Epicurean
invention; it celebrates the lore of its mythical short-order cook with its Chicken-fried Steak Festival, which includes a cooking contest for the eponymous dish, in addition to live music, a vintage car show, and numerous other activities; and WHEREAS, everyone knows that honesty really is the best policy, residents of the Lone Star State have long shown their appreciation for harmless exaggeration and some good, old-fashioned poking fun; in that spirit, and because the story of Jimmy Don Perkins is just a damn good story, it is indeed
It is fitting that the city of Lamesa be recognized for its role in this fanciful and imaginary incident in Texas history.
RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby declare Lamesa the legendary home of the chicken-fried steak.

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