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Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil to keep the steam and moisture in while it cooks. Place the covered dish on the center rack of the preheated oven.
Bake for 45 minutes, then carefully remove the foil (watch out for steam). Return the uncovered dish to the oven and bake for an additional 15–20 minutes, or until the patties are cooked through (internal temperature reaches 160°F/71°C) and the gravy is bubbling and slightly thickened.
Poor man’s steak bake fresh from the oven with bubbling gravy
Poor man’s steak bake fresh from the oven with bubbling gravy
Remove the dish from the oven and let the poor man’s steak bake rest for about 5–10 minutes. The gravy will thicken a bit more as it cools slightly. Serve the patties smothered in the creamy mushroom gravy straight from the glass baking dish.
Variations & Tips
If you like a bit more texture, you can sear the patties in a hot skillet with a drizzle of oil for 2–3 minutes per side before placing them in the baking dish; this adds a browned crust and deeper flavor without changing the ingredient list.
For a slightly richer sauce, swap the whole milk for half-and-half or evaporated milk. If you need to stretch the meal for a crowd, form smaller patties and nestle them in a bit closer, then serve over extra potatoes or noodles.
To prep ahead, assemble the patties and pour the mushroom mixture over them in the morning or the night before, cover, and refrigerate; when you get home from work, slide the dish straight into the oven (add about 10 extra minutes of bake time if it’s going in cold). Leftovers reheat well in the microwave or covered in the oven with a splash of milk to loosen the gravy.
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