Crockpot Salisbury Steak

A short history of Salisbury Steak!

Its name is deceiving, because Salisbury Steak isn’t technically steak. In fact, it is better defined as a fancy hamburger!

This fancy hamburger dish, which is traditionally complemented with creamy mashed potatoes and gravy, was named after James Henry Salisbury (1823-1905). James was a US doctor famous for his commentary on diet and nutrition.

He believed that American troops during the Civil War were being given the wrong foods and that what they really needed was protein - beef in particular. He went on to test his ideas by providing chopped beef to the men, which he thought would be easier for them to digest than other sources of protein. He even wrote a book explaining his theories, which is believed to be one of the first publications linking good diet with good health and promoting the consumption of animal protein.

Salisbury Steak today

Now a classic comfort food, Salisbury Steak is usually servced with mashed potatoes and gravy.

While boxed mashed potatoes take just minutes to whip up, nothing beat homemade mashed potatoes, which actually take less time than you’d think.

Simply boil potatoes of your choice (we love red potatoes, but keep their skins on!) and mash thoroughly with butter, milk, salt and pepper. Throw in some chopped garlic and scallions for added flavor.

You can also add a dollop of ranch or a similar creamy dressing to heighten their flavor.