For the first two years that I was in college I lived in the dorms and therefore had a meal plan at the campus dining halls. Most of the food was bland cafeteria fare but there were a few meals that I genuinely looked forward to. One of those was Salisbury Steak. Granted the dining hall Salisbury Steak is not up to par with the homemade version, but it was still a step above the rest. My recipe for Salisbury Steak and Bacon Sauce has been my favorite recipe for Salisbury Steak so far and I’m very happy to share it now!
I like Salisbury Steak because it’s like a well seasoned free form meatloaf with a delicious sauce. Don’t get me wrong, I really like meatloaf, but Salisbury Steak is a step above. And it has the added bonus of being much easier to make. If you can make a hamburger patty, you can make Salisbury Steak. It also takes about just as long to make as a good burger with sides, which is the perfect alternative when it’s cold and dreary out and there’s no chance of you starting up the grill.
I served my Salisbury Steak and Bacon Sauce with garlic smashed potatoes, but honestly anything carb based is perfect for soaking up the sauce and works with this meal. Tai used regular white bread to mop up the extra sauce and when we had leftovers the next day we used our leftover naan (don’t judge, we were trying to clean out the fridge and it totally worked!) One tip I have is to slice your onions very thinly. I found that the thicker slices were a bit messier to eat. It still tasted amazing, but the amount of sauce I have to wipe off of my shirt is also a factor.
Is the bacon trend over yet? Remember a few years back and bacon everything was the rage? I remember going to a street fair in NYC and the big ticket fair food was chocolate covered bacon. Maybe the trend is over, and probably for good healthy reasons, but bacon is too damn delicious to not have it! We don’t usually cook it because of the mess, but when we do, we eat the whole package 😉
What’s your favorite cold weather recipe? Let me know in the comments section below!

Salisbury Steak and Bacon Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Lean Ground Beef
- 1/2 Cup Seasoned Breadcrumbs
- 1 Tbsp Ketchup
- 2 Tsp Ground Mustard
- 2 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Butter
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/4 Pound Bacon Sliced
- 1 Onion halved and thinly sliced
- 2 Cups Beef Broth
- 1 Tbsp Ketchup
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 Tsp Cornstarch mix with beef broth before adding
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, ketchup, mustard, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Divide mixture into 4 patties. Pat down until 1/2 inch thick.
- Heat a skillet on medium heat. Add butter and olive oil. Once butter has melted add patties. Cook for 3-5 minutes per side then remove from pan and set aside.
- Add bacon to pan and cook until fat is rendered out. Add onion and cook onions until lightly brown and beginning to turn translucent.
- Add beef broth, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for 5-10 minutes on high, or until mixture has reduced and has begun to thicken. Stir in cornstarch and cook until desired thickness.
- Serve Salisbury Steak with sauce and enjoy!
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