Salisbury Steaks

Dr. James H. Salisbury, an American physician, born in Scott, NY (1823-1905), wrote  'The Relation of Alimentation and Disease' as an early nutritionist. Salisbury believed our health was determined by the food put into it, so he designed a special food and diet for his patients suffering from anemia, tuberculosis, colitis, gout, rheumatism, arteriosclerosis and asthma. During the American Civil War, Salisbury a war doctor for Union camps in Ohio, and while he was there, he came up with these minced beef patties to help Civil War soldiers' dealing with "camp diarrhea."

Here is Dr. Salisbury’s 'recipe':

"Eat the muscle pulp of lean beef made into cakes and broiled. This pulp should be as free as possible from connective or glue tissue, fat and cartilage.....The pulp should not be pressed too firmly together before broiling, or it will taste livery. Simply press it sufficiently to hold it together. Make the cakes from half an inch to an inch thick. Broil slowly and moderately well over a fire free from blaze and smoke. When cooked, put it on a hot plate and season to taste with butter, pepper, salt; also use either Worcestershire or Halford sauce, mustard, horseradish or lemon juice on the meat if desired."

Well now, I always assumed they were made by a nice English woman in Salisbury UK! 

Ah well, now we both know the truth of it.

I like mine with gravy and onions and mushrooms and love, thanks. And the idea of calling them "meat cakes" kinda grosses me out a little bit.  But thank you, Mr. Salisbury for your wonderful idea...and thanks to all the chefs that changed it up over the years and have made it into a common American family alongside Meatloaf, Macaroni & Cheese, and Baked Beans.

I serve mine with real mashed potatoes, and green beans from a can that have simmered with a slab of bacon for at least an hour, if not longer.  I have to take shortcuts somewhere or I'll spend far too many hours in the kitchen!

Ground sirloin is your best bet, unless you are feeling poor that week, then its a cheaper mince - this means I sop up as much of that fatty mess as possible with paper towels... which probably will cost more than the difference between ground chuck and sirloin...  >shrug<  I'll remember that next time.

This most recent time, I used some Ritz crackers instead of breadcrumbs and didn't add any sat at all - tasted great as usual.

ground beeft - 2.25lbs
2 large eggs
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers crushed
chopped and cooked sweet onion, mushrooms and garlic, cooled  - 1 cup each of onion and mushrooms, and a tablespoon of garlic
black pepper
dried parsley and thyme, teaspoon of each
1/2 tsp horseradish mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Mix, and form into patties - 6- , cook on Med-hi until both sides are nice and brown, remove from pan.

Saute sliced mushrooms until a bit cooked, then add 2 packages of beef gravy mix mixed with a carton of beef stock, mix and put the meat back in and simmer well for 20 minutes or so.

eat.
yum.

Eat well!
Jen