Chopped Steak (with Gravy)

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A meal straight out of cattle country—Chopped Steak (with Gravy) is a no-nonsense beef dish seasoned to perfection, and with a thick sauce that will coat your stomach and leave you satisfied.

Chopped Steak (with Gravy) featured image

You’ve got a helping (or two) of ground beef. What do you do?

Sure, you could use it as part of a spaghetti Bolognese. Shepherd’s Pie is also an option and will certainly fill your family’s stomachs. But what about keeping it simple: a one-pan dish you can do in no time at all that your family will love? If that’s what you’re after, then this is the recipe for you.

Chopped Steak is a popular dish in those parts of America where cattle outnumber people (or, at least, it seems like they outnumber the people). It’s a cut above your typical ground beef. It features a wide swath of flavorful ingredients, like onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, mushrooms, and Dijon mustard, seasoned with such faves as paprika, oregano, and coriander, then seared to perfection and smothered in gravy.

Ground beef doesn’t have to be boring, nor does it have to play second fiddle to other ingredients like pasta and potato. Just follow this recipe and you’ll see it can be the star of its own meal!

Is Chopped Steak the Same as Salisbury Steak?

I don’t blame you for getting confused. There is a lot of overlap when comparing chopped steak and Salisbury Steak (with Mushroom Gravy!). There are some subtle differences though. For starters, Salisbury steak uses ground beef whereas Chopped Steak, as I mentioned in my introduction, is a popular dish in cattle country where they have an endless supply of sirloin. That said, it can feature a few different types of meat, including sirloin. Salisbury also uses a tomato paste and/or ketchup; consequently, it regularly gets compared to meat loaf—the difference being one is shaped like a steak and the other, like a loaf (I’ll let you figure out which is which). Chopped steak also opens the door to a simpler list of ingredients—sometimes nothing more than a handful of spices, whereas Salisbury will run the gamut of breadcrumbs, egg, mustard, and Worcestershire, and frequently served with gravy and, say, mashed potatoes. Chopped steak can be prepared this way and with these sides but it’s not necessary.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
½ cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 onion, half finely diced and half sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp ground coriander
salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
4 oz button mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp flour
1 ½ cups beef stock

How to Make Chopped Steak

Step 1: Add the beef, breadcrumbs, egg, diced onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, paprika, oregano, coriander and a pinch of salt and pepper into a bowl. Mix well with your hands.

Step 2: Divide the meat mix into 8 even pieces and form them into mini steaks. Heat a skillet over MED-HIGH heat and drizzle with olive oil. Sear the steaks on each side for 2 minutes until they are browned. Remove the steaks.

Step 3: In the same pan, melt the butter. Add the sliced onions and mushrooms. Sauté for 5 minutes.

Step 4: Sprinkle the flour into the pan. Mix well. Pour in the beef stock. Reduce to a simmer and stir until the gravy thickens.

Step 5: Place the steaks back in the pan with the gravy and cook for a further 5 minutes. Enjoy!

FAQs & Tips

Can I prep these steaks ahead of time?

Sure. Make the steaks up to eight hours ahead of time. Cover them in foil or plastic and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to cook them.

What can I use to mix instead of my hands?

Don’t like to get your hands dirty? That’s fine. Any sturdy utensil will do, as will a spatula or mixing spoon. If you have a stand mixer or food processor, you can use it. If it’s strictly the mess you want to avoid, wear disposable gloves or even cover your hands with Ziploc bags.

How do I store the steaks?

Let the steaks cool completely then wrap them individually in plastic or aluminum. You can also put them in an airtight container. From there, store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you would like to keep them around longer, wrap them in plastic or aluminum then store them in an airtight, freezer-safe container/bag. They should be good for 2 months.

My steak is tough. What did I do wrong?

You may have overworked your meat. To avoid this, in Step 1, mix the ingredients save for the meat, which you can add once the others are well blended. This cuts down on the amount of time you spend working the beef.

How do I know when the meat is done?

They should finish cooking in the gravy, but because of the gravy, it will be difficult to eyeball the color of the beef. So use a meat thermometer and inject it into the thickest part of each of the steaks. Once they hit 165°F, they’re good to go.

Serving Suggestions

It’s pretty much the law to serve chopped steak with Garlic Mashed Potatoes (thought it’s up to you how garlicky you make them). If you’re feeling potato but are not in a mashing mood, Easy Roasted Potatoes will do nicely. Baked Rice will also fill that starch slot. Delicious Grilled Green Beans pairs well with both the steak and the potatoes, so consider them if you want to up the health quotient. And for dessert, try my Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake with your favorite hot beverage!