Salisbury Steak (Recipe)

Ingredients

Patties:

2 pounds lean ground beef

1 medium onion

1/2 green sweet pepper

1 stalk celery

2 tablespoons snipped parsley

1 clove garlic

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Sauce (Optional):

3 tablespoon margarine or butter

4 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms (1 cup)

1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour

1/3 cup chili sauce

1/4 cup dry red wine

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Dash bottled hot pepper sauce

Steps

1. To make the patties: Place the ground beef in the large bowl; set aside.

2. In a blender container or food processor bowl, combine the the onion, green sweet pepper, celery, parsley and garlic.  Blend or process until minced.  Or, using a sharp knife, finely chop the onion, green sweet pepper, celery, parsley and garlic by hand.  Add the vegetables to the bowl with the ground beef.  Do not stir.

3. Add the dry mustard, marjoham, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper to the ground beef mixture; mix thoroughly. 

4. Shape the meat mixture into 8 patties about 3/4 inch thick.  Place the patties on the unheated rack of a broiler pan.  Broil the patties 3 to 4 inches from the heat for 12 to 14 minutes (for medium doneness) or until done, turning the meat halfway through cooking.  Or, grill the patties directly over medium coals for 12 to 14 minutes, turning once.

5. To make the sauce, if desired: In a large saucepan, melt the margarine or butter; add the mushrooms.  Cook for 4 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat until tender, stirring occasionally.  Sprinkle with the flour; stir.  Add the chili sauce, red wine, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and hot pepper sauce.  Cook and stir until the mixture is bubbly.  Cook for 1 minute more.  If desired, serve the sauce over the meat patties.

Tips:

To cook the patties evenly, use the same amount of meat for each one.  To do this, lightly pat the meat mixture into a 3/4-inch-thick square or rectangle and cut into 8 portions; shape into patties.

Handle ground beef as little as possible before and during cooking.  Use a light touch when mixing in the vegetables and seasoning and when shaping the meat mixture into patties.

If grilling outside, be sure to use a clean plate to carry the cooked meat back to the table.  Cooked meat should never be placed on a plate that previously held uncooked meat.  Disease-causing micro organisms that are killed during cooking can be transferred from the raw meat juices to the cooked meat if the plate has not been cleaned.