Guest post from Brigette Shevy
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.
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! The original recipe came from an old church cookbook, submitted by a long-time family friend.
This hearty recipe is especially delicious during the chilly winter months!
Poor Man’s Steak
- 2-3lbs ground beef
- 1 cup cracker crumbs
- 1 cup cold water
- Salt and pepper (I use approximately 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper)
- Flour
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (or homemade equivalent)
Mix together the ground beef, cracker crumbs, water, salt and pepper until thoroughly combined.
Press into a jelly roll pan (or a 9×13 pan if you’re only using 2lbs of meat) and chill until the mixture holds together well.
Cut into squares and dip into flour.
Fry in a small amount of oil just until golden brown on both sides (but not cooked through).
Place single layer in a baking pan and pour the cream of mushroom soup on top.
Bake 350 degrees for one hour.
Makes 8-10+ servings
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.
I make this and my family loves it! Your recipe is just like mine 🙂
Add a tablespoon of worcestershire sauce to the meat and use a can of ready made brown gravy instead of mushroom soup. Yum!
I used to put Worcestershire sauce on my ground meat recipes until I found out it has fish as an ingredient and my daughter’s bf is allergic. I never read the back of the bottle.
I just made this last week, and it was a hit, even with my fussy “foodie” husband. I just eliminated the canned soup and subbed homemade beef gravy instead, because I try to avoid processed foods. Thanks for a winner!!
I see that some people state that they don’t fry the meat, but do you still dip the “steak” in flour ? THANKS !!!
Maybe the following video on making Béchamel(white…soup-base) sauce will help someone new to it. So many possibilities with the end result(creamed vegetables…peas or in green bean/mushroom casserole, etc.) Thanks so much for sharing the homemade equivalent link for the ingredient variations along with the main recipe(coarse/extra coarse grated celery, garlic, & onion … http://www.rachaelraymag.com/fun-how-to/makeovers/cheese-graters … can be hidden in the meat mixture and carrots can jump in there, too)! 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfTR7juCgUg
Other mother sauces ~
http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/sauces/tp/Mother-Sauces.htm
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My guys and I enjoyed this very much today(didn’t use canned soup…made mushroom) ~ thanks! 🙂
hi ladies, for those who have made this when you bite into it, is the texture like a meatloaf or a cubed steak? just wondering, it looks great
Not as firm/sliceable as meatloaf(no egg binder) but not quite cubed steak with the fibrous aspect. It’s very tender though holds the shape…I used milk(actually sweet cream buttermilk powder with water mixed…low to no fat but very tasty) rather than water and the guys chose Ritz over saltines. Hope this helps ~
yes that does, thank you for your response
This is a family favorite, only I don’t bake it, instead I cook it on low for 4-6hrs. in the slow cooker. Turns out great!
Congratulations Brigette to you new bundle of energy on the way. What a wonderful blessing! 🙂
Love the slow cooker idea! I am going to have to try it. 🙂 Thanks for the congrats – we are excited! Just a few more weeks, and I am glad that the end is in sight! 🙂
We had something similar growing up but mom used cube steaks instead of ground beef. Same process of dipping in flour and cracker crumbs and frying. We called it “mushroom meat” because it was the same breading as she used for frying the morel mushrooms we find in the spring.
And I can always find cube steaks for cheaper!
Oooh! Now I will have to try it with cube steaks!
It is also good made with pork cutlets.
I’ve been making this for about 12 years now and it’s delish! So, I’ll add in a few tips:
1) You can form 1-2 “loafs” out of it, wrap in saran wrap, and chill (takes up a LOT less space than a 9×13. I’ve actually never heard of doing it that way.).
2) Flavored bread crumbs are delicious to use as well. But, if you’re using cracker crumbs (and I usually do), Ritz are the best for this recipe! Any variety of Ritz really!
3) You don’t “have” to dip it in flour (I’ve never done that), but I would think that that is a “better” way to do it. Just putting it out there in case someone despises doing that, LOL, just letting you know you don’t have to. And, as the author here says, do it just until browned–NOT cooked (that’ll happen in the oven).
4) Depending on the brand of cream of mushroom, it may or may not “pour” over the top. So, I usually mix (in a separate bowl) the soup with some milk until it IS “pour-able”….and then pour it over the top. The thing is….it doesn’t really “melt” in the oven, so if you’re just clumping it on top, it’s going to come out of the oven just like that (only, browned…). So definitely make sure you can “pour” it over the top.
This is one of my husbands FAVORITE recipes….and my husband is a huge steak fan, haha! Good luck ladies, and thanks to your guest poster for sharing this much-loved recipe!! :o)
{PS: I originally got it out of an Amish cookbook. The Amish are very frugal and are amazing at being able to turn out some delicious, stick-to-your-rubs food with very few, very inexpensive ingredients!}
I can’t stand my typos above. *blush* Just sayin’.
Wow! These are some very helpful tips!! Thanks SO much for taking the time to type this out. 🙂
Thanks for these awesome tips! I really wanna try this for our family 🙂
We make a version of this. The only differences are we use milk instead of water and put a package of onion soup mix on before the mushroom soup. This is a favorite of many people. I make this every few years for our church’s valentine dinner that I help coordinate. Makes a good main dish that is liked by many, hard to mess up (like dry pork chops or chicken), and is not expensive per serving.
Do you sprinkle the onion soup on top before pouring the soup or mix it with the meat? Thanks!
I sprinkle it on the meat then put the soup on top of that.
Love these ideas – thanks!
Do you add any type of liquid to the soup before pouring over top? Or just leave in condensed form?
I don’t add any extra liquid – however, if you read the comments of Tasha below, she has some really helpful tips that will thoroughly answer this question!
My Great Aunt used to make this and we all loved it! Pinning for later!
It is so awesome to see one of our families favorite recipes on this blog!! I’ve been skipping the ‘fry in oil’ part and it turns out just fine. This is a great dish to make in batches and freeze.
Thanks for the ‘can be frozen’ tip.
At what point do you freeze it? Raw or after baking? I thought that the “cream of” soups didn’t freeze well.
I freeze the browned patties without any topping. When you do that, you can actually dump them into a pan while frozen, pour the soup on top and bake. Great for a VERY last minute company meal!
this looks fantastic, thanks so much!
You are welcome!
is there anything that can be used as a sub for the cream of Mushroom soup , my mother-in-law is highly allergic to them and cant eat anything that has them in it
Thank you
Just pick your favorite cream soup… maybe cream of onion
I agree with susan l… Any kind of cream soup that compliments ground beef flavor, or make your own cream or brown gravy.