Hamburger Steaks & Gravy
Hamburger Steaks & Gravy is the kind of dinner I love when I want something hearty without standing over the stove all evening. We have lean hamburger patties, baby red potatoes, carrots, and a simple gravy made with two seasoning packets. Everything cooks in one 9-by-13-inch baking dish, and the oven handles most of the work.The only little trick here is giving the potatoes and carrots a head start. They take longer to get tender than the hamburger steaks take to cook, so we let those vegetables spend about 15 minutes in the oven first. After that, the whole meal comes together in the same pan.Give the vegetables a head start Start with a pound and a half of baby red potatoes cut into bite-size pieces and four large carrots that have been peeled and cut up too. I spray the baking dish first, then scatter the potatoes and carrots right in there.For the gravy, whisk 2 cups of water with one packet of brown gravy mix and one packet of beef stew seasoning mix. That gives us plenty of savory flavor without pulling half the spice cabinet onto the counter. Pour about half of that mixture over the vegetables, cover the dish tightly with foil, and bake it at 400°F for about 15 minutes.That little head start matters. The potatoes begin to soften, the carrots get going, and the gravy starts working its way into everything before the beef ever hits the pan.Peas are a personal decision Once the first 15 minutes are up, pull the dish out and uncover it. This is where I add frozen peas. Peas are completely optional, so if your household is going to revolt, leave them out. I like them, so in they go. Measure with your heart on this one.Then lay four fresh lean ground beef patties right over the vegetables. There is no separate skillet step and no need to brown them first. The patties cook right there on top while the vegetables finish underneath.Use the rest of that gravy Remember the other half of the gravy mixture we saved? Pour it right over the hamburger steaks. If the measuring cup has some good seasoning hanging around in the bottom, rinse it with a small splash of extra water and pour that into the dish too. You are not trying to flood the pan. Just make sure there is enough liquid in there to give you a nice amount of gravy when everything is done.Cover the dish back up with foil and return it to the 400°F oven for about 30 to 40 minutes. You want the potatoes and carrots tender and the hamburger steaks fully cooked. Since we are dealing with ground beef, check that the center of the patties reaches 160°F before serving.When the foil comes off, you have the whole dinner sitting there together: beef, vegetables, and that savory gravy ready to spoon over everything.Comfort food without a pile of dishes This is not a fussy meal, and that is exactly why it works. A couple of seasoning packets make the gravy easy, preformed hamburger patties save a step, and the vegetables cook in the same dish as the meat. If you want to stretch dinner a little farther, cook some rice while the pan is in the oven and spoon the hamburger steak, vegetables, and gravy right over it.You can also serve it exactly as it comes out of the baking dish. There is already plenty going on in there, so nobody needs to make three extra sides unless they just feel like it.That is the kind of supper I want to keep around: warm, filling, familiar, and not complicated for the sake of being complicated. Feeding people matters more than making dinner harder than it has to be.If simple comfort-food dinners are your speed, come join my weekly newsletter, and I’ll keep sharing easy recipes that help get everybody fed without turning supper into an all-night project.Alright, y’all. Get some of that gravy on every bite.
Servings: 4 people
Equipment
- 9-by-13-inch baking dish
- Aluminum foil
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 1/2 lb baby red potatoes cut into bite-size pieces
- 4 large carrots peeled and cut into pieces
- 2 cups water plus a small splash more if needed
- 1 packet brown gravy mix
- 1 packet beef stew seasoning mix
- Frozen peas optional, to taste
- 4 lean ground beef patties
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the baby red potatoes and carrots to the prepared baking dish.
- In a large measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the 2 cups water, brown gravy mix, and beef stew seasoning mix until combined.
- Pour about half of the gravy mixture over the potatoes and carrots. Reserve the remaining gravy mixture for later.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake at 400°F for about 15 minutes to give the vegetables a head start.
- Remove the dish from the oven and carefully uncover it. Add frozen peas to taste, if using.
- Arrange the 4 lean ground beef patties over the vegetables.
- Pour the reserved gravy mixture over the hamburger steaks. If needed, rinse the measuring cup with a small splash of extra water and add it to the pan.
- Cover the dish again with foil and return it to the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the hamburger steaks are cooked through. The ground beef should reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
- Serve hot with plenty of gravy spooned over the hamburger steaks and vegetables.
Notes
- Frozen peas are optional and can be added according to personal preference.
- A small splash of extra water can be added before the final bake if the pan looks like it needs more gravy.
- Matthew suggests serving the hamburger steaks, vegetables, and gravy over rice if you want to stretch the meal a little farther.