The Real Difference Between Swiss And Salisbury Steak

Just when you thought you knew all the ways to enjoy steak, we toss words like "Swiss" and "Salisbury" in front of it. There's a good chance you've already encountered a Salisbury steak in one of those delightful frozen meals, slathered with beef gravy and nestled in its own cubby beside mashed potatoes and corn. But what are Salisbury and Swiss steak, and how do they differ?

Salisbury steak sounds very European. But, this dish was actually named after a New York dietician, Dr. James Henry Salisbury (via Miami Beef). When soldiers fighting in the American Civil War started turning up hungry and malnourished, Salisbury figured out that they were in need of more animal protein (specifically beef) in their diets. Salisbury provided "chopped beef" to the soldiers, and the incidents of malnutrition were lessened. Today, Salisbury steak is a mix of proteins (usually beef and pork), and fillers such as bread crumbs, oat flakes or flour.

Again, you may be tempted to think Swiss steak originated in Switzerland, but don't be fooled. Swiss steak is called such because it goes through a process called "swissing" (via Beef2Live). When "swissing" a piece of meat, the meat is tenderized by pounding it with a meat mallet or running it through rollers. Swiss steak usually incorporates less expensive cuts of meat, such as round or chuck steak, since it will be tenderized.

Once the Swiss steak is tenderized, it's dredged in seasoned flour, browned, and slow cooked in the oven, or a slow cooker, with tomatoes, onions and seasonings before being served over mashed potatoes or rice (via SpendWithPennies). So, did you spot the differences between Salisbury steak and Swiss steak? Salisbury steak is a patty made from ground beef and pork, while Swiss steak is, well, steak. They also feature different gravies: Salisbury steak is generally topped with a beef-based gravy, while Swiss steak has a tomato-based gravy. So the question is, which will you choose for dinner tonight?