Donna James' Salisbury Steak

    Donna James' Salisbury Steak

    Donna James' Salisbury Steak finished 2nd place in the poll I ran to determine what I would make last week.  The winner was last week's Spanish Limas casserole. The recipe was on a newspaper clipping which had been cut out by an unknown female relative of mine and stuck into the cookbook which belonged to my great-grandmother.  There's no date or any clue of what newspaper it appeared in, but it likely was a Central Iowan newspaper, since that's where my relatives lived.  It looked pretty ease and it was. You simply mix the first seven ingredients (ground beef, dry bread crumbs, egg, salt, pepper, minced onion and finely chopped celery), form it into an oval shape, brown both sides in a heated skillet (the recipe calls to brown it in butter, but I forgot and just used a drizzle of oil) and pour the cream of mushroom soup which you have mixed with the given amount of water, over top. The recipe says you can add boiled potatoes around the meat and the sauce and meat juices will make a gravy.  

    I made the meat mixture and let it set, while I washed and cut in half baby potatoes. I added the baby potatoes to boiling water to start those cooking while I browned the meat.  I formed the meat into an oval(ish) shape as instructed and transferred it to my heated cast iron skillet.  Where I had a problem, was when it was time to turn the meat over.  It was simply too large to flip over and mine broke.  No biggie though. Now I just know it would be best to make two smaller shapes.  So, I kept checking the potatoes and when they were cooked, but not mushy, I drained them and poured them evenly on the sides of the meat. Next I poured the diluted cream of mushroom soup over top, put a lid on it, turned the heat down and set a timer for twenty-five minutes.  

    It smelled pretty good while it was cooking and I was glad when it was finished, because I was excited to try it.  I let it cool a bit and then served myself some of the meat and potatoes, along with the  "gravy".  It seams more of a sauce, but whatever you call it, "sauce" or "gravy", it was good.  I didn't do a pretty presentation and in fact, it doesn't look super appetizing, which is not a ringing endorsement, but you know what?  It doesn't have to look pretty all the time. I did take a video of the bubbling skillet when I first took the lid off. 

    Would I make this again? Yes.  I thought it was good.  You could serve four people (meat portions may be small), but I would maybe cook the potatoes on the side instead of completing them in the pan with the meat.  They were flavorful cooked in with the meat though. If you use a bigger skillet (mine is a 12 inch, I believe), you could do it to make sure you have enough for four people.  You also could have a vegetable side dish, which could help extend servings. I had butternut squash which I had cooked yesterday, but forgot to heat up to eat with my Salisbury Steak.  Some nice rolls or bread would be great because, there's gravy and who doesn't like to "sop up the gravy" with bread?  

    Is there anything else I would different besides making two shapes of meat? I would maybe add less salt or maybe none.  You can always add salt at the table, which I think would be fine. You could maybe add some spice to it. Try your favorite spicy seasoning at the table or while cooking. The recipe suggested cream of chicken or cream of celery soups as an alternative to the cream of mushroom.  I like cream of mushroom, so I don't think I would do that.  

    So, if you try this, I hope you like it.  And let me know.  :)