Friday, April 10, 2009

Redeeming a Culinary Nightmare

Salisbury Steak. The very name synonymous with the culinary hell of TV dinners, school cafeterias and cheap, "family" dinners found in the frozen food section. But have you ever made real Salisbury Steak? It is actually quite good if you make a good gravy and use lean, fresh hamburger.

The Salisbury Steak was actually invented by a man named Salisbury, an American physician and nutritionist from the mid 1800's. He believed fruits and vegetables created toxins and advocated a diet of chopped beef and coffee. While his ideas have been found to be wanting in many respects, his legacy lives on in the form of his steak.

I found this recipe in an old cookbook on casseroles and skillet dinners. Sounds like something worth trying. And wouldn't it be fun to shock your guests and tell them you are making Salisbury Steak for dinner?

Steaks:

1.5 lbs ground beef (get the good stuff, don't be cheap)
1 10 oz can of condensed French Onion soup (think Campbell's makes it) (divided use)
1/2 cup dry plain bread crumbs
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 tbs ketchup
2 tbs grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbs dried onion flakes (or a couple tbs of finely chopped fresh)
salt and pepper to taste

1 tbs oil
1/4 cup flour

Gravy:

1/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dry mustard
Remainder of onion soup

Garnish:

2 Cups mashed potatoes
2 tbs butter
paprika
Parmesan cheese


Mix beef, 1/4 cup of the soup (reserve remainder of soup) and rest of ingredients for the patties. Shape into 6 oval patties. Brush skillet with the oil and dredge the patties in the flour. Brown both sides over medium heat. Remove patties and arrange in a 9X13 baking pan. Drain off most of the fat from the skillet, reserving a scant 1/4 tsp or so. Mix gravy ingredients and remainder of soup in the skillet and heat through until begins to thicken, de-glazing the skillet. Pour gravy over patties and cover with foil. Bake in 350deg oven for 25 min, turn patties over, recover and bake an additional 20 min.

Remove cover and drop spoonfuls of the potatoes around the edges of the baking pan. Brush potatoes with butter and sprinkle with paprika and cheese. Bake an additional 15min uncovered until potatoes are nicely browned and steaks are fully cooked.

Never had these in a cafeteria!

2 comments:

Callalily said...

The mere words "Salisbury Steak" evoke images of ghastly school cafeteria lunches past - tasteless gristle! I shuddered when I saw your topic. The only thing worse is cube steak, you know, the stuff that actually gets BIGGER as you try to chew it. Eeeeewwww!

Who would have thought it could be made palatable?!

Don said...

I had not had a cube steak in ages so I bought and fixed one a few months ago. I remembered why it had been so long.