Salisbury Steak (Mom's Recipe)

This is one of those dishes that I make very often. Its up there on my list of comfort food! What makes this so unique and equally delicious is the steaks are in a tomato based sauce rather than a brown gravy. You would do well to serve this over white rice, I honestly could not imagine it going with anything else after all these years....


Mom's Salisbury Steak


The Steaks:

3 pds hamburger

1/2 onion, finely diced

1 teaspoon Fennel seed

3 pieces white bread soaked in 1/4 cup of milk ( or enough to get them moist)

Season Salt and Pepper to taste (Regular salt will work fine too)

1 Egg, beaten

Pre heat oven to 350

Soak your bread and tear into pieces into a large bowl with all the other ingredients, discard the milk. Mix all ingredients to combine. Mold into miniature meat loaves ( or Salisbury steak patties, but not too flat or they will burn.. I use a 3/4 cup measure and go at it from there you should have about 6-8 steaks by the time your done. Place on a lined baking sheet, and bake for 40 minutes. Meanwhile....


The Sauce

1 onion, medium to small dice

1 green pepper , medium to small dice

2-4 stalks of celery, medium to small dice ( depending on how much green pepper and onion you have, you want it balanced)

1/2 to 1 stick of margarine ( or butter, mom always used Margarine)

2 cans Tomato Soup

Season Salt and Pepper to taste

Over medium to medium high heat, melt the margarine. Add the onion, green pepper and celery. Saute until all vegetables are tender and the onion is translucent, but not brown. Add the 2 cans of tomato soup, add 1 1/2 to 2 cans of water. Leave uncovered, until the sauce reduces a little... about 10 minutes give or take. Check for seasoning, now add the steaks in, bathe them in the sauce, cover and simmer on low for another 5- 10 minutes, (Depending on how hungry you are) Serve over hot white rice!!

Be careful with the salt in this recipe, for some reason this recipe tends to get over salted fairly easily. I would go easy on the seasoning too until you have simmered the steaks in the sauce as well. They add A LOT of flavor.


Now, just to show the 2 schools of culinary thoughts on this between my brother and I. If you are really hungry and want this done fast, when sauteing the vegetables for the sauce, do it on high and do it quickly for 2-3 minutes, being careful not to burn or brown them. Add your soup and steak, uncovered simmer for 5- 10. The sauce, as well as the vegetables, will taste more fresh, lighter, and it comes out really good. Just make sure your vegetables are cooked through to al dente. I scarf it down every time my brother makes it this way.


My method, I saute the vegetables on LOW. I also add pepper to them to create a flavor base. (no salt at this point) And I sit there with them and let them cook lovingly and slowly until translucent and tender. Then I add the soup and my seasonings, and pretty much continue. And if i can, i allow the steaks to simmer in the sauce closer to 20 - 30 minutes on low, so the steaks do not fall apart. The effect of this is a more homey, tastes like you spent all day cooking. Also instead of water, if I have beef broth on hand, I will use that instead. And that is how i make it.