January 27, 2023
Review RecipePoor Man’s Steak
This poor man's steak recipe creates a hearty family dinner that is easy to whip up and tastes delicious.
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An easy dinner recipe, this poor man’s steak recipe is packed with lots of flavor! Ground beef is perfectly seasoned and cooked, then covered in a simple, delicious gravy before being baked in the oven.
Poor Man’s Steak Ingredients
You’ll need:
For the Steaks
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1½ cups saltine crackers, crushed
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 cup flour for dredging (or more if needed)
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Mushroom Gravy
- 2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 1½ tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
PRO TIP:
Try to use lean ground beef so you don’t end up having your steaks turn out really greasy.
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
VEGGIES: You could add fresh or canned mushrooms to this recipe. You could also add chopped onions to your hamburger meat.
CREAM SOUP: You can use a different cream soup if you don’t like mushrooms. Cream of celery is a popular alternative choice.
How To Cook This Poor Man’s Steak Recipe
Poor man’s steak, also known as hamburger steak, is an old-fashioned recipe that uses ground beef in place of a more expensive cut of meat.
The meat is combined with flavorful seasonings and formed into patties before being baked and topped with a delicious gravy.
Here’s how you make our recipe:
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
STEP TWO: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soups and milk and then stir in the chopped parsley. Set aside.
STEP THREE: In a large bowl, mix ground beef, saltine cracker crumbs, milk, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Season the meat mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
STEP FOUR: Using a spoon or your hands, combine the ingredients until mixed. Shape mixture into even-sized patties.
PRO TIP:
I like to make the patties on the big side as they will shrink down while cooking.
STEP FIVE: Place 1 cup of flour in a shallow dish. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Dredge all the meat patties in the flour.
STEP SIX: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter, and add the olive oil. In the hot skillet, sear patties on both sides until golden brown. Work in batches if your pan is not large enough for your patties to cook in a single layer. It will continue cooking in the oven.
STEP SEVEN: Transfer the browned patties to the greased baking dish. Pour the gravy evenly over the top of the patties. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
STEP EIGHT: Cover the dish with aluminum foil to help prevent a mess. You could also set your casserole dish on a lined baking sheet for easy cleanup. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake steaks for 30 to 40 minutes or until cooked through.
How To Serve
Usually any hamburger steak recipes are topped with a delicious, savory mushroom gravy and served with tasty side dishes.
You can serve these hamburger steaks with glazed carrots, scalloped potatoes and sauteed vegetables. Add some garlic bread or a salad too!
Great options also include creamy mashed potatoes, a Caesar side salad, and fluffy dinner rolls to mop up the gravy.
Plus, try our decadent Instant Pot cheesecake for dessert!
MORE BEEF RECIPES
For more easy dinner recipes, our skillet lasagna, chicken and rice casserole and buffalo chicken mac and cheese are all tasty options.
Storage
IN THE FRIDGE: Store leftover hamburger steaks in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days.
IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze either the cooked leftovers or the raw patties for a meal later. Store in an airtight container for up to two months.
MAKING AHEAD: If you’d like to make the patties ahead of time and freeze them for future meals, this would be fine. Thaw them in the fridge overnight and pan-fry as directed in the recipe.
PRO TIP:
You can put this recipe together up to eight hours in advance and keep it in the fridge, so it’s a great option when you know you’ll have a busy evening.
Old-fashioned comfort food, these poor man’s steaks have plenty of great flavor and make for a hearty dinner you’re sure to enjoy! Topped with tasty mushroom gravy, you’ll love how quick this recipe comes together.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I freeze the leftovers?
This simple recipe can be frozen either as leftovers or you can prepare the raw patties and freeze them to enjoy later.
Can I use different ground meat for this recipe?
These poor man’s hamburger steaks would be delicious using ground pork, ground turkey, or ground chicken as well.
Can I add cheese to the hamburger mixture?
Adding cheese to the ground meat would be a delicious way to dress up this dish even further.
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Poor Man’s Steak
This poor man's steak recipe creates a hearty family dinner that is easy to whip up and tastes delicious.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8
Ingredients
Steaks
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1½ cups saltine crackers, crushed
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- salt and pepper, to taste for the flour dredge and patties
- 1 cup flour for dredging, or more if needed
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Mushroom Gravy
- 2 (10.75-ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 1½ tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soups and milk and then stir in the chopped parsley. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, crushed saltines, milk, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Using a spoon or your hands, combine the ingredients until mixed. Gently form into even-sized patties.
- Place 1 cup of flour in a shallow dish. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Dredge all the patties in the flour.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt the butter and add the olive oil. Once hot, sear patties on both sides until golden brown. Work in batches. It will continue cooking in the oven.
- Transfer the browned patties to the greased baking dish. Pour the gravy evenly over the top of the patties. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
- Place baking dish in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until cooked through.
Video
Notes
- Try to use lean ground beef so you don’t end up having your steaks turn out really greasy.
- You can put this recipe together up to eight hours in advance and keep it in the fridge, so it’s a great option when you know you’ll have a busy evening.
- I like to make the patties on the big side as they will shrink down while cooking.
Nutrition
Calories: 490kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 271mg | Potassium: 459mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 364IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 117mg | Iron: 4mg
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Comments
Shawn says
I sautéed onions and cremini mushrooms and added them to the mushroom gravy.I also substituted cream of chicken and mushroom for the cream of mushroom soup. omitted the onion powder and Italian seasoning . To my hamburger I added diced onion, a generous amount of fresh basil and oregano, double the other spices and a liberal amount of salt and pepper. Baked as directed for 30 minutes. Tender and delicious!
Dkeaveney13 says
Really good!
Geeta says
Tried for the first time and I was so amazed as to how this turned out !!!! My family loved it !