Enjoy a classic beef dinner from the U.S. Navy, based on a recipe used to feed sailors in the year World War II ended and Noble Research Institute began.
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Noble and a Navy Favorite
Salisbury steak, or hamburger steak as it was called before World War I, was a staple in Navy cookbooks by 1904. We think it’s likely that founder Lloyd Noble might have enjoyed a Salisbury steak or two during his brief service in the Navy, after enlisting in spring 1918. The steak is named after Dr. J.H. Salisbury, who promoted a meat-based diet as the means to optimal health in the mid-1800s. His original recipe called for “the muscle pulp of lean beef (to be) made into cakes and broiled,” and it was served with Worcester sauce, mustard, horseradish or lemon juice.
Ingredients
For Salisbury Steaks:
1 ½ pounds ground beef
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup bread crumbs
½ cup grated onion
½ cup beef stock
For Gravy:
2 tablespoons fat (from cooking the meat)
2 tablespoons flour
12.5 ounces beef stock
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Step 1:Combine the ground beef, beef stock, salt, bread crumbs and grated onion in a large bowl, and mix to combine.
Step 2:Form patties from the meat mixture. You should be able to get about six to seven patties.
Step 3:Heat a nonstick skillet to medium-high heat, and cook patties. Flip the meat about halfway through cooking to ensure even cooking.
Step 4:Once the meat has reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, set it aside. Keep about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan to make gravy.
Step 5:Add the beef stock to the meat drippings, salt and pepper as desired, then add the flour and whisk vigorously to combine so that there are no clumps.
Step 6:Bring the gravy to a boil, continuing to stir until thickened.
Step 7:Lower the heat on the gravy and simmer before serving.
Step 8:Ladle the gravy over the cooked meat patty.
This recipe is based on the CHOW blog post, written by Matthew T. Eng, published by the Naval Historical Foundation. Eng shares his experience with cooking “Griddle-Broiled Salisbury Steaks,” which was originally published in the 1945 Cookbook of the United States Navy. You can read the blog post and see the original recipe atwww.navyhistory.org/2017/02/chow-salisbury-steak/.
The steak is named after Dr. J.H. Salisbury, who promoted a meat-based diet as the means to optimal health in the mid-1800s. His original recipe called for “the muscle pulp of lean beef (to be) made into cakes and broiled,” and it was served with Worcester sauce, mustard, horseradish or lemon juice.
Salisbury steak traditionally calls for ground sirloin, which is a lean cut of beef known for its tenderness. On the other hand, hamburger steak can be made with pretty much any cut of beef, including chuck, round, or a bit of both. Ideally, cuts with slightly more fat content are used to retain moisture while cooking.
Another helpful hint is to tightly pack the meat mixture when forming the patties. This ensures that the ingredients meld seamlessly, creating a cohesive mixture that can withstand the heat of the pan and the action of flipping without falling apart.
What Kind of Meat Is Salisbury Steak Made Of? Like we said, Salisbury steak isn't really steak at all—it's made from ground beef. You can think of it sort of like a hamburger patty without the bun, or like a pan-fried single-serving meatloaf, or, think of it as rather meatball-like.
James Salisbury, a germ theory pioneer, invented Salisbury Steak to combat illness among Civil War troops. Best known in our time as a staple of TV dinners and bargain buffets, the Salisbury Steak actually has its beginnings as a proposed cure for digestive illness during the Civil War.
Salisbury steak is a dish originating in the United States and made from a blend of ground beef and other ingredients, being considered a version of Hamburg steak.
This hamburger steak dish was named after Dr. James Henry Salisbury, a doctor who studied nutrition in the 19th century and was a big proponent of minced beef as a health food, according to Smithsonian magazine.
The common saying was that “hamburger steak” sounded too German for Americans during WWI, which prompted people to call it by its originator, hence “Salisbury Steak” became synonymous with a bun-less hamburger.
In its traditional form, Salisbury steak can be high in fat, calories, and sodium. However, there are ways to make Salisbury steak lean more on the healthier side, such as sauteing mushrooms and onions in olive oil rather than butter, making homemade low-sodium gravy, and substituting lean meat for full-fat meat.
What Is the Difference Between Salisbury Steak and Swiss Steak? A Salisbury steak is made from ground beef that's formed into a patty, and Swiss steak is actually steak. Additionally, Salisbury steak usually has a gravy that consists of beef broth, and Swiss steak is known for being cooked with tomatoes and onions.
What's more, country-fried steak is breaded and fried, whereas Salisbury steak is just pan-fried in a little oil. Breading and frying a cube steak locks in the flavor. It's the best comfort food and a popular Southern-style breakfast, usually served with eggs and biscuits.
Salisbury steak is essentially a chopped steak with a few extra ingredients mixed in with the ground meat and then is served with pan gravy. Since its birth during the civil war era by Dr. James Henry Salisbury, it has evolved by adding different ingredients to the chopped beef and the sauce.
Introduction: My name is Terrell Hackett, I am a gleaming, brainy, courageous, helpful, healthy, cooperative, graceful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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