Description
Hearty Amish Poor Man’s Steak blends humble ingredients into a comforting midwestern classic, delivering rich flavors without breaking the bank. Home cooks savor this budget-friendly dish that turns simple ground beef into a satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Ingredients:
- 1 pound (454 grams) ground beef
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup cracker crumbs (like saltines, crushed)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Liquid and Additional Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 (10.5 ounces / 298 grams) can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 (10.5 ounces / 298 grams) can water or broth
Instructions
- Craft a hearty beef mixture by blending ground beef with milk, cracker crumbs, salt, pepper, and finely minced onion in a spacious mixing bowl, ensuring all components meld seamlessly.
- Shape the combined mixture into a uniform loaf, positioning it on a chilled plate. Encase the loaf securely and allow it to rest in the refrigerator overnight, intensifying its robust flavors and solidifying its structure.
- Retrieve the chilled beef loaf and slice it into uniform ½-inch thick medallions. Delicately dust each slice with a light coating of flour, creating a protective exterior that will crisp during cooking.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high temperature and carefully sear the beef slices until they develop a golden-brown crust, which will enhance both texture and depth of flavor.
- Transition the browned beef medallions into a baking vessel, preparing a silky sauce by whisking cream of mushroom soup with water or broth until achieving a smooth, consistent texture.
- Lavishly drape the soup mixture over the beef slices, ensuring comprehensive coverage. Shield the baking dish with aluminum foil and roast in a preheated 350°F oven for one hour, allowing the meat to tenderize and the sauce to transform into a rich, luxurious gravy.
- Present the succulent poor man’s steak atop a pillowy bed of creamy mashed potatoes or tender egg noodles, garnishing with the luscious mushroom gravy.
Notes
- Chilling the beef mixture overnight helps develop deeper, richer flavors and allows the ingredients to bind together more effectively.
- Use saltine or butter crackers for authentic texture, as they provide a better binding agent compared to other cracker types.
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or lean ground chicken for a lighter, healthier version of the dish.
- Gluten-free option: Replace wheat flour with cornstarch or gluten-free flour blend when dredging the meat slices.
- Prep Time: 8 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg