Oven-Baked Amish Poor Man’s Steak

This is my go-to comfort food dinner that also happens to be very wallet-friendly. Juicy beef patties simmered in a rich gravy using basic pantry ingredients, served over a heap of mashed potatoes – perfect for a cold night.

I originally saw this recipe with only 4 ingredients! So great if you find yourself needing a quick and easy dinner with limited ingredients on hand. I like to build on the gravy a little though with Worcestershire sauce and a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Doesn’t add many extra steps or require me to stop by the store for more.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

No frying patties in a skillet (or multiple skillets!) for this one. All you’ll do is form the ground beef, combine a few ingredients for the gravy, then place in an oven-proof dish and let it do its thing in the oven. Plenty of time to prep a side and tidy up in the kitchen. You’ll have a few dishes to clean up but no sticky skillet to contend with!

And oh that gravy. It keeps the beef moist and provides ample amount to douse your potatoes/noodles in. The beef juices will mingle with the soup, onion soup mix, Worcestershire sauce and thyme to create a delicious gravy. Makes that cheap tube of ground beef feel like it can stand alone as a dinner!

What You Will Need

• Ground beef (85/15)
• Onion soup mix (dry)
• Can of cream of mushroom soup
• Milk
• Worcestershire sauce
• Thyme, fresh

Key Ingredients

Ground Beef

I recommend using an 85/15 ratio of ground beef for optimal juiciness. You may notice some residual fat pooling around the perimeter of the gravy, which you can skim off prior to plating. You can use a higher % lean, but the patties will end up on the drier side – be sure to handle with minimal force and pull from the oven as soon as safe to do so.

Onion Soup Mix (Dry)

No need to dice and saute onion or combine several spices to flavour your patties when you have this handy packet on hand. It will infuse flavour into the beef as it bakes, and the small bits of dehydrated onion will rehydrate. There will already be ample salt from the onion soup mix and cream soup, so additional salt is not typically necessary (unless you opt for reduced sodium varieties).

Worcestershire Sauce & Thyme

To further enhance the canned soup gravy, I stir in a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and about 1 teaspoon of finely chopped fresh thyme. Both serve to complement and round out the flavours of the gravy, but don’t overpower it. Simply elevates the canned soup gravy.

Method

The majority of this recipe requires minimal effort pre-oven. Assemble your patties and gravy, top with foil and allow it to cook while you prepare the rest of your meal.

Season The Beef

Add ground beef and dry onion soup mix to a mixing bowl. Using clean hands, fold together until the beef is uniformly seasoned. Don’t overmix or force it together.

Shape The Patties

Break into 7 even pieces and flatten each into an elongated oval-shaped patty. Aim for a similar thickness to ensure they cook at a comparable rate. Place in a single layer in a buttered/pantry spray-coated baking dish.

Whisk The Gravy

In another mixing bowl, combine the cream of mushroom soup, milk, Worcestershire sauce and fresh thyme, stirring until thoroughly mixed. Pour evenly over the uncooked beef patties and drizzle over the tops.

Seal And Bake

Tightly seal with a piece of foil and allow to bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for ~35 minutes. Leave covered during this time to allow the beef to cook in the gravy.

Thicken And Serve

Uncover and allow to cook for 10 more minutes, or until gravy is bubbly and slightly thickened around the edges and internal temperature of the patties reads 160 degrees F. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Some Tips

• Don’t pack your patties too tight. Flattening the beef too aggressively into an oval will result in a compact/dense bite after cooking. Just press to bring them together and don’t fuss over perfectly rounded edges.
• Let cool for 5 minutes after removing from the oven before serving. This will allow the gravy to subside and be more easily lifted/scooped over your side.
• Feel free to swap in cream of celery/chicken soup if mushroom chunks are not a fan at your house. Maintain the same volume of soup and season to taste at the end if desired.

Storage and Reheating

• Allow to cool before transferring to an airtight storage container. Cover the patties with the gravy and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
• Place cooled patties in an airtight freezer-safe container with the gravy. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in refrigerator overnight before reheating. Great to divide into individual servings for easy grab-and-go meals.
• Transfer to a lidded pan over low-medium heat. Loosely cover with a lid and warm until hot, stirring the gravy around the patties. Thin with additional milk if required.

Pair With

• Garlic mashed potatoes – leave a small indentation for the gravy to pool
• Buttered egg noodles
• Roasted green beans or sweet peas
• Biscuits / rolls

FAQ’s

Can this recipe be made with turkey/chicken?

Absolutely! Again, use a leaner but not fat-free ground poultry (~93%) and don’t pack too tight. Poultry should be cooked to a safe minimum internal temp of 165 degrees F.

How do I increase yield / number of servings?

Stir in approx. 1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs and 1 beaten egg to the beef/onion soup mix before portioning into patties. This will provide a lighter, meatloaf-y consistency and increase the volume of the recipe to create more (smaller) portions. Again, maintain uniform thickness of the patties.

Can I substitute a different pan to bake?

You should be able to use a 9×13 metal pan in lieu of the glass dish, provided it is appropriately sized to hold all the patties/gravy in a single layer. Simply grease your pan and seal with foil before allowing to bake. Adjust cooking times accordingly to ensure patties are fully cooked through.

Oven-Baked Amish Poor Man’s Steak

Jennifer

Need a budget-friendly comfort meal? This oven-baked Amish poor man’s steak features tender beef patties smothered in a rich, savory mushroom gravy.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main

Servings 7

Calories 303 kcal

Equipment

• 9×13 inch baking dish
• Mixing bowls
• Foil

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1.5 lb ground beef 85/15
• 1 packet onion soup mix 1 oz dry
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup 10.5 oz
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp thyme finely chopped

Instructions

 

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F (175C) and coat the baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
• Combine the ground beef and dry onion soup mix in a bowl. Fold to combine until beef is evenly coated, avoiding excessive mixing/handling.
• Form into 7 even patties and flatten each into a thin oval. Even out the thickness of each patty and lay in a single layer in the baking dish.
• Whisk together the remaining ingredients for the gravy (soup, milk, Worcestershire sauce and thyme).
• Evenly distribute over the top of the beef patties.
• Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
• Uncover and bake for a further 10 minutes, or until the gravy is bubbly/thickened around the perimeter and patties register 160 degrees F. Rest for 5 minutes and spoon over additional gravy to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 303kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 20gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 871mgPotassium: 406mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 45IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 53mgIron: 2mg

*Nutritional information is a calculated guesstimate. Please note that this can change with different brands and modifications you may make to the recipe. For the most accurate information, use a nutritional calculator with the exact brands and measurements you’re using with each recipe.

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