Never mind the frozen dinner variety! This easy Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy recipe makes juicy, tender and full of flavor quarter-pound steaks that will satisfy any appetite.
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The is one ground beef recipe that almost borders on elegant - it even sounds fancy.
For many, many years, I never even tried to make a Salisbury Steak recipe, and when I was young I just picked up the frozen variety and heated them up in the microwave. I always thought the flavor was "meh," and that I could do better. So I set out to improve on the classic frozen comfort food variety and developed this recipe. It resulted in this Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy recipe that not only has steaks with super flavor, but also a rich mushroom gravy to die for.
And it's still economical! It really pairs well with this Cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole.
And if you like Salisbury Steak, I think you'll really enjoy my Pork Chops Supreme.
The history behind the dish
While at first glance it might seems that the classic Salisbury Steak recipe must be named for the city in Wiltshire, England, it's actually an American creation that was promoted by James H Salisbury, a 19th century physician who advocated diets centering around meat. He didn't add ingredients to his ground beef recipe and only seasoned them after cooking, on the plate. Over time, the seasonings were added to the meat before cooking, and the gravy developed as a way to enhance the steak and provide a sauce for the side dish, usually mashed potatoes.
How to make this Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy recipe
The detailed steps are in the recipe below, but here's the basics:
1. Prepare the patties.
2. Sear them on both sides and set them aside.
3. Make the gravy.
4. Add the steaks to the gravy and continue cooking until the steaks are cooked through completely.
Can you freeze Salisbury Steak?
Yes. Make this Salisbury Steak recipe and allow the steaks to cool to room temperature, then place them in an airtight container with the gravy and freeze for up to three months. To reheat, thaw them completely and heat them, covered, in the microwave oven or conventional oven.
More Beef Recipes to try...
- Slugburger - The Original Version
- Creamy, Cheesy Taco Pasta
- Mississippi Pot Roast
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast and Gravy
- Rich and Creamy Beef Stroganoff - so much better than the frozen variety
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast and Gravy - a slow cooker "dump" recipe - no prep required!
- Beef Noodle Casserole - a Total comfort food to add to your collection
📖 Recipe
Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients
The Steaks
- ⅛ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
- 1 medium onion half chopped and half sliced, keep them separated
- 1 pound mushrooms (porcini, crimini) stemmed, cleaned and sliced
- 2½ tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 pounds 75-80% lean ground beef
- ⅔ cup bread crumbs or crumble 2 slices of bread with a food processor
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Beef Gravy
- 5½ cups hot tap water
- 4 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup flour
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh-cracked black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
Instructions
- For the Beef Gravy - In a large bowl or container, add the hot water and the 4+ tablespoon of the Better Than Bouillon Beef Base. Stir to dissolve the bouillon and set aside.
- For the Steaks - Place the milk in a small microwave-safe bowl and heat 20-30 seconds, just to warm it up a bit. Add the Better Than Bouillon and stir to begin dissolving the base. Stir occasionally to make sure it's dissolving completely. Note: This is the salt for the steak mixture - don't add any extra salt beyond the bouillon.
- For the Steaks and the Gravy - In a large saucepan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the half of the onion that's chopped (not sliced) and saute until tender. Remove them from the heat (without taking all the butter with them - leave some in the pan) and set aside to cool a bit.
- Still over medium heat, add the sliced onion and mushrooms to the pan and saute until tender, adding a little butter if you feel the pan needs it. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the beef, the milk-bouillon mixture, the cooked chopped onions, breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. Mix well so the ingredients are incorporated but don't overdo it - working it too much can make the beef tough.
- Shape them into 8 patties - round or oval, your preference. To help make them evenly sized, I flatten the mixture in the mixing bowl and "slice" it like a pie into 8 sections, using one section for each steak.
- Turn the heat up on your pan again, to medium-high. When the pan is hot, add the steaks and sear on each side. You're not cooking them through - they'll finish off by simmering in the gravy. Remove the seared steaks and set aside.
- Make the roux for the gravy: Over medium heat, in the same large pan, melt the butter, then add the flour. Mix them together well, spread it out over the bottom of the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. To make your gravy darker, just keep cooking the flour and butter until the flour browns to your liking - and don't forget to keep stirring so the flour doesn't scorch. I cook mine for 5-6 minutes.
- Slowly add about 1 cup of the broth mixture to the roux (to minimize spatter from the hot butter and the water). Whisk gently until the mixture is smooth - it will thicken very quickly. Add the remaining broth mixture and again whisk to incorporate. Tip: I switch off between using a whisk and a silicon spatula, because I always feel the need to make sure everything is being lifted from the bottom of the pan, and I don't feel a whisk works as well at this as a silicon spatula does.
- Add the cooked sliced onions and mushrooms, Worcestershire, pepper, onion and garlic powders and red pepper flakes. Stir to incorporate. Bring it to a low boil and immediately turn it down to a simmer.
- Add the steaks to the pan and continue to simmer for 20 minutes, uncovered. Serve it up with mashed potatoes, rice or egg noodles. Yum!
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