I like fancy and exotic foods (probably a little more then most people), but there is nothing better then sitting down with a big plate of delicious southern goodness. For me Salisbury Steak is one of those things. It’s warm, its filling…and it ensures there is rice and gravy. It brings together almost all my favorite things together in one bowl. This past Sunday I made what would have been a typical Sunday meal in my house growing up: Salisbury Steak, Buttermilk Cornbread, Southern Smothered Cabbage and Rice…and let me tell you it was delish! I have been eating my leftovers almost every day since Sunday…largely because it was so fantastic, but also because I want to eat it quickly before anyone else eats it all! Terrible I know. Don’t judge me, at least not too harshly.

Also let me apologize for these giant pictures. I swear I know how to use a computer, but apparently today that is not the case.

Oh, yes! Please note Salisbury Steak can also be a breakfast food. Not only have I eaten it for breakfast, but I have also gone to restaurants and ordered it off the brunch menu. If you’re going to eat it for breakfast (which you should!) serve it with well seasoned soft scrambled eggs. You wont be sorry!

Salisbury Steak, with Shitake and Bella Mushrooms Thyme Sauce

• 1.5 lbs. ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1 c panko bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. mustard powder
• 1 tbsp. onion powder
• 1 tbsp. garlic powder
• salt
• pepper
• 4 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. bacon grease 
• 1 c mushrooms, mixed…I used a mixture of shitake and bella mushroom
• 1 bunch of fresh thyme
• 3 c beef broth
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 1/4 c of water

1. In a large bowl mix the ground beef, egg, panko bread crumbs, mustard powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. I know I don’t have measurements for the salt and pepper, but that’s because I think you should add as much or as little as you want. (Once everything is mixed thoroughly, I would recommend taking a piece out about the size of a quarter and sautéing it on the stove. That way you’ll know what the meat taste like and whether or not to add more seasoning. This also helps to prevent you from over salting.) Measure about 1/4 cup of the beef mixture to form a steak flat on both sides, no more then 3/4 inch thick. Repeat until all the beef has been shaped.
2. In a wide bottomed pan, heat 2 tbsp. butter and 2 tbsp. oil on medium-high heat. Simultaneously cover each steak with flour. Once the fat is heated through sauté each steak on both sides until browned. Steak will be browned on the outside and uncooked in the middle (the steak will continue to cook later in the sauce). After browning all the meat, remove from the pan and set aside. Leave the pan drippings.
3. In the same pan add 2 tbsp. butter and the bacon grease. Once the fat has fully mixed and melted,  add the mushrooms and sauté until all the liquid has cooked away and the mushrooms have browned. Bella mushrooms have a lot of water so this may take as long as 15 minutes, so just be patient and drink your wine.
4. Once the mushrooms have browned, add the beef broth and mix thoroughly. Return the beef steaks to the sauce, bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the temperature to medium. The sauce should still be simmering but not boiling. Cook the steaks in the sauce for approximately 20 minutes to ensure they are cooked through.
5. Once the meat has been cooked through, remove the meat from the sauce to allow the sauce to be thickened. Return the heat to medium-high and slowly add the cornstarch slurry, approximately 1 tbsp. at a time. After each cornstarch addition, mix thoroughly and wait for the sauce to thicken before adding additional cornstarch. Once the sauce is the desired consistency, return the meat to the pan.
6. Serve with rice and enjoy!