Salisbury Steak

This recipe makes 4 patties—two of which can be saved for the next night’s meal. The gravy recipe, however, is only enough for one night. If you’re planning to cook all 4 patties at once, double the gravy recipe.

Ingredients for the Meat Patties

• 2 slices crustless white sandwich bread, diced
• Half of 1/3 cup (40 ml) milk

• 1 pound 80/20 ground beef
• 8.5* ounces of onion: 2.5 ounces finely minced for the meat patties; *6 ounces diced & divided for two batches of gravy
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 tsp Morton’s kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon Wright’s liquid smoke

• 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil, plus more if needed

Ingredients for the Gravy

• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 cup chicken stock (made with 1 cup water & 8 g BTB)

• 4 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, sliced and diced
• 4 g tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Directions

• In a medium bowl, combine bread with milk and soak well, breaking up bread pieces with your fingers until no firm or dry bits remain. Set aside.
• In a measuring cup or medium bowl, combine cornstarch with a couple tablespoons chicken stock, stirring to form a smooth slurry with no lumps. Add remaining stock, stir well, and set aside.
• In a the bowl of a stand mixer, add the ground beef, minced yellow onion, bread mixture, egg yolk, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and liquid smoke. Mix well using the paddle attachment.
• Form meat mixture into 4 balls. Flatten each ball into an oblong, steak-like shape and place on individual-sized pieces of wax paper. Refrigerate two of the patties for the next night’s meal.
• In a large skillet, heat oil over the notch just above medium heat until shimmering, about 5 minutes. Lower heat to medium and add the two remaining steaks by flipping the steaks over into the skillet. Using a knuckle, form dimples all over top side of each patty.  Cook, using a thin metal spatula to rotate steaks for even browning, until browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip steaks and repeat on other side until browned and internal temperature reaches 145°, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer steaks to a platter and cover with foil.
• Increase heat back to the notch just above medium and add mushrooms to skillet, scraping and stirring until mushrooms begin to brown.
• Add diced onion and cook, stirring  until onion softened and beginning to turn lightly golden, about 4 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir stock mixture to lift any settled cornstarch from the bottom, then add to skillet and bring to a simmer, stirring and scraping up any browned bits. Continue to cook until stock has reduced by about one-third and has thickened slightly.
• Stir in Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper. Lower heat and add butter, stirring vigorously, until butter has melted and a smooth, emulsified sauce forms that lightly coats the back of a spoon. Add the apple cider vinegar to balance out the sauce.
• Return steaks to skillet along with any accumulated juices, spoon sauce all over, place a lid on the pan, and simmer gently until the patties are above 150°. Serve right away.