Salisbury Steak

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Be it ever so humble, there's nothing like a Salisbury Steak for supper. This is my family's idea of a good, stick-to-your-ribs dish -- tender meat and beefy gravy, with an extra spoonful over the mashed potatoes.

According to foodreference.com, Salisbury Steak was name after 19th century American physician James H. Salisbury. Apparently Dr. Salisbury believed that many of our ills come from our food (probably pretty much correct) and thought that especially vegetables and starchy foods to be the problem (maybe not so much). He thought they "produce substances in the digestive system which poison and paralyze the tissues and can cause heart disease, tumors, mental illness and tuberculosis." As a result of his beliefs (and the belief that because we have meat teeth, 2/3 of our diet should come from meat) he strongly encouraged the consumption of meat, and created the Salisbury Steak to be eaten three times a day, "with lots of hot water to rinse out the digestive system."

I don't know about three times a day, but it is a good dish to be enjoyed occasionally -- especially if made fresh at home and not eaten from a TV dinner tray. This recipe is my family's favorite -- the meat stays tender because I use fresh bread crumbs instead of dry, and the gravy has just a little tang from a tiny bit of ketchup added. It's simple, budget- and kid-friendly. What more can you ask for? No, it's certainly not glamorous.

Salisbury Steak
serves 6

2 T. butter, divided
3 T. olive oil, divided
1/2 c. minced onion
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 egg
salt and pepper
6 T. flour, divided
2 cups beef broth
3 T. ketchup
1 T. Worcestershire


In a large skillet, heat 1 T. butter and 1 T. olive oil until butter is melted. Add onions and cook for a few minutes over medium heat until onions are soft, but not browned. Turn off heat and cool for a few minutes.

Place meat, bread crumbs, egg and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper in a bowl. Add slightly cooled onions and mix up with your hands until all ingredients are well combined.

Form into patties -- I can get six from this amount of meat. Place four tablespoons of flour in a shallow dish. Heat remaining butter and olive oil in skillet over medium high heat. Lightly dip each patty in flour and then place in hot oil. Allow patties to cook until each side is browned, turning just once.

In a bowl, combine 1 1/2 c. beef broth, ketchup, and Worcestershire. Pour into skillet with patties and bring to a simmer. Turn heat down to med-low and cover, keeping at a gentle simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove cooked patties from skillet to a serving platter. Whisk remaining 2 T. flour into remaining 1/2 c. beef broth. Add to skillet and cook over medium high heat whisking to dissolve any lumps. When gravy comes to a boil it will thicken. Cook for a few minutes, then pour a few spoonfuls over patties and pour the remaining gravy into a gravy boat. Serve with hot mashed potatoes or noodles.


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