3 lbs. lean ground beef (I like the organic 93/7 blend) 1 tablespoon Better than Bouillon beef base 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. You really have to commit to this process, so I use my hands to make sure the Better than Bouillon is evenly distributed throughout the meat. When it's possible, I like to cover the mixing bowl and let the meat mixture sit at room temperature for about an hour. I just feel like you get a better sear on the meat when it isn't so cold. If you don't have time for that, though, no worries. It will still be delicious. Dividing the meat as evenly as you can, make 10 hamburger patties. I like to make ours pretty thin - about 1/3" thick, but you are the captain of your own ship in this regard. Heat a large skillet to medium high heat. I don't put any oil in mine - but again, you're the captain. Put three patties in the skillet, then reduce heat to medium low. Cook for about 4 minutes, then flip, and cook for 4 more minutes. The goal is for the juices in the hamburger steak to run clear - so I usually mash mine with a spatula a couple of times to check that part of things. When steaks are done, remove to a plate - and keep cooking in batches of three. That final hamburger steak will have to cook all by itself, and it also may cook a little faster since it's not sharing space with other meat. After all the meat is cooked, you're going to make your gravy. You can brown onions or mushrooms or both before you make this gravy - but when I'm cooking for Alex and Jackson, I leave out both of those things. Brown Gravy 6 tablespoons salted butter 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 32 oz. carton salted beef stock (I like Kitchen Basics) salt and pepper to taste Over the low-ish end of medium low heat, melt your butter. (If you want to add sliced onions or mushrooms, this is when you would do that, and let them cook until tender.) Sprinkle flour over your butter (along with onions and mushrooms if you've cooked those), and then stir with a flat whisk to combine. I let this mixture sit on the heat for a minute or so - you want the taste of the flour to cook out. Add a cup of your beef stock, stir until smooth - and it will probably thicken right away. Add another cup of stock, stir until smooth, and continue stirring until mixture comes to a simmer (you may have to turn up the heat a tiny bit). Pour in remaining 2 cups of stock, stir, and let it come to a simmer. Stir occasionally to prevent anything from sticking. Taste for seasoning...I typically add a couple of teaspoons of black pepper. Sometimes a tiny bit of salt. When the gravy is the consistency you like (we don't like for ours to get super thick), put all the hamburger steaks back in the skillet. Make sure each steak is covered with gravy (you may have to do a little ladling). Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes. I serve this with rice (we love yellow rice) or mashed potatoes or twice-baked potatoes. Basically starches aplenty. :-) Roasted asparagus is another favorite hamburger steak side. But as my mama would have said - these hamburger steaks would be good with a 2 x 4. :-) So much flavor and so comforting! |
