What’s Cooking in Kelli’s Kitchen

I visited with some friends at the American Legion Post 16 this last week. The topic of food came up, and the discussion turned towards Salisbury Steak. One of my companions asked if I would write an article with my go-to recipe. I recollect an article I had written over the past three years that featured re-imagining classic TV dinner meals, and I thought I included this precise recipe. Since this is a short deadline week (Schroedinger’s Thanksgiving–simultaneously ahead of me as I write and behind you as you read), I thought I would reshare the article written on May 8, 2023.

Related to the Hamburg Steak, the precursor to the hamburger, the Salisbury Steak is generally recognized to be a mixture of ground beef, veggies, bread crumbs, and egg, roasted in the oven and topped with brown gravy. The Hamburg Steak was similar but is made without veggies and was typically consumed raw, an interesting tidbit to consider when preparing for your next barbecue. While the Hamburg Steak originated in Germany, the Salisbury Steak is a dish that was birthed in the United States. Named after Dr. James Henry Salisbury, a Civil War-era dietician, the Salisbury Steak rose in popularity during the war as an easy-to-prepare, nutrient and protein-rich meal that was fed to soldiers. Dr. Salisbury believed that ample protein was the answer to “wasting,” a condition related to malnutrition and chronic diarrhea. After the war, Dr. Salisbury wrote what may be the first book about diet and nutrition published in the United States. In “The Relation of Alimentation and Disease,” Dr. Salisbury attempted to help people understand the link between health and a balanced diet that includes animal proteins rich in B vitamins.

For my homemade Salisbury Steak, I considered a variety of recipes published by Kenji from Serious Eats, the Food Network, and a smorgasbord of food bloggers–but ultimately, Jacque Pepin’s recipe rose to the top.

Salisbury Steak 

By Jacque Pepin - Slightly modified by Kelli Kelly

Ingredients:

3 T Vegetable oil

1 medium Yellow onion, chopped

4 ribs of Celery, chopped

2 Apples

1 ½ lb Ground beef

2 large Eggs

1 t minced Garlic

1 t Salt

½ t Fresh ground black pepper

2-3 slices Firm, fresh bread

For the Sauce

2 T Vegetable oil

6 oz Mushrooms, cut in four

2 Carrots

1 medium Yellow onion, peeled

1 c Red wine

1 c Water

1 T Soy sauce

¼ t Fresh ground black pepper

1 ½ Tomato paste

¼ t Tabasco Sauce

½ t Salt

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan. When hot, add the onion and celery and cook for four to five minutes over medium heat until soft. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 400°.
3. Core, do not peel the apples, cutting them into ½ inch pieces. Add the apples to the onion and celery mixture.
4. Place the ground beef in a large bowl. Add the vegetable mixture and stir in the eggs, garlic, salt, and pepper.
5. Tear the slices of bread into large pieces and pulse in a food processor until crumbed. Add bread crumbs to the meat mixture and mix well to incorporate.
6. Dampen your hands with water and form the mix into six large patties. Arrange in a large roasting pan and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, make the sauce: pulse the onions and carrots in a food processor until finely chopped. Heat oil in a saucepan, add mushrooms, and cook over medium heat until they have given up their moisture and are lightly browned. Add onion-carrot mix and sauté briefly. Deglaze with red wine, bring to a simmer and reduce for about five minutes. Add water, soy sauce, pepper, tomato paste, tabasco, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and gently simmer until reduced to a sauce-like consistency.
8. When the steaks have cooked for 20 minutes, remove them from the oven. Spoon the sauce over and around the steaks and place them back in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside until ready to serve.