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Poor Man’s Steak on a spatula above a pan of gravy, showing the golden-brown crust and thick mushroom sauce.
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Poor Man's Steak Recipe

This old-fashioned favorite starts with tender, pan-fried beef patties and ends with a rich, creamy gravy that brings back memories of weeknight dinners at home.
Course Lunch or Dinner
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 574kcal
Author Deb Clark

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 cup crushed saltine crackers or plain breadcrumbs
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour for dredging
  • 2 tablespoons oil for frying
  • For the Gravy
  • 10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a large bowl, add the ground beef, crushed crackers, milk, Worcestershire sauce, and Montreal Steak Seasoning.
    Pouring milk into a mixing bowl filled with ground beef, crushed saltine crackers, and Montreal steak seasoning.
  • Mix until just combined. Don’t overmix—just a gentle mash will do. Form into 6 rectangular or oval patties.

    Hand holding a raw oval-shaped beef patty above a bowl filled with shaped meat patties for Poor Man’s Steak.
  • Add the flour to a small plate. Lightly coat each patty in flour on both sides.
    Raw beef patty being dredged in flour in a small bowl, ready for browning.
  • 
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and brown the patties for 3–4 minutes per side. You’re looking for that golden crust, not fully cooked centers yet. Remove and set aside.

    Golden brown beef patties cooking in a skillet, freshly seared.
  • In the same skillet, whisk together cream of mushroom soup, milk, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer gently and scrape up those delicious brown bits.

    Cream of mushroom soup, Worcestershire sauce, and milk being whisked together in a skillet to make gravy.
  • Nestle the browned patties back into the skillet, spoon a little gravy over each patty. Cover, and place in the oven for 20 minutes. The patties will cook through and soak up the creamy gravy goodness.
*
    Skillet full of seared ground beef patties simmered in cream of mushroom gravy, ready to serve.
  • Dish it up over mashed potatoes, rice, or buttered noodles. Add a veggie on the side and boom—weeknight comfort food, done!

Notes

*Alternatively, you can simmer it covered on top of the stove on low heat for 25–30 minutes. OR place the browned patties in the crockpot, cover with the gravy and cook on low for 4 hours.
If you enjoy mushrooms, add a can of drained sliced mushrooms to the gravy - so good!

Nutrition

Calories: 574kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 630mg | Potassium: 602mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 92IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 5mg
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