Burger steak is a plate of beef and pork patties covered in mushroom gravy and served over rice. I make this on busy nights because the patties cook fast, and I only need rice on the side. My kids like it too, so I make it often.
The patties are easy to put together. Mix the meat gently, shape the patties, brown them in the pan, then spoon the gravy on top. I make the gravy with butter and flour, the same basic method I use for my biscuits and sausage gravy, then I add mushrooms.
Many of us know this from Filipino fast food: small patties, mushroom gravy, and rice instead of potatoes.
What is Burger Steak?
Burger steak is a Filipino-style dish of ground beef and pork patties topped with mushroom gravy and served over rice. It is similar to American hamburger steak and Salisbury steak, but the patties are usually smaller, the gravy is buttery rather than onion-heavy, and it is eaten with rice instead of mashed potatoes. Rice works best here because it soaks up the gravy.
Ingredients
- Ground beef and ground pork – The beef gives flavor and the pork keeps the patties soft. It is the same beef and pork mix I use for my picadillo. You can use all beef if that is what you have, but the patties will be firmer.
- Salt and ground black pepper – Basic seasoning for the burger patties.
- Onion powder – Seasons the meat evenly without adding extra moisture. Use grated fresh onion instead if you prefer.
- Butter – The base of the gravy. It cooks with the flour and mushrooms to make the sauce.
- Button mushrooms – Fresh button or cremini mushrooms both work. Canned mushrooms are also fine when you want to keep it quick.
- Beef bouillon cube – This gives the gravy its beefy, salty base. Beef base can replace it. Worcestershire sauce can be added for extra flavor, but you may still need salt or broth.
- All purpose flour – This thickens the gravy once it cooks with the butter.
- Garlic powder – Gives the gravy a light garlic flavor without adding chopped garlic.
- Cooking oil – For pan frying the patties.
- Cooked white rice – Burger steak is served over rice, and the gravy tastes best when it soaks in.
How to Cook Burger Steak
1. Mix and Shape the Patties
Mix the meat gently. Overworking it makes the patties tough, so stop once the seasoning is evenly worked in.
- Combine the ground pork, ground beef, onion powder, salt, and black pepper in a bowl.
- Mix with your hands until just combined.
- Scoop about half a cup, roll it into a ball, and press it into a patty.
- Repeat until the meat is used up. You should get eight to ten patties.
2. Make the Mushroom Gravy
Cook the flour in the butter until it turns light brown. This cooks out the raw flour taste and gives the gravy a better color.
- Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until they soften. If using canned mushrooms, 20 to 30 seconds is enough to heat them.
- Add the bouillon cube and garlic powder. Press the cube with the back of a spoon until it breaks down, then stir.
- Push the mushrooms to one side and tilt the pot so the butter pools on the other side. Add the flour to the butter and stir until it is absorbed.
- Keep stirring until the flour turns light brown, then pour in the water a little at a time, stirring as you go. Cook until the gravy is smooth and thick, then pour it into a bowl and set aside.
3. Fry the Patties and Serve
Use medium heat so the patties brown on the outside without drying out inside.
- Heat the cooking oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
- Fry the patties for about 4 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through.
- Put a cup of rice on each plate, add two or three patties, and spoon the mushroom gravy over the top.
Tips
- Press a small dimple in each patty – A dent in the center keeps them from puffing up in the middle as they cook.
- Do not let the roux get too dark – Once it is light brown and smells a little toasted, add the water. A very dark roux thickens less.
- Use a whisk if the gravy gets lumpy – It smooths out lumps faster than a spoon.
- Salt at the end – The bouillon cube is salty, so taste the gravy before adding more.
- The gravy thickens as it cooks and cools – If it gets too thick while the patties fry, stir in a little hot water before serving.
What to Serve with Burger Steak
- Steamed white rice – This is the usual choice because it soaks up the mushroom gravy.
- Spam fried rice – Makes the plate heavier and more flavorful than plain rice.
- Mashed potatoes – These also work well with the gravy if you want it the American way.
- Ginisang pechay – A quick vegetable side when you want something green with the meal.
- Adobong kangkong – A quick vegetable side with soy sauce and vinegar flavor.
Storage & Reheating
Store the patties and gravy in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the gravy separate if you can, since it thickens as it cools. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of water to loosen the gravy. The patties freeze well for up to 2 months.
More Easy Dinners
- Beef mechado – A Filipino beef stew in a tomato and soy sauce base.
- Beef kaldereta – A beef stew with peppers, olives, and a thick sauce.
- Beef with broccoli – A fast stir-fry to serve over rice on a busy night.
- Pork steak – Pan-fried pork chops with onions, another Filipino Salisbury-style dish.
- Baked cream cheese spaghetti – A ground beef pasta bake for a quick weeknight dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between burger steak and Salisbury steak?
They are similar, but burger steak is usually simpler and served over rice. Salisbury steak often uses binders like egg or breadcrumbs and is commonly served with onion gravy and mashed potatoes.
Can I use all beef instead of a beef and pork blend?
Yes. All beef holds together fine. The pork adds fat and keeps the patties softer, so an all beef version will be firmer and a little leaner.
Can I use fresh mushrooms instead of canned?
Yes. Fresh button or cremini mushrooms work well. Cook them for 2 to 3 minutes until they soften, since they need more time than canned mushrooms, which only need to be heated through.
Why did my patties turn out tough?
Overmixing is the usual cause. Working the meat too much makes the patties dense, so mix only until the seasoning is evenly combined and shape them with a light hand.
Can I make the gravy ahead of time?
Yes. It keeps in the fridge for a few days. It thickens as it cools, so reheat it slowly and stir in a little water until it is smooth and pourable again.
This burger steak is one of my go-to busy-night dinners. If you make it, tell me in the comments how your gravy came out.
loved taste of Jollibee right to your dinner table! We’d love to hear how your family enjoys it.
Jollibee Inspired Burger Steak with Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked white rice
- ¼ cup cooking oil
Burger patty
- 1 lb. ground pork
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
Mushroom gravy
- 4 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 beef bouillon, cube
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups water
Instructions
- Prepare the patty by combining all the burger patty ingredients in a bowl. Mix well.
- Scoop around ½ cup of burger patty mixture and roll it into a sphere. Gently press the patty to form a disk shaped figure. Set aside and then perform the same step until the mixture is consumed.
- Meanwhile, prepare the mushroom gravy by melting the butter in a cooking pot. Once the butter starts to get hot, add the sliced mushrooms. Cook for 20 seconds and then put-in the beef bouillon and garlic powder. Gently press against the bouillon until it breaks down into pieces or it simply gets squashed. Stir and cook until all ingredients are well blended. Push the mushrooms on one side of the pot and tilt the pot to let the butter slow to the opposite side. Add the flour on the side with butter. Stir until the flour absorbs the butte. Continue to cook while stirring until the flour turns light brown. You may stir the mushrooms in with the flour while you are browning it. Pour water and continue to stir until the flour mixture dilutes completely. Continue to cook in low to medium heat until the desired thickness is achieved. Transfer to a bowl. Set aside. Note: you can add more water if needed. Some scenarios would be: if mixture is so thick, or if the taste is too strong.
- Start to cook the patties by pouring oil in a wide frying pan. Pan-fry each side in medium heat for 4 minutes.
- Arrange a cup of rice in a plate. Top with two to three pieces of burger patties and finish with mushroom gravy on top.
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