Description
Amish Poor Man’s Steak is a comforting, homestyle dish featuring seasoned ground beef slices smothered in a creamy mushroom gravy. This recipe involves marinating the beef mixture overnight, pan-frying to brown the slices, and finishing with a baked mushroom gravy, resulting in tender, flavorful steaks perfect served over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef Mixture
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup cracker crumbs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
Gravy
- 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 (10.5 oz) can water or broth
For Coating
- Flour, for dredging
Instructions
- Mix the beef mixture: In a bowl, combine ground beef, milk, cracker crumbs, salt, pepper, and finely chopped onion. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Shape and chill: Form the mixture into a loaf shape, place it on a plate or baking dish, cover, and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to meld and the loaf to set properly.
- Slice the beef loaf: Remove the beef loaf from the refrigerator and slice it into 1/2-inch thick slices or shape the mixture into individual patties if preferred.
- Dredge in flour: Lightly coat each beef slice or patty with flour, ensuring even coverage to help achieve a crust while frying and to thicken the gravy later.
- Pan-fry the slices: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and pan-fry the beef slices until browned on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side, to develop flavor and color.
- Prepare the baking dish: Transfer the browned beef slices into a baking dish evenly spaced to prepare for baking with gravy.
- Make the mushroom gravy: In a separate bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soup and the can of water or broth until smooth for a creamy gravy base.
- Pour gravy over beef: Pour the mushroom soup mixture evenly over the browned beef slices in the baking dish, ensuring they are well covered.
- Bake the dish: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the beef and gravy for 1 hour, or until the beef is heated through and the sauce has thickened to a rich gravy consistency.
- Serve: Serve the Poor Man’s Steak slices smothered in mushroom gravy, ideally over mashed potatoes or egg noodles for a hearty meal.
Notes
- Allowing the beef loaf to chill overnight helps it hold its shape better when sliced and fried.
- Using broth instead of water in the gravy can add more flavor.
- Adjust seasoning to taste before forming the beef mixture.
- Serve with mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or steamed vegetables for a complete meal.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently.
