Best Ever Salisbury Steaks in Red Gravy

Tender beef patties, seasoned to perfection, and swimming in a rich, creamy gravy. Comfort food at its finest. 

Salisbury steak isn't really "steak", it's ground beef shaped to look like steak. The beef is traditionally mixed with onion soup, breadcrumbs and egg before shaping into steak "patties". Then, the steaks are seared and simmered in a gravy that contains more onion soup, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. It's a classic dish that's been a family favorite for eons! 

But, you know me, I can't leave recipes alone. I wanted to make Salisbury Steak BETTER! Don't worry, I changed just enough - not too much - and created a healthier, more robust, more satisfying version of the timeless classic!

Here's how I revamped the dish: Instead of salt-laden onion soup, I used onion powder and added a few more seasonings to the meat, including seasoned breadcrumbs, garlic and mustard powder. For the gravy, I started with a good quality beef broth and added more onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and Dijon. Notice that there two different styles of mustard in the dish (dried in the steaks and Dijon in the gravy) - they compliment each other perfectly and balance the dish. 

Give this comfort dish a try and let me know what you think! 

Best Ever Salisbury Steaks in Red Gravy

1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef

1/4 cup seasoned dry breadcrumbs

1 large egg

2 teaspoons onion powder, divided 

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup good quality beef broth

1/2 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

In a large bowl, combine the beef, breadcrumbs, egg, 1 teaspoon of the onion powder, garlic powder, mustard 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 (but keep the brown bits clinging to the bottom of the pan, we'll incorporate those into the gravy). 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the broth, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, flour, remaining teaspoon of onion powder, and Dijon mustard. Add the 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. Dig in!

Serves 4