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Amish Poor Man’s Steak

Amish Poor Man’s Steak is the ultimate ground beef recipe for when you need a budget friendly dinner that tastes expensive. These tender patties are dredged in flour, browned to perfection, and smothered in a rich, savory onion gravy. It’s classic comfort food that uses simple pantry staples like crackers and milk to keep the meat juicy. Better than Salisbury steak and perfect for serving over mashed potatoes or egg noodles. Try this easy family meal tonight.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6 SERVINGS

Ingredients
  

For the patties

  • 2 pounds ground beef 80/20 recommended
  • 1 small yellow onion finely diced (about ¾ cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 large egg
  • ¾ cup cracker crumbs or breadcrumbs/panko
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika optional
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder optional
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder optional
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour for dredging
  • 2 tablespoons oil for browning

For the gravy

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large onion thinly sliced
  • 8 ounces mushrooms sliced (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup milk or half-and-half for richer gravy
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
  • Salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
  • In a large bowl, mix ground beef, diced onion, garlic, egg, crumbs, milk, Worcestershire, and seasonings until just combined.
  • Shape into 6 oval patties. Rest 10 minutes.
  • Dredge patties lightly in flour. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown patties 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer to baking dish.
  • Reduce skillet heat to medium. Add butter, sliced onions (and mushrooms if using). Cook 6–8 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
  • Sprinkle flour over onions, stir, and cook 1–2 minutes. Slowly whisk in broth, then milk. Simmer until smooth. Stir in Worcestershire, pepper, and salt to taste.
  • Pour gravy over patties. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15–20 minutes until patties are cooked through and gravy thickened.
  • Rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For gluten-free: use gluten-free crumbs and thicken gravy with cornstarch slurry instead of flour.
If gravy thickens too much while baking, stir in a splash of broth before serving.
Leftovers keep 4 days refrigerated and reheat best with a little extra broth.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!