Yield: 4-6

Restaurant-Style Salisbury Steak Burgers with Swiss Cheese Smothered in Cremini Mushroom & Caramelized Onion Gravy

Restaurant-Style Salisbury Steak Burgers with Swiss Cheese Smothered in Cremini Mushroom & Caramelized Onion Gravy

Ingredients

For Caramelized Onions:

  • 1 large vidalia onion, halved and sliced
  • 2 Tbl. butter
  • 1 Tbl. EVOO
  • 1 Tbl. vegetable oil
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. pepper
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For Salisbury Steak Patties:

  • 2 lbs. 80-85% lean ground beef
  • 1/4 cup Hellmann's mayo
  • 1/4 cup French Onion Soup from a 10 1/2 oz. can of Campbell's (undiluted)
  • 1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp. A1 Steak Sauce
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 1/2 cup dried Italian seasoned bread crumbs
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
  • 1/4 tsp. coarse ground black pepper (plus more for sprinkling patties)
  • 1/2-1 Tbl. vegetable oil for frying
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For Mushroom and Onion Gravy:

  • 1 (8 oz.) cont. fresh sliced cremini mushrooms
  • rest of can of French Onion Soup
  • 2 packets Brown Gravy Mix (I used 2 McCormick's 30% Less Sodium 0.87 oz. packets)
  • 1 3/4 cups water
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
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Rest of Ingredients:

  • 4-6 hamburger buns
  • 4-6 slices swiss cheese
  • lettuce or kale leaves
  • 4-6 Tbl. butter
  • garlic powder

Instructions

  • For Caramelized Onions:
  • In large frying pan, melt butter and oils over medium heat, and onions, salt and pepper. Toss to coat and sauté, stirring minimally, over low heat for 25-30 minutes until caramelized. Remove with slotted spoon to drain, and place into bowl. Set aside. *Leave oils and butter in pan.
  • For Salisbury Steak Patties:
  • In large bowl, place ground beef breaking up. Add rest of ingredients sprinkling in evenly. Mix well with hands to incorporate and evenly distribute ingredients. Pat into a large round mound, smoothing. Cover and chill.
  • For Mushroom and Onion Gravy:
  • Add mushrooms and rest of can of French Onion Soup to frying pan with oils. Stir to coat mushrooms and sauté over med-low heat for 5 minutes. Add cold water, scrape bits from bottom of pan. Stir in gravy packets, garlic powder and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring, over medium-high heat, turn down to medium, and simmer, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute. Continue simmering and stirring over low heat for 2-3 more minutes to further thicken cooking out excess liquid. Remove from heat and let rest. (*Gravy will thicken even more after sitting.)
  • To Finish:
  • Form meat mixture into 4-6 large patties placing onto waxed paper. Make sure the edges and tops are nice and smooth and not cracked. (*I made four large restaurant-sized patties and this worked extremely well. *Burgers shrink while cooking.) Pepper tops generously.
  • In another large frying pan with lid, heat 1/2 Tbl. vegetable oil over medium heat, tear waxed paper separating patties and invert 2-3 patties into pan peeling back waxed paper carefully. *I cooked two at a time doing it in two batches. Place into pan, pepper tops, cover with lid, turn down heat to med-low/low, and slow-fry for 8-10 minutes. Turn and fry again, covered, for 8-10 minutes longer. (You want to fry and "bake" them at the same time to cook the insides without over-browning them on the outside.) Remove to plate when done. Top with slices of swiss cheese, loosely cover to rest and melt cheese. (I used a metal dome lid for this.)
  • Heat broiler. Butter insides of buns and sprinkle with garlic powder. Broil until lightly toasted.
  • Top bottom buns with kale or lettuce, top with a cheesed patty, ladle mushroom gravy over, and top with a nice pinch of caramelized onions. Serve hot with my Oven-Roasted French Onion Potatoes, steak fries or tater tots.