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This Poor Man’s Steak Recipe is SO easy to make but is a family favorite! It’s such a budget-friendly way to feed big appetites!

Recipe created by my older sister, Brigette.

Poor Mans Steak — Sure to Be a New Family Favorite!

This stick-to-your-ribs recipe is sure to be a favorite for all those meat-and-potatoes guys out there! Growing up, it was always a meal that the men in our house looked forward to. Now, my little boys gobble up man-size portions of this and still ask for more! Although it requires a little bit of prep work, the ingredient list is simple and short.

What is Poor Mans Steak?

The original recipe came from an old church cookbook, submitted by a long-time family friend.

It’s an easy recipe that uses ground beef instead of a pricier piece of meat (like an actual steak). The ground beef is mixed with several ingredients, similar to meatloaf, except before baking it in the oven, you fry smaller squares of the mixture in a pan (or you could do it on a grill or griddle) then cover the meat in a creamy gravy before baking it fully in the oven.

This hearty recipe is especially delicious during the chilly winter months, but could work any time of the year!

Poor Man Steak Ingredients

• 2-3 lbs ground beef
• 1 cup cracker crumbs (or bread crumbs)
• 1 cup cold water (or milk)
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (you may need more)
• Oil for frying (start with 1/4 cup)
• 1 can (10.5 ounce) condensed cream of mushroom soup (or homemade equivalent)

How to Make Poor Mans Steak

1. In a very large bowl, mix together the ground beef, cracker crumbs, water, salt, and pepper until thoroughly combined.

2. Press beef mixture into a jelly roll pan (or a 9×13 pan if you’re only using 2 lbs of meat) and chill until the mixture holds together well. You could even put it in the freezer for a few minutes.

3. Dump flour into a shallow bowl or dish.

4. Cut chilled meat into squares and coat each square with flour. Set aside.

5. Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a large skillet or frying pan.

6. Working in small batches, fry a few meat squares at a time, just until golden brown on both sides (but not cooked through).

7. Place fried squares in a single layer in a large rimmed baking pan. (There will be a lot of grease, so make sure your pan can handle it!)

8. Once all squares are fried, pour the cream of mushroom soup over them.

9. Bake in a 350º preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until meat is fully cooked through.

10. Drain grease off meat and serve.

Variations of Poor Man’s Steak Recipe

This recipe is very flexible and can be made to suit your taste buds or whatever foods you have in the house.

• Try ground turkey, ground pork, or a combination of ground meats.
• Use your favorite seasoned breadcrumbs instead of cracker crumbs if you don’t have crackers in the house.
• Use milk, or even buttermilk, instead of water.
• If your meat mixture feels crumbly or like it won’t stick together, try mixing in 2 eggs.
• Add in some fresh or dried herbs for a burst of flavor.
• Mix up the gravy on top — make your own or go with more of a BBQ sauce or spicy sauce. It will totally change the flavor profile!

How to Serve This Poor Man Steak Recipe

My mom has been making Poor Man’s Steak for almost 30 years! She usually served it with some kind of potatoes, a tossed salad, and fresh homemade bread. Yum!

It’s also great with a bunch of roasted vegetables and sweet potato fries.

And any leftover “steak” is great for sandwiches or salads the next day.

Storing This Poor Mans Steak Recipe

If you have leftovers, simply refrigerate them in sealed food storage containers.

You could also freeze individual serving sizes for grab-and-go lunches later on.

How Do You Reheat Poor Man’s Steak?

This is one of those recipes that often tastes even better the next day — so definitely enjoy those leftovers!

Simply reheat the “steak” in the microwave for a minute or so, until it’s heated through.

Recipe

Poor Man’s Steak Recipe

Author Brigette

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Chill Time 1 hour hour

Servings 10

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2-3 lbs ground beef
• 1 cup cracker crumbs or bread crumbs
• 1 cup cold water or milk
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour you may need more
• 1/4 cup oil you may need more
• 10.5 ounce cream of mushroom soup canned or make your own

Instructions

• In a very large bowl, mix together the ground beef, cracker crumbs, water, salt, and pepper until thoroughly combined.
• Press beef mixture into a jelly roll pan (or a 9×13 pan if you’re only using 2 lbs of meat) and chill until the mixture holds together well. You could even put it in the freezer for a few minutes.
• Dump flour into a shallow bowl or dish.
• Cut chilled meat into squares and coat each square with flour. Set aside.
• Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a large skillet or frying pan.
• Working in small batches, fry a few meat squares at a time, just until golden brown on both sides (but not cooked through).
• Place fried squares in a single layer on a large rimmed baking pan. (There will be a lot of grease, so make sure your pan can handle it!)
• Once all squares are fried, pour the cream of mushroom soup over them.
• Bake in a 350º preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until meat is fully cooked through.
• Drain grease off the meat and serve.

Notes

This recipe is very flexible and can be made to suit your taste buds or whatever foods you have in the house.

• Try ground turkey, ground pork, or a combination of ground meats.
• Use your favorite seasoned breadcrumbs instead of cracker crumbs if you don’t have crackers in the house.
• Use milk, or even buttermilk, instead of water.
• If your meat mixture feels crumbly or like it won’t stick together, try mixing in 2 eggs.
• Add in some fresh or dried herbs for a burst of flavor.
• Mix up the gravy on top — make your own, or go with more of a BBQ sauce or spicy sauce. It will totally change the flavor profile!

Nutrition

Serving: 1square | Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 708mg | Potassium: 310mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 3mg

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Brigette is a full-time wife and mother who is blessed with three amazing bundles of energy and another on the way. She enjoys music, experimenting in the kitchen, homeschooling her children, finding great deals, long-distance running, and anything chocolate.

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