Smothered Hamburger Steak Sandwiches (Printable Version)
Juicy hamburger steaks on toasted rolls, smothered in rich caramelized onion gravy for a comforting Southern meal.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1½ lbs ground beef, 80/20 blend
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Breads
04 - 4 sandwich rolls or hoagie buns, split
→ Dairy
05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 4 slices provolone or Swiss cheese (optional)
→ Pantry
07 - 2 tbsp olive oil
08 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
09 - 2 cups beef broth
10 - 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
11 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
12 - 1 tsp kosher salt
13 - ½ tsp black pepper
14 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
# How To Make It:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef with kosher salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Gently mix until evenly seasoned, then shape into 4 oval patties about ¾ inch thick.
02 - Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the patties for 3–4 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms. Remove and set aside on a plate.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining olive oil and butter to the skillet. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 8–10 minutes until deeply golden and caramelized.
04 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir continuously for 1–2 minutes to form a light roux.
05 - Gradually pour in the beef broth while stirring to prevent lumps. Add the Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
06 - Return the seared patties to the skillet, nestling them into the gravy. Cover and simmer for 10–12 minutes until the patties are cooked through and the gravy has thickened.
07 - While the steaks finish cooking, toast the split sandwich rolls until lightly golden. Optionally, place a slice of provolone or Swiss cheese on each bottom half during the last minute of toasting to melt.
08 - Place each hamburger steak on a toasted bun and generously spoon the onion gravy over the top. Serve immediately while warm.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- The onion gravy is so good you will catch yourself spooning it straight from the pan before the sandwiches even get assembled.
- Everything cooks in one skillet, which means the patties pick up all those caramelized bits left behind by the onions.
- It turns basic ground beef into something that tastes like it took twice as long as it actually did.
02 -
- Do not skip the resting step for the patties after searing, because carryover cooking will start them toward done and the gravy simmer will finish the job perfectly.
- Stir the flour constantly once it hits the pan, because even thirty seconds of neglect can give you a burnt taste that no amount of broth can fix.
03 -
- Press a small dimple into the center of each patty before searing to keep them from puffing up into meatballs in the skillet.
- Use a wooden spoon to scrape up every browned bit from the bottom of the pan when you add the broth, because that fond is concentrated flavor you cannot afford to lose.