If you’ve ever had Salisbury steak with mushroom gravy, you know firsthand its delicious savoriness. After all, it’s a blend of ground beef formed into a steak and then topped with a gloriously rich gravy or even a mushroom ragout. What’s not to love?
To determine how to make the best Salisbury steak, Food Republic contacted expert Gabriel Laredo from Meat N’ Bone. He explained that choosing the proper cut of meat is integral to making the best version of this comforting meal. He recommended selecting a specific lean-to-fat blend of ground beef. While the cut matters, Laredo emphasized the importance of the quality of the meat. He said, “The key is the quality of the proteins. Go for 80/20 ground beef (80% lean, 20% fat) from a trusted source — ideally a well-marbled, naturally raised beef. The grind size should be medium to coarse to give it that tender, juicy bite.”
While the cut matters, Laredo stressed the importance of the quality of the meat because “low-quality, over-processed ground beef can make it taste bland or too dense, so always start with better beef for better flavor.” Sirloin is a popular choice for a reason — it’s lean and robustly flavored, beefy enough to stand up to the other ingredients you’ll add, like flavorful Worcestershire sauce, umami garlic, crunchy breadcrumbs, tangy Dijon mustard, and different spices. However, because sirloin tends to be so lean, you may need to mix it with something fattier like round or chuck to hit that sweet spot of 80/20.
Why the 80/20 ratio works so well
As Gabriel Laredo shared, selecting the proper cut is important for making a delicious plateful of Salisbury steak. However, taste is not the only reason for this meat choice. For example, the lean-to-fat ratio makes the steak easier or (much more complicated) to cook. Laredo explained that for taste and ease of cooking, if you choose a meat “too lean (like 90/10) and you’ll end up with a dry, crumbly patty. Too fatty (like 70/30), and it won’t hold together as well. The right amount of fat keeps it juicy and flavorful while ensuring it sears beautifully in the pan.”
Creating a Salisbury steak from meat that contains too much or too little fat can often lead to the patty falling apart, which can also make for uneven cook times and a poor sear on the outside as the surface begins to separate. The 20% is enough fat to provide moisture and bind for structure but not too much that the patty falls apart and leaves pockets of greasiness. Further, 20% fat helps create a uniform sear, so the outside has a crispy edge rather than being heavy and coated in excess grease – which is also why this is the perfect ratio for a patty melt burger.
