Chef John's Salisbury Steak Dinner

Prepare the steak mixture: Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, soy sauce, and pepper in a bowl. Use your hands or a fork to mix the ingredients until they are well blended. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Prepare the gravy sauce: Melt butter in a large non-stick skillet over high heat. Add sliced mushrooms, chopped onion, and salt; cook until the mixture is nicely browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add flour; cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Combine the gravy ingredients: Stir in broth, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the gravy thickens slightly and reduces, about 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

Transfer the gravy: Pour the gravy sauce into a measuring cup. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to release any remaining ingredients.

Form the steak patties: Remove the meat from the refrigerator and divide it into four equal portions. Moisten your hands with water and shape each portion into a 1/2-inch-thick oval patty. Season both sides of the patties with salt.

Cook the steak patties: Melt butter in the clean skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patty and cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Pour in the gravy sauce and bring it to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until the gravy is piping hot and the steak is cooked through, about 5 more minutes. Use a thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).