Salisbury steak – a humble yet delicious dish of interesting origins that is a classic of the meat and potatoes American diner, Citizens! This is a dish made from a blend of ground beef and other ingredients, which is shaped to resemble a steak, and is usually served with gravy or brown sauce.
Dr. James Salisbury (1823–1905), an American physician and chemist, advocated for a meat-centered diet to promote health, and the term Salisbury steak has been used in the United States since 1897.[18]
Dr. Salisbury recommended this recipe (somewhat different from modern Salisbury steak recipes) for the treatment of alimentation (digestive problems):
“Eat the muscle pulp of lean beef made into cakes and broiled. This pulp should be as free as possible from connective or glue tissue, fat and cartilage…previous to chopping, the fat, bones, tendons and fasciae should all be cut away, and the lean muscle cut up in pieces an inch or two square. Steaks cut through the centre of the round are the richest and best for this purpose. Beef should be procured from well fatted animals that are from four to six years old. The pulp should not be pressed too firmly together before broiling, or it will taste livery. Simply press it sufficiently to hold it together. Make the cakes from half an inch to an inch thick. Broil slowly and moderately well over a fire free from blaze and smoke. When cooked, put it on a hot plate and season to taste with butter, pepper, salt; also use either Worcestershire or Halford sauce, mustard, horseradish or lemon juice on the meat if desired. Celery may be moderately used as a relish.”
Salisbury steak remains popular in the United States, where it is traditionally served with gravy and mashed potatoes or pasta.
While many of us know this dish from its infamous popularity in school lunches or “TV dinners”, making an appearance as a meat “hockey puck” (with a similar consistency, I might add) mercifully hidden under a pallid and insipid gravy, the true Salisbury steak is a thing of savor and true culinary excellence.
I shall put you on the true path, Citizen – you and your family will be hooked for life! 🙂
Battle on, The Generalissimo
PrintThe Hirshon Salisbury Steak
- Total Time: 0 hours
Ingredients
- 6 ounces minced onion
- 1 ounce minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 4 eggs
- 8 ounces unseasoned bread crumbs
- 3 ounces chopped flat-leaf parsley + extra for garnishing
- Kosher salt and lots of freshly cracked black pepper, both to taste
- 1 ounce chopped fresh marjoram
- 12 ounces cooked and diced button mushrooms
- 2 ounces butter
- 2 ounces flour
- 15 ounces beef stock, preferably homemade or low-salt
- 3/4 pound pound sliced button mushrooms
- 1/4 pound dried Porcini mushrooms, soaked in 8 ounces hot beef stock for 1 hour, cut into pieces and stock reserved, minus any grit
- 1 ounce good-quality brandy, flamed (optional but recommended)
- 1 teaspoon Maggi seasoning or to taste (optional but recommended)
- Kitchen Browning sauce to taste (optional but recommended)
- 2 Maui (or Vidalia or Walla-Wallas) or mild onions, sliced 1/2-inch thick, mixed with 1 tablespoon of oil in a bowl
Instructions
- Sauté onions and garlic in 1 tablespoon butter until translucent and set aside to cool. Mix beef with cooled onion mixture, eggs, bread crumbs, parsley, marjoram, salt, pepper and button mushrooms.
- Form into 4-ounce patties and sauté in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until golden brown on both sides and set aside.
- In a saucepan melt 2 ounces of butter and add flour. Cook over low heat for 1 minute until a ‘wet sand’ consistency is reached.
- Begin to add the stock ⅓ at a time, whisking and bringing to a simmer each time making sure there are no lumps. Add porcini mushrooms plus their soaking liquid and optional ingredients (if using) and simmer for ½ hour to reduce.
- Place patties in a roasting pan and pour gravy over them. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes.
- While the patties are cooking: in a very hot pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Let it heat a few seconds. Add the sliced Maui onions to the skillet. Sear for one minute before you stir them. Then every 90 seconds or so, stir them, scraping the bottom of the skillet using the spatula. Sauté them for a total of five or six minutes. They should be soft and have a few charred spots. Set aside.
- Garnish with the grilled Maui onions and additional chopped parsley and serve with mashed potatoes or buttered noodles.
- Prep Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 0 hours
- Category: Recipes
Nutrition
- Calories: 1254.32 kcal
- Sugar: 13.99 g
- Sodium: 1985.06 mg
- Fat: 74.53 g
- Saturated Fat: 32.33 g
- Trans Fat: 3.51 g
- Carbohydrates: 78.61 g
- Fiber: 9.92 g
- Protein: 65.78 g
- Cholesterol: 375.21 mg
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