Salisbury Steaks with Smoked Paprika Brown Gravy

You may already know this, but Salisbury steak is actually ground beef, mixed with bread crumbs, egg and seasonings and shaped to look like steak. Many recipes call for onion soup mix too (in the steak mixture), so the "steaks" are well seasoned, no doubt about that. Once browned in a skillet, the steaks simmer in a sauce made with water or broth, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Simple ingredients from a bygone era, but somehow the dish works. It's super popular too. You know something's popular when they make frozen dinners out of it. 

Transforming the dish: I decided I could make Salisbury steak better. I wanted to add flavor and depth without adding work. I jazzed up the beef mixture with garlic, onion and mustard powder, and I tweaked the gravy by adding a little Dijon mustard and smoked paprika; it's surprising how little changes can make such a huge difference. The dish is catapulted to new heights. 

Skip the soup mix: Since many Salisbury steak recipes call for onion soup mix, I wanted to mimic those flavors without actually using soup (the mix is basically dried onion, beef bouillon and copious amounts of salt). Plus, by skipping soup mix, I had room for other flavorful ingredients, including garlic and mustard (mustard powder in the steak compliments the Dijon mustard in the gravy - copacetic on every level).   

Need a side dish? I like to serve these steaks and sauce with potatoes (check out my Buttery Smashed Baby Potatoes) or buttered egg noodles - you'll want some sort of starch to soak up any extra gravy! 

Salisbury Steaks with Smoked Paprika Brown Gravy

1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef

1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs

1 large egg

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups beef broth

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 

1  tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

In a large bowl, combine the beef, breadcrumbs, egg, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well and shape the mixture into 4 oval patties, each about 1-inch thick. 

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties and brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the steaks from the pan and, if necessary, drain away any fat - make sure to keep the brown bits that will be clinging to the bottom of the pan, we'll incorporate them into the gravy. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the broth, ketchup, flour, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and paprika. Add broth mixture to the pan and bring to a simmer. Return the steaks to the pan, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens and the steaks are cooked through.
Serve the steaks with the sauce spooned over top.

Serves 4