A super simple slow cooker recipe for Hamburger Steaks or Salisbury Steak using frozen ground beef patties and just a few other ingredients.
JUMP TO RECIPEThis has to be THE easiest recipe I’ve ever created.
Period.
The end.
I work from home now (one of the only good things that came from 2020!) but before that, I left home for the office around 7AM every morning then didn’t get back until about 6PM.
Which meant that most crock pot meals wouldn’t work for me. Even when I used the automatic shut-off, I’d still come home to corkboard meat and burnt-tasting sauces because, unless you’re cooking a whole chicken or a boston butt, most meat can’t cook that long.
I had this idea way back when, then 2020 happened and I didn’t really need it anymore. Then I got to thinking that it was a good idea and there are plenty of people in the same predicament I was once in so I decided to give it a shot!
I really didn’t know what would happen.
I didn’t know if the meat would fall apart. Or taste frozen. Or what.
But I decided to give it a go anyway!
My idea was to start with FROZEN hamburger patties which would delay the cooking process. Plus it would be wicked easy!
Since I was going for convenience here, I kept the ingredients super simple but you could totally jazz this up a bit. I’ll list some suggestions and variations below!
HOW TO MAKE CROCK POT HAMBURGER STEAKS & GRAVY
Step 1 - Start with 1 box of frozen hamburger patties arranged in the bottom of a slow cooker. You’ll need to choose something thick and hearty like Bubba Burgers. You can totally use another brand or make your own but you’ll want patties that are a minimum of 1/3 pound each (2 pounds for 6 patties).
Step 2 - Then choose a condensed soup you enjoy such as:
- Cream of Mushroom
- Beef Consommé
- Golden Mushroom
- Cream of Celery
- Beefy Mushroom
- Cream of Onion
Step 3 - Mix your condensed soup with one can of water and a packet of gravy or sauce mix such as:
- Brown Gravy
- Au Jus
- Beef Gravy
- Pork Gravy
Step 4 - Pour the soup mixture over the hamburger patties then cook on low for 5-7 hours or high for 2-4 hours.
Step 5 - Thicken the gravy then serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles or rice!
That’s it!
Is this the most amazingly scrumptious slap-ya-mama delicious meal in the whole wide world? Nope. But it’s dang good (better than I expected actually!) and crazy easy so I will absolutely be making this again!
VARIATIONS FOR CROCK POT HAMBURGER STEAKS & GRAVY
- If you’d like a more Salisbury Steak vibe, choose a condensed soup that’s more brothy than creamy and add 1-2 tablespoons ketchup when you thicken the gravy.
- For Mushroom Gravy, add sliced mushrooms and use either Golden Mushroom, Beefy Mushroom or Cream of Mushroom
- For Onion Gravy, add sliced onions and use Beef Consommé or Cream of Onion
- You can use beef broth if you’d like but use two cans then omit the water. You will likely need to add salt and other seasonings for more flavor.
Recipe for Shortcut Crock Pot Hamburger Steaks and Gravy
CLICK HERE for my recipe for traditional Homemade Hamburger Steaks & Gravy!
Shortcut Crock Pot Hamburger Steaks & Gravy
Ingredients
- 1 2-lb box frozen hamburger patties
- Salt & pepper
- Garlic powder
- 1 10.5-oz can Golden Mushroom Soup
- 1 can of water
- 1 packet brown gravy mix
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Season frozen hamburger patties with salt, pepper and garlic powder then arrange in a slow cooker as shown in the pictures (overlapping so everything fits in one layer).
- Combine soup, one soup can of water and gravy mix in a separate bowl then mix well. Pour mixture evenly over hamburger patties.
- Cook on low for 5-7 hours or high for 2-4 hours.
- Optional: So long as the hamburger steaks have cook undisturbed, grease should settle in the middle of the slow cooker (between the patties). Use a ladle to slowly skim the grease from the center then discard.
- Remove hamburger steaks then cover to keep warm.
- Ladle out about 1/2 cup of broth/gravy then cover slow cooker immediately and increase temperature to High.
- Add a couple ice cubes to the 1/2 cup reserved broth/gravy to cool it a little (we just don’t want it to be HOT – a little warm is OK) then add cornstarch and mix until smooth.
- Pour cornstarch slurry into slow cooker, whisk until completely smooth, cover then cook for about 5-10 minutes or until thickened.
- Add hamburger steaks back to gravy then serve.
Notes
See recipe variations and suggestions above.
You can use another brand of hamburgers or make your own but you’ll want patties that are a minimum of 1/3 pound each (2 pounds for 6 patties).
You can use beef broth if you’d like but use two cans (or approximately 2.5 cups) and omit the water. You will likely need to add salt and other seasonings for more flavor.
Serve with mashed potatoes, egg noodles or rice!
Hi, what size crockpot or does it matter?
ReplyDeleteI used my large one but as long as they fit, I doubt it matters :)
DeleteI make mine this way too. Only difference is I give them a short pan fry to crisp them up first and it cooks some of the fat out. Delish!
ReplyDeleteThis was fantastic! I used cream of mushroom, beef broth and brown gravy packet and then heated up a jar of brown gravy to go with mashed potatoes, corn and green beans. Everyone loved this recipe. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant!
ReplyDeleteHusband stockpiles these darn frozen patties! On it now
Good morning . Don’t have eggs noodles. Is ok I use my box of velvets skillet in place of egg noodles . I am omit ground beef. I don’t know if use seasoning.Thank you
ReplyDeleteCan this be doubled? I have a large family and they can eat more than one serving at a meal.
ReplyDeleteYes, everything should cook in the same time but allow for more just in case.
DeleteI made this and it was great! Wondering how to do it in the InstantPot?
ReplyDeleteCan I substitute jarred gravy instead of cream of soup? And if I can, would I still have to add water?
ReplyDeleteYou'd have to change the whole recipe (cornstarch, water, etc.) so no, I don't think so. The starch in the gravy will "break" after being cooked this long and will no longer be thick. Maybe use one jar to cook with then add another jar at the end?
DeleteMade this today with cream of mushroom & brown gravy…Super delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipe! ❤️
ReplyDeleteThis is really good, after scooping out some fat/grease, you can put an ice cube in a ladle, then dip the back of the dadle on top, the excess grease will harden and stick to the back of the ladle. Just scrape off into trash can.
ReplyDelete