How Bobby Flay Makes Thick And Creamy Sauce For Salisbury Steak

Make no mistake about it: Salisbury steak is great on its own, but the steak may very well be secondary to its accompanying sauce. In fact, it's this creamy and flavorful sauce that helps distinguish Salisbury steak from hamburger steak; the former embraces the unique combination of Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, ketchup, and garlic. Celebrity chef Bobby Flay, however, takes the sauce's flavor a step further by incorporating two additional ingredients. As shared on CBS News' "Sunday Morning," Flay uses tomato paste and half-and-half, which not only enhance flavor but also improve the sauce's texture.

According to Flay, tomato paste provides the steak sauce with a natural and sweet tomato taste. Plus, it simultaneously acts as a thickener. Meanwhile, half-and-half, when coupled with the tomato paste, brings the sauce together. The combination improves the overall consistency of the dish — and minimizes the need for the addition of flour, which normally helps thicken stovetop sauces. Given the creamy and thick consistency of Flay's Salisbury steak sauce, it's no wonder that many recipes liken it to more of a gravy than a sauce. Regardless of semantics, it's simple, hearty, and delicious — and incredibly easy to throw together. 

Who said you can't improve upon the classics? To make a Salisbury steak sauce worthy of Bobby Flay, open a can of tomato paste, and take out the cream you normally reserve for your morning coffee. After you finish cooking your Salisbury steak, put your meat on a plate, and lower your stove's temperature to medium heat. Cook both sliced mushrooms and onions for a few minutes, and, once they're nice and soft, add your magic ingredients. Mix Worcestershire sauce, beef broth — though chicken broth works similarly well, per Flay — and a few tablespoons of tomato paste. 

Once the combination has had time to simmer, add in just a splash of half-and-half. You don't need much to get the job done — but you may want to double your sauce recipe. If you have any Salisbury steak sauce — or, rather, gravy — leftover, why not take a play from David Chang's handbook, and use the sauce as a dip for French fries?