If you haven’t checked out any classic Amish country recipes before, you should definitely take some time to peruse some old recipe books or talk with friends and family to see if they’ve got any classic suggestions. We first tried poor man’s hamburger steaks when we were driving around Philadelphia with family and stopped in at Reading Terminal Market when there was an Amish vendor there. There was something about the gravy-covered hamburger steaks that was so simple, yet so comforting and fulfilling that we knew it had immediately become a recipe we would try to recreate on our own and would end up coming back to again and again.
The two components here are the steaks themselves and the gravy that covers them so nicely. These aren’t your typical hamburgers, people; there’s nothing dried out about them, and the flavor you’re able to pack into them is so, so good.
The trick here is to use crushed saltines and milk to both add flavor (crackers) and keep the mixture moist and tender (milk). Throw in whatever seasoning you like, then dredge ‘em a bit in flour and sear them for even more flavor. Once that’s done, a quick and easy white gravy that also helps lock in moisture while they bake is the final touch to this dish. This is a classic, delicious and affordable recipe to have on hand for family dinners. You’ll love it and so will everyone else!
