Hamburger Steaks

Hamburger steak is similar to Salisbury steak in that both are covered in an onion and mushroom gravy. What primarily separates it from Salisbury steak is the absence of tomato-based ingredients, like tomato paste and ketchup, for a more straightforwardly beefy bite. The dish is super-easy, nearly foolproof, and completely worthy of your dinner table, especially considering it’s ready in under an hour.

What People Are Saying:
"Really excellent and will be a regular dish served in my home. Meets all my expectations of a great recipe because it is simple, relatively fast, common ingredients, and reasonable cost for the family." - Prd2bbsn

"This recipe is definitely a keeper in my recipe file. It was superb." - zvl5455

How To Make Hamburger Steaks

INGREDIENTS

• Ground Beef: I recommend 90% lean ground beef here, but by all means, go with what you like and simply drain off any excess fat.
• Egg: I use egg to help the patties hold together, as well as to add some moisture.
• Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs lighten the burgers and help them stay juicy. Avoid seasoned breadcrumbs for this recipe. Plain gives you more control over the flavors in play.
• Seasonings: I use a judicious amount of garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika to really zhuzh up the flavor of beef.
• Olive Oil & Butter: Olive oil tolerates higher heat and is ideal for browning the steaks. Butter is hugely simpatico with mushrooms but is prone to burning, so I wait to add it to the pan until I’m ready to sauté the 'shrooms.
• Mushrooms: I prefer baby bellas (aka creminis) for the rich, meaty flavor they bring to the gravy. That said, the humble button mushroom has much to recommend it; feel free to swap it in if you prefer.
• Onion: Thinly sliced yellow onion adds sweetness and savor to the gravy as well as a bit of crunch the dish.
• Flour: Every gravy needs a thickener. Here I used 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour to give the gravy its silky texture.
• Broth: I opted for beef broth to reinforce the flavor of the steaks. Go for low-sodium broth, so you can do the seasoning yourself.
• Worcestershire Sauce: I think of Worcestershire sauce as less a condiment than a potion. There’s just something magical about its powers of flavor-enhancement.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

These steaks might look like burgers, but with egg, bread crumbs, and lots of seasonings in the mix, they share more in common with meatballs and meatloaf. With that in mind, grab a large bowl and add the ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Season generously with salt and pepper and mix until the ingredients are evenly combined; I use my hands for this, but a rubber spatula works great too. Divide the mixture into quarters, then form into 1/2"-thick oval-shaped patties.

Let’s get cooking! Heat the oil in a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium heat. Place the patties in the skillet and cook until browned underneath, 3 or 4 minutes. Turn the patties and cook until browned on the second side and cooked through, another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the patties to a large plate. Pour off the excess fat from the skillet, if needed; do not wipe out the skillet—we want those browned bits in our gravy!

Now for the gravy. Add the butter to the skillet and heat until melted and foaming. Add the mushrooms and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes; don’t expect to see much browning, you’re just looking for tenderness. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat. Pour in the broth, add the Worcestershire and thyme, and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring often, until the gravy is thickened and a little glossy, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Return the steaks to the skillet and heat, spooning the gravy over, until warmed through.

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• The key to tender hamburger steaks: Be gentle! Overmixing the ground beef and/or packing the patties too tightly will yield tough, dense steaks. For this reason, I prefer to mix with my hands, which gives me a better feel for the texture of the beef mix. Hand mixing has the further advantage of incorporating the ingredients more quickly and evenly.

Storage

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you want to work ahead, the steaks can be formed in advance and frozen for up to 1 month. Freeze the raw steaks on a parchment-lined baking sheet until firm, then transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag.