Slow Cooker Salisbury Steaks

I hear this is the last "cold" week we are going to have in Minnesota!  Cold being in the 30's.  They are predicting that the high on Easter Sunday will be 49 degrees!  Yay!  

While I am happy to see spring come in (like a lamb), I will be sad to see my slow cooker go.  I guess we don't totally have to part ways but spring and summer are for crisp salads and grilling, not heavy (yet delicious) slow cooked meals.  

I took advantage of my slow cooker again this weekend and made these Salisbury Steaks for my parents and boy were they tasty.  They do take a little prep before hand but the end result is deeelish.  

Start with two pounds of ground beef.  I used 93/7

Finely, FINELY, dice up an onion.  If you don't do it FINELY they have the tendency to fall apart.

One packet of dried onion soup mix.

Italian seasoned bread crumbs.  I'm pretty sure you could use regular if you wanted.

And a little milk.  Combine with your hands and shape into patties.

Place in a large preheated skillet on medium high heat.

You want to give them a good sear...like so... No need to cook them all the way through, that will happen in the crock.

Remove the patties and place them on the bottom of your crock.  Be sure to spray with cooking spray before you pop them in there.  You will be happy you did.

Add two cans of cream of chicken or mushroom soup to the pan you cooked the patties in.

Along with a little water.

Give it a good stir.  This looks neon.

I also added one of those condensed beef stock things.  I think it added good flavor but I would say it is optional.

And a dash of Kitchen Bouquet.  It deepens the color and the flavor.  You must have this in your pantry. It's old school.

See, pretty gravy.

Add a ton of black pepper, if you are cooking for my Dad.  If you are cooking for someone who doesn't coat their food in black pepper, just a little will do.

Pour the gravy over the patties and let this cook away on low for about 4 to 5 hours.

Whip up some mashed potatoes to go with it and you are good to go.

Salad would be a good choice for a side...

Now, who has summer slow cooker recipes for me!?

Slow Cooker Salisbury Steaks

2 pounds ground beef (I used 97/3)
1 onion, FINELY diced
1 packet dried onion soup mix
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
Drizzle of canola/vegetable oil
2 cans cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can of water
1 1/2 teaspoons of Kitchen Bouquet
Pepper to taste

Start by combining the ground beef, onion, onion soup mix, bread crumbs and milk together.  Form into patties.  Preheat a large skillet on medium high heat and drizzle with oil.  Place the patties in the skillet and sear on both sides.  No need to cook them through, just get a nice brown on them.  Place the patties in the crock of your slow cooker that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

In the same pan you used to brown the meat, add the soup, water and Kitchen Bouquet.  Lower the heat to medium and bring to a bubble, this shouldn't take long.  Taste and season accordingly with black pepper.  Pour the sauce over the patties in the crock.

Let cook on low for 4-5 hours.  Serve with mashed potatoes and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from: AllRecipes.com