Poor Man’s Steak Recipe

Poor Man’s Steak is a recipe that is easy to prepare, hearty and delicious. Ground beef is seasoned and then baked with a layer of gravy.

Poor Man’s Steak Recipe:

We love recipes that are easy to make, with not a lot of ingredients and that is why this Poor Man’s Steak is a family favorite. This recipe is hearty, delicious and full of flavor.

This recipe is what we call comfort food. It is the perfect meal all year long and great for my large family. This old fashion steak patties are made with cracker crumbs, seasoning, and milk then covered in an easy white gravy.

There is a variety of ways to make this simple recipe. Add a side of mashed potatoes and your favorite vegetables and your meal is complete.

What is Poor Man’s Steak:

If you have never had Poor Man’s Steak then you will definitely want to try this easy recipe. This delicious meal starts by making a hamburger patty combining cracker crumbs and seasoning. Then the hamburger patty is rolled in flour and then the seared patties are fried in a skillet.

The hamburger patty’s are then cooked in the oven with smothered gravy. It then becomes poor man’s hamburger steak. This recipes gets its name because of steak is an expensive cut of meat.

Since hamburger is cheaper than steak, that is why this recipe was created. Some say that this taste like hamburger steak that poor people eat.

Ingredients: 

For the Steak:

• Hamburger Meat 
• Saltine Cracker Crumbs 
• Whole Milk 
• Salt and Pepper 
• Italian Seasoning 
• Cayenne Pepper 
• Garlic Powder 
• Flour, for dipping 
• Butter 

For the Gravy:

• Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (10.75 oz each) 
• Whole Milk 
• Fresh Parsley, chopped 

How to Make Poor Man’s Steak: 

• Prepare Oven and Baking Pan – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9X13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  

• Combine Ingredients for Hamburger Patties – Mix together the hamburger meat, cracker crumbs and seasoning in a large mixing bowl (using your hands).  

• Form the Hamburger patties – Then form the mixture into 8 hamburger patties.  Then roll the patties in the flour.  

• Fry Hamburger Patties – Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Then melt the butter and fry the patties in the butter. Fry the hamburger patties over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side until they are golden browned.  

• Add Patties to baking dish – Then move the patties to the baking dish.  

• Mix Gravy Ingredients – In a medium size bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soups and the milk. 
  
• Pour over the Hamburger Patties – Pour this mixture evenly over the top of the browned patties in the baking pan.  

• Bake Ingredients – Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 50-55 minutes until the steaks reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.  

• Serve and Enjoy – Remove, top with the fresh parsley and then the steaks are ready to serve and enjoy. This is the perfect recipe to served with mashed potatoes.

What to Serve with Poor Man’s Steak:

• Baby Glazed Carrots
• Mashed Potatoes
• Garlic Bread

How to Store Leftovers:

Store the leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. This recipe is great to have for lunch the next day. All the ingredients marinate together to make for even more of a flavorful meal.

Poor Man’s Steak with Cream of Mushroom Soup Tips:

• Use Lean Ground Beef – We recommend using lean ground beef so that the steaks are not greasy.  

• Make Large Patties – The patties will shrink down once they are cooked. So make sure to form the patties larger than you think they would need to be.  
  
• Pan Fry – Don’t skip pan frying hamburger patties before baking them. We think that it adds more flavor to the patties.
  
• Makes a lot – This recipe is perfect for our large family, but if you are making for your smaller you may want to cut the recipe in half.
  
• Add Mushrooms – If your family loves slice mushrooms, mix in some with this gravy. We love hamburger steak and mushroom gravy.
  
• Onion Powder – Add in some onion powder for some additional flavor.
  
• Instant Pot – You can make this recipe in the Instant Pot.
  
• Panko Bread Crumbs – Panko Bread Crumbs is a great alternative if you don’t have any saltine crackers.

Can I Make this Recipe in the Crock Pot?

If you would rather make this recipe in the crock pot, follow these steps to make it in the slow cooker.

• Mix together hamburger patty ingredients – Mix the hamburger and the ingredients that are added and place in a loaf pan. Cover pan and refrigerator for up to 8 hours or overnight. This is a great idea to make in advance.
• Cut Hamburger – Cut the refrigerator hamburger loaf into slices.
• Sear Patties – Place hamburger patties in a large skillet and brown for about 2 minutes.
• Place in Crock Pot – Once hamburgers have cooked, place in the crock pot and pour mixed gravy ingredients over top.
• Cook – Once you have placed all ingredients in the crock pot, cook for about 6 to 8 hours.
• Serve and Enjoy – Add a side of potatoes and steamed vegetables and your meal is complete.

Can I use different kinds of Burger?

Yes, you can use different types of burger. If you have deer or elk in the freezer they will work with this recipe as well.

Easy Weeknight Dinner Idea:

If you are looking for an easy weeknight dinner idea, this is is the one I always make. I usually have most of the recipes available to me. I may change a few just to avoid going to the store.

This is recipe is filling, hearty and a family favorite.

Print Recipe here for Poor Man’s Steak:

More Easy Dinner Ideas:

• Easy Sunday Dinner Ideas
• Crock Pot Pork Chops Recipe
• Friday Night Dinner Ideas