Description
Amish Wedding Steak is a comforting and hearty baked dish featuring seasoned ground beef squares mixed with soda crackers and milk, browned for flavor, then baked in a creamy mushroom gravy. This traditional recipe is perfect for family dinners, delivering tender, flavorful meat with a rich mushroom sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Mixture
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cups soda crackers, crushed
- 2 cups milk
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
For Browning
- Flour, for coating squares
- Butter, for browning
Mushroom Gravy
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 can water (use empty soup can to measure)
- 1 can mushrooms (or fresh mushrooms can be used)
Instructions
- Prepare the Meat Mixture: In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the ground beef, crushed soda crackers, milk, diced onion, salt, and pepper until well combined. Pat this mixture into a square cake pan, ensuring an even thickness, then cover and refrigerate it overnight to allow the flavors to meld and the mixture to firm up.
- Preheat the Oven and Cut Meat: When you’re ready to cook, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove the chilled meat mixture from the refrigerator and cut it into evenly sized squares, about 2 to 3 inches each, for uniform cooking.
- Coat and Brown the Meat Squares: Lightly coat each meat square with flour. Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat and brown the floured meat squares on all sides until they develop a golden crust. This step enhances flavor and texture.
- Prepare and Add Mushroom Gravy: Transfer the browned meat squares to a baking dish in a single layer. In a separate bowl, combine the cream of mushroom soup, one can of water (using the soup can for measurement), and the mushrooms. Mix well and pour this mixture evenly over the meat squares.
- Bake the Dish: Place the baking dish uncovered in the preheated oven and bake for 90 minutes. The meat should be fully cooked through, and the gravy will be bubbling and thickened, creating a deliciously savory finish.
Notes
- Refrigerating the meat mixture overnight helps the crackers absorb the milk and bind the ingredients, resulting in a smoother texture.
- You can substitute fresh mushrooms for canned for a fresher flavor, but adjust cooking time slightly if needed.
- Be careful not to overcrowd the skillet when browning; brown meat in batches if necessary to achieve a good sear.
- Serve with mashed potatoes or buttered noodles to complement the creamy mushroom gravy.
