EASY AND INCREDIBLY DELICIOUS Smothered Salisbury Steak
This recipe comes from the memory of my grandmother..
This recipe comes from the memory of my grandmother who used to cook these smothered steaks or meat cakes, or patties, or “котлети” in Ukrainian every time we visited her. It is one of the most popular dishes in a Slavic world with different variations in recipes, methods, whether baked or pan fried, made in a gravy or just on its own with some sauce on the side. Whenever there is a Christmas, a Birthday, a Wedding – “котлети” would surely be on the table.
My grandmother used to serve it with fried potato wedges and onions or mashed potatoes… It was always a hit, so delicious! To this day, I don’t know what made those potatoes and those steaks so special… Whether there was a secret ingredient in them or not… Perhaps, just a lot of love?
Nowadays, my beautiful sons and husband adore gravy, and as you can see from my YouTube channel, I make it very often, whether with chicken, fish, beef… This recipe combines the past and the present in a way: my grandmother’s “котлети” and my most favorite gravy eaters.
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb (450g) lean beef mince
1/2 cup (30g) panko breadcrumbs
1 large egg
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
FOR THE GRAVY:
2 ½ tbsp butter
2 shallots
1 garlic clove
9 ounces (250g) cremini mushrooms
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup (236ml) white dry wine (Chardonnay or Sauvignon blanc)
2 cups (470ml) beef stock
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt and black pepper
Kitchen utensils: large bowl, frying pan, spatula, cutting board and knife.
METHOD:
Start by mixing 1 lb (450g) minced beef, 1 egg, c cup (30g) breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl. Mix well with your hands or a spatula.
Divide the mince mixture into 4 equal balls. Shape into an oval and press down a little to make a small boat-like shape about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a frying pan over a medium to high heat. Cook the meatballs for about 2 minutes on one side until nicely caramelized. Turn and cook for another minute on the other side. They should not be cooked through. Set aside on a plate.
Cut 2 shallots into thin rings and finely chop 1 clove of garlic.
In the same frying pan, add 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook the onions and garlic over a medium heat for about 1 minute.
Slice 9 ounces (250g) of mushrooms and add to the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are browned, for about 4 minutes.
Reduce heat to low and stir in 2 tablespoons of the flour and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Add ½ tablespoon butter and continue stirring for another 30 seconds.
Pour in 1 cup (236ml) white wine. Mix well until the flour dissolves.
Gradually add 2 cups (470ml) beef stock, stirring all the time.
Add 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons Worcester sauce, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Return steaks to the pan with any remaining juices. Cover with the sauce and cook for a further 7-8 minutes until the sauce thickens.
NOTES:
Make them in advance: You can make a mince mixture and form the meatballs ahead of time, store them in the freezer and cook them at your convenience when they defrost.
Meat: Any mince can be used: pork+beef, just pork or lamb. I usually use mince with no less than 12% fat. If you want to try the dish with poultry mince, such as turkey or chicken, I would add 2 tablespoons of cream cheese to the mixture, as poultry doesn't have as much fat and can be a little dry.
Spices: The only spices my grandmother added to her smothered steaks were salt, pepper and a bit of dried thyme. Children can be a bit picky about spices. But you can spice it up to your liking by adding paprika, cumin, dried coriander seeds and even curry.
Beef stock: The flavor of the gravy depends very much on the quality of the stock. Here is the method I once shared. If you don't have time to make it, you can find a good quality ready-made stock in the shops.
The wine: Just to emphasize, the sauce contains no alcohol once the wine has boiled, so it's safe for children and people who don't drink alcohol.
Leftovers: The dish will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. Reheat on a low heat on the stove or covered in the oven.
Garnishes: Absolutely anything goes with this dish. My sons love it with pasta or mashed potatoes and I like it on its own with a little salad on the side.
SUBSTITUTIONS:
Breadcrumbs / Gluten-free: There are plenty of gluten-free breadcrumbs on the market. You can also use the same amount of not too salty natural potato crisps crushed to dust. Leave out the salt if you use the crisps.
Flour / Gluten-free: As a gluten-free substitute for gravy, use 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Mix well with 1 cup of cold beef stock and add to the onions and mushrooms.
Dijon mustard: Any mustard, as long as it's not too strong, will work well with this recipe. You can also use horseradish sauce or wasabi instead.
Ketchup: Tomato paste or BBQ sauce would also work well. But if you're allergic to tomatoes, you can add spices and vinegar (to taste) to pumpkin paste and use it instead of ketchup in most recipes that call for ketchup.
Wine: If you can’t use alcohol in your cooking, replace with wine with 1 extra cup of beef stock.
Mushrooms: My friend's daughter refuses to eat anything with mushrooms in it. So if you have the same problem, replace the mushrooms with courgettes or just skip them altogether.
Worcestershire sauce: Use the same amount of soy sauce, miso paste, oyster sauce or balsamic vinegar instead.
Shallots: White, yellow and red onions are also great. If you have an allium allergy, you can easily substitute finely sliced carrots and celery.
Garlic: Replace with some finely chopped chili pepper.
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Yum. I will try this soon. Have not had Salisbury steak since I left for college about 50 years ago. Loved it as a kid.
😋😋😋