This fun take on classic salisbury steak is an easy comfort food dinner! Homemade ground beef steaks are smothered in the most amazing stout and onion bbq gravy. It’s a hearty one pan meal for the whole family.
This is one of my Beef recipes I know you’ll want to keep on hand!
When I posted my Classic Salisbury Steak recipe a couple of months ago, I knew I had to make a variation of it. It’s so perfectly comforting!
We’re huge fans of using beer with beef in recipes, like in my Beer and Horseradish Beef Stew. And from the reviews and amazing emails you guys have sent… you’re huge fans of it too!
Making this salisbury steak recipe isn’t overly complicated, it just has a few steps and some prep work, most of which can be done ahead of time! Now that’s my kind of recipe.
This recipe also utilizes a panade, which is a fancy term for a paste made from bread and milk. It keeps these patties so moist and tender, I promise it’s worth that small extra step.
How to make salisbury steak with stout bbq gravy?
This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.
- Make panade in food processor. You don’t have to use the food processor, but it makes it quick and easy.
- Make the patty mixture. Combine patty ingredients using your hands, until just mixed well.
- Form the patties. Divide the meat mixture into 6 equal-sized portions and shape into ovals.
- Sear. Cook the patties about 4-5 minutes per side (this will vary, depending on how thick your patties are), then transfer to a plate and keep warm.
- Cook onions. Cooking them in the same pan means all those glorious browned bits from the patties will add so much flavor to the pan sauce you’re about to create!
- Add other gravy ingredients. Whisk them to combine.
- Make slurry. Combine cornstarch and water in a separate bowl until smooth. Whisk into the gravy and simmer for about 3 minutes, or until thickened.
- Return patties to the pan. Give them a good coat in the gravy.
- Serve!
Helpful Tip!
Salisbury steak makes a great freezer meal! Once cooked, let it cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container (I like to use disposable foil pans – the heavy duty ones), cover, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake at 350°F for about 30-40 minutes.
Variations of this recipe
- Meatballs – for a fun twist on this recipe, instead of making oval-shaped patties, roll the meat mixture into meatballs! Brown them in the skillet, until very close to cooked through, then remove them to a plate and continue with making the gravy.
- Mushrooms – if you love mushrooms, go ahead and add 8oz sliced cremini or button mushrooms to the pan with the onions.
- Beer – you don’t have to use Guinness, that’s just the type we normally like to use. Any stout beer will work, and for that matter, any darker beer would likely work as well.
- Non-alcoholic – nearly all the alcohol is cooked off during the simmering, but if you need to make this alcohol-free, you can substitute with an equal amount of reduced sodium beef broth. Just know it will change the flavor, however.
FAQ’s
The main culprit to a tough and/or dry patty is overworking the meat. You want everything well mixed, but you don’t need to work it like you’re kneading a tough dough.
Typically, the bread and eggs will do a good job of giving the patties stability, but if you notice yours just aren’t staying together, for the next time, you can chill the patties once they’re formed. This will solidify the fats in the patties and will help them keep their shape.
It’s deceiving, because even though it has “steak” in the name, it’s actually not steak at all! Seasoned ground beef is formed into patties that roughly resemble a steak-shape. So just pick up some regular ol’ ground beef.
I like to use either 85/15 or 90/10. This way the beef has plenty of flavor, but isn’t greasy.
Making salisbury steak ahead of time
I think this tastes best when made fresh and enjoyed right away, but the good news is, many of the components can be made ahead of time!
The patties can be formed and kept refrigerated, onion can be sliced ahead of time, and even the gravy sauce can be stirred together before hand (just leave out the cornstarch and water).
Storage
Leftovers should be refrigerated in an airtight container and consumed within 3-4 days.
My Favorite Skillet!
Cast iron skillets give you a great sear, and are perfect for one pan recipes! Not to mention they’ll last a lifetime.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
Patties
- 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
- 2 slices white sandwich bread
- 1/2 medium yellow onion roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 – 1/3 cup stout beer (such as Guinness)
For the Skillet
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
Stout Bbq Gravy
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion halved and thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup stout beer (such as Guinness)
- 1 cup reduced sodium beef broth
- 1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp sriracha
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch + 1 Tbsp cold water or additional beef broth
Instructions
Make patties
- Roughly tear the bread into large pieces, then add to food processor. Add onion pieces and pulse a few times, until bread pieces are about pea-sized and onion is chopped.
- Add garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne, cumin and eggs to food processor and pulse again until combined well.
- Transfer contents to a large mixing bowl and stir in Guinness until a paste forms. Top with ground beef and use your hands to mix until just combined.
- Use the side of your hand to lightly score the meat in half. Then score each half into 3 sections. Now you have 6 roughly equally sized sections. Scoop out the meat in each section and form into oval shaped patties.
- Heat 1 Tbsp each butter and olive oil in a large skillet over MED HIGH heat. Once hot, add patties and sear about 4-5 minutes per side, until cooked through. Transfer patties to a plate and keep warm.
Make gravy
- Reduce skillet heat to MED and add 1 Tbsp butter. Add sliced onions and cook for 5-8 minutes, until softened and starting to brown a little. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Stir in beer and beef broth, scraping the bottom of the skillet to loosen any browned bits.
- Add soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar, sriracha, smoked paprika, salt and pepper and whisk or stir to combine well.
- In a small bowl combine cornstarch and water and whisk until smooth. Whisk mixture into the beef gravy and simmer until thickened to your liking, to where it at least coats the back of a spoon.
- Add patties back to the skillet and spoon gravy over the top of the patties. Cook another minute or two, until everything is heated through.
Serve
- Serve patties over mashed potatoes, with a generous spoonful or two of gravy over the top, sprinkled with fresh parsley if desired.
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Chef Tips
- This recipe goes perfectly with my Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes or No Boil Crockpot Mashed Potatoes!
- Salisbury steak makes a great freezer meal! Once cooked, let it cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container (I like to use disposable foil pans – the heavy duty ones), cover, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake at 350°F for about 30-40 minutes.
- Be careful not to over-mix the patty mixture, as this will result in tough patties.
- If the patties are falling apart during cooking, chilling them about 30 minutes next time will help them hold their shape.
- The best fat content for the ground beef in this recipe is 85/15 or 90/10.
Any nutritional information shared is an estimate, and is automatically calculated through a program. If calorie count is important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
The Chunky Chef is not a nutritionist and doesn’t provide full nutritional information for recipes as there is a potential for error and we wouldn’t want to potentially and/or unknowingly pass along incorrect information.
Kevin says
The flavors of this was so good! I cannot wait to make it again for dinner!
Kevin says
This is my kind of dinner! Cannot wait to make this again!
Lori says
I added mushrooms to this delightful meal. I didn’t have the white bread so I subbed with crushed ritz crackers. The tastebuds were dancing.
Beth says
Yummy! This is so delicious and very tasty! My family loves this recipe! Definitely a new favorite of ours!
Sandra says
This is really comforting! A new hit at my house!
Catalina says
These are such a delicious dinner idea! I will make it Sunday for my family!
Erin says
Stout BBQ gravy? What?! I’m so on this! This sounds so tasty.
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says
This salisbury steak looks incredibly delectable!
Vern says
Looks very delicious! Must try soon!