If you haven’t checked out any classic Amish country recipes before, you should definitely take some time to peruse some old recipe books or talk with friends and family to see if they’ve got any classic suggestions. We first tried poor man’s hamburger steaks when we were driving around Philadelphia with family and stopped in at Reading Terminal Market when there was an Amish vendor there. There was something about the gravy-covered hamburger steaks that was so simple, yet so comforting and fulfilling that we knew it had immediately become a recipe we would try to recreate on our own and would end up coming back to again and again.
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds ground beef
1 1/2 cups saltine crackers, crushed (1 sleeve of crackers, roughly)
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
All-purpose flour, for dredging
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Gravy:
2 (10.75 oz.) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 350º F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together condensed cream of mushroom soup, whole milk, then stir in freshly chopped parsley. Set aside.
In a separate, large bowl, combine ground beef, crushed saltines, milk, Italian seasoning, garlic and onion powders, and cayenne, then season liberally with salt and pepper.
Using your hands or two forks, combine ingredients until just mixed. Gently form into even-sized patties.
Place 1 cup all-purpose flour (or more, as needed) in a shallow dish and dredge all patties.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and, once very hot, sear patties on both sides until golden brown. You may need to work in batches. Insides will still be undercooked.
Transfer browned patties to greased baking dish, then evenly top with gravy and cover dish with aluminum foil.
Place baking dish in oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until cooked through.