Pioneer Woman salisbury steak from The Pioneer Woman site shapes seasoned ground beef into oval patties and smothers them in a mushroom gravy. And the skillet dinner serves 4 to 6 at approximately 520 calories per serving in just 40 minutes, since the steaks and gravy cook in the same pan.
Where a plain hamburger steak gets only salt and pepper, this version mixes Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and brown sugar into the meat before shaping. So each patty carries a savory-sweet depth on its own, and the gravy layered on top doubles down instead of doing all the heavy lifting.
Pressing the patties firmly into 1-inch thick ovals is what keeps them from falling apart in the skillet. And a loose, gently shaped patty crumbles the moment you flip it, because the breadcrumbs and egg need compression to bind the meat properly.
Source: The Pioneer Woman (thepioneerwoman.com)
Pioneer Woman Salisbury Steak Recipe
Course: BeefCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes25
minutes520
kcalSeasoned ground beef patties sear golden on both sides in a skillet before mushrooms and onion cook in the same pan drippings. Then butter and flour build a roux, beef stock deglazes the fond, and heavy cream with Dijon finishes the gravy before the steaks go back in.
Ingredients
- For the steaks:
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef (80/20)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon mustard powder
3/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- For the gravy:
8 oz. sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 1/2 cups beef stock
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Chopped parsley, to serve
Directions
- Mix the steak mixture: Combine the ground beef, Worcestershire, ketchup, brown sugar, egg, breadcrumbs, mustard powder, seasoned salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- Shape the patties: Then divide into 6 even portions and firmly press each into a 1-inch thick oval shape.
- Score the tops: Once shaped, press lines into each patty with your finger to give them a steak appearance.
- Heat the skillet: Then heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil, and swirl to coat.
- Sear the first side: Once the oil is hot, place the patties in the skillet and cook until golden, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Flip and finish: Then flip and cook the other side until the internal temperature reaches 160°F, another 6 to 8 minutes.
- Set the steaks aside: Once cooked, remove the patties from the skillet and set them on a plate.
- Cook the mushrooms and onion: In the same skillet over medium heat, add the mushrooms and onion and cook about 6 minutes until softened and lightly browned.
- Build the roux: Then add the butter, stir to melt, and sprinkle in the flour and seasoned salt.
- Toast the flour: Stir until no streaks of flour remain, about 1 minute.
- Add the stock: Then increase to medium-high, pour in the beef stock, and scrape the bottom to release the browned bits.
- Thicken the gravy: Once simmering, reduce to medium-low and cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- Finish the gravy: Then stir in the heavy cream, ketchup, Worcestershire, and Dijon mustard, and let it return to a light simmer.
- Return the steaks: Once the gravy simmers, nestle the patties back in and spoon gravy over them for 2 to 3 minutes to rewarm.
- Serve: Then plate the steaks with gravy spooned on top and garnish with chopped parsley.
FAQs
Can I use a leaner ground beef?
The recipe calls for 80/20 ground beef, and that fat ratio keeps the patties moist through the 12 to 16 minutes of searing. And leaner blends like 90/10 lose too much moisture during cooking, so the finished steaks taste dry even under the gravy.
But if you prefer less fat, 85/15 is the leanest you can go without sacrificing texture. Since the breadcrumbs and egg already help hold moisture, anything leaner than that works against both binders at once.
Why does the gravy use both ketchup and Dijon mustard?
The ketchup adds a tangy sweetness that rounds out the beef stock base, and the Dijon brings a sharp bite that cuts through the heavy cream. So together they create a gravy with more dimension than a plain flour-and-stock version would have.
And both condiments appear in the steak mixture too, which ties the patty flavor directly to the sauce. Since the same seasonings show up in two places, every bite of meat and gravy tastes like it belongs together.
What sides pair best with salisbury steak?
The source page suggests mashed potatoes as the top pairing, since the creamy texture soaks up the mushroom gravy perfectly. And honey-glazed carrots or jalapeño cornbread from the page round out the plate with color and a little heat.
For a bigger Pioneer Woman dinner spread, the pioneer woman sausage gravy technique of building a roux in the same skillet mirrors this gravy method. But keep sides starchy and simple, because the rich cream-based sauce already carries the flavor.
Can I make this ahead and reheat?
The patties and gravy store together in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and the gravy keeps the steaks moist as they sit. Then reheat gently in a covered skillet over medium-low until the gravy simmers, about 10 minutes.
But the seared crust on the patties softens in storage, so they will not have the same golden exterior after reheating. And add a splash of beef stock when warming, because the flour in the gravy continues to thicken overnight.
How is salisbury steak different from meatloaf?
Both use seasoned ground beef with breadcrumbs and egg as binders, but salisbury steak shapes into individual oval patties seared in a skillet. And meatloaf forms into one large loaf baked in the oven, like the pioneer woman cheeseburger meatloaf, which takes over 2 hours compared to this 40-minute skillet recipe.
The gravy is the other key difference, since salisbury steak builds its mushroom sauce in the same pan using the fond from searing. And meatloaf typically gets a glaze on top instead, so the two dishes taste related but deliver the beef in completely different ways.
