Learn the differences between Salisbury Steak vs Hamburger Steak and how to prepare both with this simple guide.
Confession…I did not know the difference between Hamburger Steak and Salisbury Steak until a few years ago. I have made my husband’s favorite and hamburger steak recipe for at least 8-10 years now and we always talk about how it is SO MUCH BETTER than any other restaurant hamburger steak we have ever had. Want to know why…because it’s not even a true regular hamburger steak. It’s a Salisbury steak. I guess this might be a good indication of what our family favorite is!
See full recipe card for our version of Salisbury Steak at the bottom of the page with detailed ingredients list and full step-by-step instructions. Print to save in your cookbook binder or bookmark this page! This recipe will make it into your meal planning time and time again.
History of Salisbury Steak vs Hamburger Steak
The hamburger steak was made popular by German immigrants in the 19th century. It was then known as the Hamberg steak and served several different ways, but eventually it was being served most often between two slices of bread. Any guess what that is today? A hamburger. Who knew!
The Salisbury steak was invented by Dr. Salisbury, Dr. James Henry Salisbury to be exact. He was a chemist and physician who promoted the Salisbury steak to aid with digestion with his addition of egg and breadcrumbs to a traditional Hamburg Steak recipe. See these articles on the Hamburg Steak and Salisbury Steak to see how they were traditionally prepared on other historical context on the dishes.
Key Differences Between Salisbury Steak vs Hamburger Steak
The main difference between Salisbury Steak vs Hamburger Steak is the way the ground beef is seasoned and texture it develops. The only thing a traditional hamburger steak is seasoned with is salt and pepper. A Salisbury Steak on the other hand has additional seasonings such as garlic and onion powder which give it a more savory flavor as well as some Worcestershire sauce in the patty and gravy.
In addition to the extra seasonings, Salisbury Steak also typically has breadcrumbs as well as an egg which gives it more of a meatloaf or meatball like texture.
Other Ingredients & Substitutions
Both the hamburger steak and Salisbury steak are made with a gravy containing onions, mushrooms and peppers, or a combination of these ingredients. Our Salisbury steak recipe uses an only onions only gravy to appeal to the whole family. If you enjoy some sauteed button mushrooms, add them! If you enjoy bell peppers, go for it. Make these basic recipes your own by playing with different seasonings you enjoy or different gravy add-ins.
Farmhouse 181 Easy Salisbury Steak Recipe
Simple ingredients crafted together will be sure to make you a meal you and your family thoroughly enjoy! This skillet Salisbury steak recipe will be put on repeat in your home no doubt.
If you want to do only hamburger steak, opt for using only meat, salt and pepper in your patty mixture, with brown onion gravy recipe staying the same.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Ground Beef
- Plain Bread crumbs
- Egg
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Worcestershire sauce
- All Purpose Flour
- Beef Broth
Instructions for Preparing
Preparing the Steak
First, chop your fresh onions into your preferred shape, strips, or smaller diced chunks. We dice our onion so they are less detectable in our meal.
I use either a sauté pan, nonstick skillet, or a large cast iron skillet for this recipe. Put your pan on medium heat then add the oil. Then add your onions to begin to sauté while you are making your steak patties.
Combine your ground meat, bread crumbs, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, Lawry’s season salt, patty portion of salt and pepper all together until you have a well combined meat mixture. Form the Salisbury steak mixture into 4 round or oval patties.
Move onion in skillet around into small piles so that the Salisbury steak patties will make full contact with your large skillet surface area when adding.
Then sear each patty and cook on each side until the desired brownness appears on your patties. Once your meat patties are done cooking, remove them from your pan.
Preparing the Gravy
The onion will also be adequately caramelized. Turn them on low heat. The pan drippings (grease) from your ground beef and olive oil should be sufficient enough to start your gravy. Add in your flour to your caramelized onions create your roux/gravy base and cook the rawness from the flour.
Slowly pour in your beef stock or broth. I usually just use chicken broth. I can it myself, and it’s typically what I have on hand. The onion gravy with the chicken broth is a lighter color than it would be with beef broth, but still has the full flavor that a homemade, rich gravy should.
Add in a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and some more Worcestershire sauce to ramp up the flavor of this rich brown gravy. Continue to stir until the gravy thickens and reaches your desired thickness. Remember, the gravy will thicken even more when cooling.
Return your steaks and cover with gravy. Let simmer for about 5 minutes, or serve immediately if you can’t wait!
Definitely try to serve with some whipped or chunky mashed potatoes!
Other Classic Meal and Side Suggestions
If your family enjoys this Classic Salisbury Steak Recipe, you are sure to enjoy these other classic comfort food recipes as well!
- Best Classic Southern Meatloaf Recipe with Crackers
- Easy Sheet Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs
- The Easiest Chunky Gold Mashed Potatoes Ever
Hamburger (Salisbury) Steak with Gravy
Ingredients
Hamburger Steak Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- ½ Large Onion chopped/diced
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- ¼ cup Plain Breadcrumbs
- 1 Egg
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp Onion Powder
- ½ tsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper
Remaining Gravy Ingredients
- ¼ cup Flour
- 1 can Beef or Chicken Broth (home canned pints work as well)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
Instructions
Instructions for Hamburger Steak
- In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and Lawry’s seasoning. Mix together until well combined.
- Dice or chop your onion half to your preferred size.
- Heat olive oil in a 10-12 inch skillet or sauce pan on low to medium heat.
- When oil is warmed, add in your diced onions and let them start cooking. Stir when needed.
- While onions are starting to cook, divide your hamburger meat mixture into 4 equal parts.
- Form each quarter of meat mixture into a patty about ½ inch thick.
- Move onions aside and put into hot skillet.
- Cook meat on one side until the edges start to brown on medium heat. This will take around 6 minutes or so, depending on your stovetop heat.
- Flip patties onto the uncooked side and continue to cook for another 6 minutes or so until the patties are done. I prefer the internal temp to be at about 185 degrees.
- Remove your patties from the skillet leaving the leftover grease, oil and onions in the pan. This will be the start of your gravy.
Instructions for Gravy
- Turn your burner down to low and scrape the bottom of your pan if needed to utilize all of that flavor for your gravy. The remaining grease, oil and onions are the start of your gravy.
- Add in your flour. This is usually about ¼ cup for our processed meat plus the olive oil remaining. You will want equal parts oil to flour.
- Continue to stir your gravy start or “roux” until the flour is combined and has cooked for a minute or so.
- Slowly add in your broth a little at a time continuing to stir the entire time until you reach your desired gravy consistency. Remember, it will be thicker once cooled.
- Season your gravy with Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and let simmer for another minute or two.
- Return your hamburger steaks back to the skillet and spoon over gravy.
- Let them simmer for a bit if you like or serve and enjoy!
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