Hey y’all! If you’re hankerin’ for some good old-fashioned comfort food, you’ve come to the right place. This Salisbury steak with mushroom gravy is gonna take you right back to your mama’s kitchen. It’s as easy as pie to make and’ll fill up even the hungriest bellies at your table.
Now, let me tell you a little secret. This recipe’s been in my family for generations. My grandma used to make it every Sunday after church, and let me tell you, it was the highlight of our week. The smell of that gravy bubbling away on the stove would have us all rushin’ to set the table faster than you can say “dinner time!”
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- It’s pure comfort food, just like grandma used to make
- Uses simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry
- Hearty enough to satisfy the whole family, even them picky eaters
- That mushroom gravy is so good, you’ll want to lick your plate clean!
- It’s versatile – serve it with mashed potatoes, rice, or even noodles
- Perfect for a cozy family dinner or when you’re entertainin’ guests
INGREDIENTS
For the steaks:
- 1 pound of lean ground beef (90/10 is best, but use what you’ve got)
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 small yellow onion, grated up
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- A splash of olive oil (about 1 tablespoon)
For the gravy:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms (I like them baby bellas, but white mushrooms work too)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a big ol’ bowl, mix up your breadcrumbs, egg, grated onion, salt, and pepper. Make sure that onion’s grated real fine – we want its flavor, not big chunks.
- Throw in the ground beef and squish it all together with your hands. Don’t be shy now, get in there and mix it good! But don’t overdo it, or your steaks might end up tough.
- Shape the meat into 4 oval patties, like little footballs. Make ’em about 3/4 inch thick. If you’re worried about them fallin’ apart, you can pop ’em in the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm up.
- Get a big pan real hot over medium-high heat. You want it nice and hot before you add the oil, so give it a couple minutes.
- Once that pan’s hot enough to make a drop of water sizzle, add your splash of olive oil and swirl it around.
- Gently place your patties in the pan. Now, here’s the trick – don’t touch ’em for 2 whole minutes. We want ’em to get a nice brown crust. After 2 minutes, flip ’em over and cook the other side for another 2 minutes.
- Once they’re browned on both sides, take ’em out of the pan and set ’em aside on a plate. Don’t worry if they’re not cooked all the way through – they’ll finish cookin’ in the gravy.
- Now for that delicious gravy! In that same pan (don’t you dare wash it – all them brown bits are flavor!), toss in your butter. Let it melt and get a little bubbly.
- Add your sliced mushrooms to the melted butter. Cook ’em for about 2 minutes, stirrin’ occasionally, until they start to get golden and smell all good and earthy.
- Sprinkle the flour over them mushrooms and stir it all around for a minute. It’ll look a bit pasty, but don’t you worry.
- Slowly pour in your beef broth, stirrin’ the whole time so it don’t get lumpy. Make sure you scrape up all them tasty brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Let that gravy come to a simmer, stirrin’ occasionally. It’ll start to thicken up real nice.
- Once it’s simmerin’, pop them patties back in the pan. Nestle ’em down into that gravy and let everything simmer for about 5-7 minutes, or until the steaks are cooked through and the gravy’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Taste your gravy and add more salt and pepper if it needs it. Remember, you can always add more, but you can’t take it out!
And there you have it, sugar! Your Salisbury steaks are ready to serve. I like to spoon that gravy generously over each steak – don’t be stingy now!
RECIPE NOTES
- If you’re watchin’ your pennies, keep an eye out for ground beef on sale. You can even mix in some ground pork to stretch your dollar further.
- No breadcrumbs? Just toast up some bread and crumble it real fine. Or crush up some crackers – that works too!
- For them folks who can’t do dairy, use more olive oil ‘stead of butter for the gravy. It won’t be quite as rich, but it’ll still be mighty tasty.
- If you can’t eat gluten, use gluten-free breadcrumbs in the steaks. For the gravy, mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with a little cold water and add it to the broth instead of using flour.
- Want to fancy it up a bit? Try addin’ a splash of red wine to the gravy, or throw in some herbs like thyme or rosemary.
- If your gravy gets too thick, just thin it out with a little more broth or even water. If it’s too thin, let it simmer a bit longer.
STORAGE
If you got leftovers (which I doubt!), just pop ’em in an airtight container and stick ’em in the fridge. They’ll keep for about 3-4 days. When you’re ready to eat ’em again, just warm ’em up in the microwave or on the stove. Add a splash of water if the gravy’s too thick.
You can even freeze these babies for up to 3 months. Just thaw ’em overnight in the fridge before reheatin’.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Now, as for what to serve with these Salisbury steaks, well, the sky’s the limit! Here are some of my favorite sides:
- Creamy mashed potatoes – perfect for soakin’ up all that gravy
- Buttered egg noodles – they’re like little gravy catchers
- Steamed green beans or broccoli – gotta have somethin’ green on the plate
- A crisp garden salad – to balance out all that richness
- Warm, crusty bread – for moppin’ up every last bit of gravy
Don’t forget to pour yourself a tall glass of sweet tea to wash it all down!
FINAL THOUGHTS
This Salisbury steak with mushroom gravy might not be fancy, but it’s the kind of meal that brings folks together. It’s perfect for a cozy family dinner, or when you want to impress your church potluck.
Remember, cookin’ is all about love. Don’t fret if your steaks aren’t perfectly shaped or if your gravy’s a little lumpy. It’s the thought and care you put into it that counts. Your family’s gonna love it no matter what, ’cause it’s made by you.
So tie on that apron, crank up some good ol’ country tunes, and get to cookin’! And don’t forget to holler at me if you need any help along the way. Happy eatin’, y’all!