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Poor Man's Steak
Poor Man’s Steak is a savory, old-fashioned hamburger steak recipe that the whole family will enjoy. Warm and hearty, get dinner on the table in just 1 hour.
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Packed with flavor, Poor Man’s Steak is a warm and filling family dinner that the whole family will enjoy. This down-home comfort food is easy to whip up for a hearty weeknight dinner.
MORE RECIPES: Salisbury Steak | Hamburger Steaks | Balsamic Glazed Steak Rolls
Poor Man’s Steak
An old-fashioned hamburger steak recipe smothered in a delicious gravy, Poor Man’s Steak is simple and savory. Get homemade dinner on the table in just an hour with this filling recipe.
The ‘steak’ patties are made with perfectly seasoned ground beef, baked in the oven, and then covered in a tasty mushroom gravy. Serve these hamburger steaks with creamy mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, or roasted vegetables.
This wholesome dinner recipe is perfect to have on hand for affordable family meals. Adults and kids alike will enjoy this classic dinner. You can even serve it with an easy brownie recipe for dessert.
Poor Man’s Steak Ingredients
- Ground beef
- Crackers - saltine crackers, crushed
- Milk - whole milk
- Italian seasoning
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Paprika
- Cayenne
- Salt - to taste for the flour dredge and patties
- Pepper - to taste for the flour dredge and patties
- Flour - all-purpose flour for dredging, or more if needed
- Butter
- Oil - olive oil
- Cream of mushroom soup - cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
- Parsley - fresh parsley
The steak patties will shrink down while cooking, so you may want to make them on the big side. You’ll also want to use lean ground beef so you don't end up having your steaks turn out really greasy.
If you don’t like mushrooms you can use a different cream soup to make your gravy. Cream of celery is a popular alternative choice. You could also add chopped onions as well as fresh or canned mushrooms to this recipe.
While Poor Man’s Steak is already quick to make, you can also put this dinner recipe together up to eight hours in advance and keep it in the fridge. It’s a great option to have on hand when you know you’ll have a busy evening.
How to Make Poor Man’s Steak
FIRST STEP: Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
SECOND STEP: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soups and milk and then stir in the chopped parsley. Set aside.
THIRD STEP: 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.
FOURTH STEP: Using a spoon or your hands, combine the ingredients until mixed. Gently form into even-sized patties.
FIFTH STEP: Place 1 cup of flour in a shallow dish. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Dredge all the patties in the flour.
SIXTH STEP: 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.
SEVENTH STEP: 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.
EIGHTH STEP: Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until cooked through.
Can I use a different ground meat for this recipe?
Ground beef, ground pork, or ground turkey will all work well for these poor man’s hamburger steaks.
What can I add to the hamburger mixture?
Chopped onions, cheese, and fresh mushrooms would all be delicious additions to the hamburger steaks.
Can I freeze Poor Man’s Steak?
These hamburger steaks can be frozen as leftovers or they can be prepared in advance and then frozen to cook and enjoy later.
How to Store Poor Man’s Steak
IN THE FRIDGE: Store leftover hamburger steaks in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze either the cooked leftovers or the raw patties for a meal later. Store steaks in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two months.
Poor Man’s Steak
Poor Man’s Steak is a savory, old-fashioned hamburger steak recipe that the whole family will enjoy. Warm and hearty, get dinner on the table in just 1 hour.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
Steaks
- 2 pounds 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
- teaspoon 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 9x13-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 the baking dish in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until cooked through.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 253mg | Potassium: 469mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 313IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 4mg
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Comments
Cheryl Newton says
Hi, Shauna, from Clearfield, Utah! For this recipe, did you measure the crackers before or after crushing? Thanks, Cheryl
Layne Henderson says
It's 1.5 cups after crushing. Enjoy!