The Major Difference Between Chopped And Hamburger Steak

Some people love steaks the same way Forrest Gump's best friend Bubba loves shrimp — any which way! It doesn't matter if it's grilled, broiled, seared, or baked or whether it's ribeye or filet mignon. Even a makeshift steak, like a Salisbury steak, hamburger steak, or chopped steak will do for such people. Regardless of the affinity for all the ways to serve beef that some people have, there are differences between the various offerings, even if they seem subtle. That's especially true in the case of chopped and hamburger steaks.

To the less trained eyes, a chopped steak and a hamburger steak may appear to be the same thing. Both are made by shaping ground meat into a patty that will be pan-seared and smothered in a brown gravy with mushrooms or onions. While some people use the two interchangeably, there is one major difference between them. A hamburger steak is made with standard ground beef (much like a hamburger – imagine that), whereas chopped streak is crafted with ground sirloin steak.

Unlike Salisbury steak, which are like tiny meatloafs bound together with egg and breadcrumbs, hamburger steaks are just seasoned ground beef patties. To get down to brass tacks, if you took the bun off your hamburger, what you would be left with is a hamburger steak. Most commonly, hamburgers and hamburger steaks are made with standard ground beef. Because it's taken from fattier parts of the cow, standard ground beef tends to be less expensive but much more flavorful! While hamburger steaks can be served as-is with a couple of sides, many people prefer to smother them in a rich brown gravy with the addition of onions or mushrooms.

Chopped steak, on the other hand, uses ground sirloin. Rich in meaty flavor but low in fat, sirloin is taken from the top of the cow's back. Because of the low fat content, it has a much denser texture than regular ground beef. For that reason, chopped steaks are often braised in a brown gravy, which works to make them more tender. Similarly to the hamburger steak, the brown gravy that covers the chopped steak is usually loaded with sauteed mushrooms or onions. However, many chopped steak recipes call for diced onions to be incorporated directly into the patties as well. Regardless of whether you opt for chopped steak or hamburger steak, the beefy flavor can satisfy your craving.