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Easy Salisbury Steak is made with tender, quality ground beef and pork that’s cooked into juicy patties. Serve it with an amazing homemade mushroom sauce!
Our delicious recipe is a great dinner option for a chilly day when only a hearty and filling meal will do. This is no frozen TV-dinner version either – it’s a tender, flavorful meal that your entire family will love!
We use a blend of ground chuck, sirloin, and pork – and high-quality meats make a world of difference in the flavor of this recipe. While a few other ingredients are added for flavor – as well as to help bind it all together- the finished dish should taste like a good-quality, tender steak and not a meatloaf.
What is Salisbury steak?
This dish was invented by the American physician, Dr. J.H. Salisbury, who was an early proponent of a low-carb diet for weight loss (according to Wikipedia). The term “Salisbury steak” has been in use in the United States since 1897 – and it is commonly made from minced or ground meats that are formed into the shape of a steak.
Salisbury Steak sometimes appears on restaurant menus as “chopped steak with mushroom gravy.”
Why you’ll love homemade Salisbury steak!
- Everything is made from scratch for incredible, rich flavor.
- You can do much of the prep ahead of time.
- This recipe makes 8 servings – plenty for the whole family or to have leftovers!
Key ingredients and Substitutions
- Ground meats – While many other Salisbury Steak recipes use ground beef alone, we’ve found that adding pork creates a more delicious flavor and really elevates this dish. We also buy a combination of high-quality 93/07 chuck and good quality ground sirloin from the butcher. The finished product is well worth the cost!
- Binders – Whole eggs and sliced white bread work together to hold the steaks together.
- Beef stock – We always keep some of our homemade brown stock on hand in the freezer. (We freeze it in smaller portions for recipes such as this.) Of course, you can use canned stock instead!
- Cream – Heavy cream gives a silky-smooth texture to the mushroom gravy, as well as thickens it. You can use a lighter cream, but the end result won’t be as luxurious.
- Flavorings – Various combinations of Worcestershire sauce, onions, fresh thyme, gravy color and seasoning sauce, and other seasonings give this dish the classic Salisbury Steak flavor.
- Mushrooms – Last but not least, we used Cremini or Baby Bella mushrooms for the sauce. White button mushrooms can be used instead, but we prefer the deeper, almost meaty flavor of the Cremini.
How do I make easy Salisbury steak?
- Form the steaks – Sauté onions in butter and oil. Stir in bread, liquids, and seasonings. Once cooled, stir in a beaten egg, then combine the mixture with the ground meat in a large bowl. Divide into eight evenly-sized mounds and gently form into shape.
- Start the sauce – Combine the stock, cream, and seasonings in a saucepan. Keep warm but don’t allow it to come to a boil.
- Sear the steaks – In a separate pan, sear the steaks for about 5 minutes on each side. This is just for color and to lock in the moisture – you will cook them through later.
- Add mushrooms – In the same pan, sauté onions and mushrooms until browned. The vegetables should absorb any remaining liquid from the meat. Then, remove from the pan.
- Simmer everything together – Make a roux, then whisk in the stock mixture a third at a time. Stir in the mushrooms, then nestle the steaks into the sauce and cover with a lid. Simmer until the meat is cooked through.
- Serve with mushroom sauce and mashed potatoes.
Chef’s Tip
- Use your hands to combine the mixture for the Salisbury steaks, but use a gentle touch and avoid overworking it. Otherwise, the steaks will be dense and dry.
- Also – don’t be tempted to add more eggs or bread. Very little binder is needed to achieve a tender meat patty texture.
Frequently asked Questions
Can I use bread crumbs instead of bread slices? You can use crumbs if you would like, but we suggest actual slices of bread – they are a lighter and less dense binder for the other ingredients.
Can I make Salisbury Steak ahead of time? You could form the patties, sear them, make the sauce then refrigerate everything. When ready to serve, place everything back into the pan and slowly heat to cook completely. You may need to add additional stock, water, or cream to thin the sauce out.
How do I store leftovers? Store refrigerated for up to three days.
How do I reheat leftovers? Reheat in a pan on the stove over low heat or heat individual portions in the microwave.
Can you freeze homemade Salisbury steak? Note that there is some cream in the sauce, so you run the risk of having it separate a bit after thawing. Freshly made would be best, but freezing and thawing should be fine.
This post originally appeared on A Family Feast in October 2013.
You may like these other steak recipes:
- Slow Cooker Swiss Steak
- Perfect Pan-Seared Steak
- Sous Vide Grill-Seared Chuck Steak
- Steak au Poivre with Crispy Shallots
- Steak Tips with Caramelized Onions
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Salisbury Steak
Ingredients
Steak Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup yellow onion, diced small
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons low sodium beef stock or home made (purchase one quart – you will use more in the sauce)
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme chopped, or half that of dried
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt (add only if you are using low sodium beef stock)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 slices plain white bread, crusts removed
2 whole eggs, beaten
1 pound lean ground beef (93/7)
1 pound good quality ground sirloin (we ground our own using this Kitchen Aid attachment, or ask the butcher to grind instead)
1 pound good quality ground pork
Mushroom Sauce
3 cups low sodium beef stock, plus more to thin down sauce as needed when reheating leftovers
1/3 cup heavy cream
Pinch of kosher salt (only if you are using low sodium beef stock)
Few grinds black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped, or half that of dried
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon gravy color and seasoning, such as Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master
6 tablespoons butter, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup yellow onions, chopped
12 ounces Bella mushrooms, sliced thick
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- If serving with mashed potatoes, start preparing those first and reheat once the steaks are ready.
- In a medium saute pan, melt 1 ½ tablespoons of butter in the 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, add the onions and cook for three minutes until soft.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add cream, stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- Place the two trimmed slices of bread directly into the pan and turn a few times to soak the bread. Set this mixture aside to cool.
- Once cool, stir in the two beaten eggs.
- In a large bowl place the ground beef, ground sirloin and ground pork. Once the egg and bread mixture has cooled, add to the meat and work the mixture with your hands to combine. Only mix long enough to incorporate the ingredients and try not to over work the mixture.
- Pour the mixture out and form into a log shape. Cut in half, each half in half then each quarter in half yielding eight 8-ounce portions.
- Form each into an oval shaped patty and line up on a parchment lined sheet tray.
- In a medium sauce pan, place three cups of stock, 1/3 cup of cream, salt, pepper, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and gravy color. Heat to hot and hold warm until needed.
- In a very large saute pan, nonstick if available, heat 2 tablespoons of butter and the 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
- Once hot, place four steaks at a time in the pan and cook for three minutes per side, moving to a platter once seared. They will not be fully cooked. Repeat for the remaining four steaks, also moving them to the platter.
- Keep the heat on medium and add the onions and cook one minute.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for five minutes then remove the mushrooms and onions to a bowl.
- Add the remaining four tablespoons of butter and lower the heat to medium low.
- Once melted, add the flour and cook for three minutes, stirring often.
- Using a whisk, add in one third of the hot liquid from the sauce pan, whisking as you add. The mixture will be very thick. Add another third and whisk in, then the last third, whisking until smooth.
- Add the cooked mushrooms and onions back in and stir.
- Nestle the seared steaks in and spoon sauce over each one.
- Cover the pan and cook on low for 10-15 minutes until a probe thermometer inserted into one of the steaks registers 160 degrees F.
- If the sauce is too thick, use some of the remaining stock, water or cream to thin down.
- Serve one steak per person with mashed potatoes and a vegetable and spooned mushroom sauce over each.
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Hello Martha and Jack!
Well the season is upon us and I do hope you and yours are staying well and safe. I did send you a message a while back regarding the New England clam chowder that my Mom adored. This recipe for SS looks amazing and will try it soon. You have been an inspiration for many dishes I have made … I appreciate this! Have a great Christmas and take care of you!
We always appreciate you taking time out of your day to leave us a messages Doris – and we hope you enjoy this recipe too! Merry Christmas to you and yours as well, and I hope the new year is the best!
Just found your site while searching for a beef tips and rice recipe. But , I ventured around to see what other recipes you have. I am weird because I don’t like the texture of mushrooms but love the taste of mushroom gravy. Was wondering if the flavoring of this gravy recipe would go well over beef tips to serve over rice?? I don’t experiment much in the kitchen but am trying to replicate an old beef tips and rice dish we used to have in a local steakhouse that had been closed for years. Thanks for any advice you can offer.
Sure Geena – I think this gravy would be delicious over beef tips and rice!
The recipes the two of you post on here (2?) are among some of the best in the web. Love seeing a new one from you.
WOW – Thank you so much Bill! You’ve made our day! This blog is definitely a joint effort – while I do most of the writing, some of the cooking and recipe development, and a lot of other behind the scenes works, my husband Jack is often the mastermind in the kitchen and works to perfect our recipes. 🙂 Thank you so much for your interest in our recipes! Best, Martha
Is this recipe freezer friendly?
Hi Sherry – We haven’t tried freezing it ourselves. There is some cream in the sauce so you do run a risk of having it separate a bit – but overall, I think it would be OK for freezing and reheating.
I’ve made this twice and it was amazing. The first time I omitted the pork and used only beef and think I like it better. But either way amazing
Thanks Kandy – glad you liked the recipe!
Finally got around to making this. Why did I wait? I was really very good. I didn’t change much, if anything. My husband ate a double portion! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank YOU Betty! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Ugh! It’s gotta be hard listening to people dissect your recipe. As someone who grew up in the Midwest & on great homemade comfort food, plus the fact that I’ve cooked professionally for years I think I can comment on the recipe even though I have not made it yet. The biggest mistake people make is blindly following a recipe. Anybody with a negative comment on your recipe needs to learn how to season food correctly & by that I mean salt. It’s the #1 question that people always asked me wondering why my food always tasted so good. I learned how to salt/season my food early on & it’s the “secret ingredient” in all my food. You’re recipe looks like the perfect recipe & im excited to try it seeing I haven’t had a good Salisbury steak in years. If it doesn’t taste perfect I’m sure it’s just a pinch ot two of salt away. I’ll let you know.
Thanks for your comment Brett! As long as our readers are polite with their criticism and comments, we are very open to hearing what they have to say! You are absolutely right – people have different tastes and preferences and of course they should adjust the seasonings to their liking. (Even in our own household – Jack prefers far more salt than I do – so we usually meet somewhere in the middle when we write our recipes!) We hope you enjoy the Salisbury Steak and thanks for taking the time to write to us today!
These are a favorite of the grandchildren, and I make them frequently using my own recipe. I brown them and finish off in the oven using the drippings for mushroom gravy. In our house they’re called hand grenades due to their shape. AKA frickadellin and fleisch kieglies. ?sp I haven’t made them for awhile , today might be a good day for them.
Your version sounds delicious Vicky!
so yummy! THanks for the recipe. Love it!
Thanks Heather – We’re glad you enjoyed the recipe!
The Salisbury Steak was good. I don’t think I would add any salt next time though. And it took alot longer to make than what was given for the estimated prep/cook time. Thanks for the recipe, glad I tried it as I think the gravy was delicious and will be making it like that again.
Thanks Tiffany!
Thanks Irene!