Best known in our time as a staple of TV dinners and bargain buffets, the Salisbury Steak actually has its beginnings as a proposed cure for digestive illness during the Civil War. Far from the nuisance it is in the US today, digestive illnesses killed more soldiers during the Civil War than combat did, and a diet rich in beefsteak and coffee was one suggested cure. The inventor of the Salisbury Steak, Dr. James Henry Salisbury, born near Cortland, New York, was an early pioneer of germ theory, and of diet being a factor in health. While some of his ideas may be outmoded today, such as his belief that vegetables released powerful toxins in the digestive system, his affection for beefsteak and his promotion of its positive effect on health, has persisted. While patties of ground or tenderized beef are common fare, the Salisbury Steak was cemented in the American lexicon during World War I. In many English-speaking countries, there was a movement to limit the use of German-sounding words, so the Army served Salisbury Steak rather than Hamburg Steak, and Liberty Sandwiches instead of Hamburgers.
Salisbury steak is named after Dr. James Henry Salisbury, who touted the nutrition factor of minced beef patties in the 1800s. Dr. Salisbury researched the health effects of eating ground beef on soldiers during the Civil War, noting that this type of beef was easily digestible and, therefore, led to overall health.
When Salisbury’s book was published, two decades after the end of the war, his ideas caused a sensation. An Englishwoman named Elma Stuart extolled the healing virtues of the Salisbury diet in a book described by one observer as being “written in a popular and racy style,” helping to publicize the mincemeat regimen. For about two decades the diet—not that different, when you think of it, from extreme versions of the low-carb diets of recent years—was all the rage.
“Healthy alimentation, or feeding upon such foods as the system can well digest and assimilate, is always promotive of good health. Unhealthy alimentation always acts as a cause of disease,” he wrote. Most modern physicians would agree with the sentiment to at least some degree, if not as to what constitutes healthy or unhealthy alimentation (more commonly known as “food” nowadays).
The first step is to wash out the sour stomach and bowels , and to change the food. The food selected should be such as is least liable to ferment with alcohol and acid yeasts. This is muscle pulp of beef, prepared as heretofore described, when it affords the maximum of nourishment with the minimum of effort to the digestive organs. Nothing else but this food, except an occasional change to broiled mutton.
For Salisbury, minced beef patties were health food. The enemies, believe it or not, were fresh fruit and vegetables. When overconsumed “at the expense of more substantial aliments,” he wrote, these led to “summer complaints” in children.
As for the ill soldiers, the problem was an “amylaceous , army biscuit diet,” with not enough variety or nutrients. His prescription:
Best known in our time as a staple of TV dinners and bargain buffets, the Salisbury Steak actually has its beginnings as a proposed cure for digestive illness during the Civil War. Far from the nuisance it is in the US today, digestive illnesses killed more soldiers during the Civil War than combat did, and a diet rich in beefsteak and coffee was one suggested cure. The inventor of the Salisbury Steak, Dr. James Henry Salisbury, born near Cortland, New York, was an early pioneer of germ theory, and of diet being a factor in health. While some of his ideas may be outmoded today, such as his belief that vegetables released powerful toxins in the digestive system, his affection for beefsteak and his promotion of its positive effect on health, has persisted. While patties of ground or tenderized beef are common fare, the Salisbury Steak was cemented in the American lexicon during World War I. In many English-speaking countries, there was a movement to limit the use of German-sounding words, so the Army served Salisbury Steak rather than Hamburg Steak, and Liberty Sandwiches instead of Hamburgers.
The Strange Truth About Salisbury Steak
FAQ
Why is it called Salisbury?
What’s the difference in Salisbury steak and hamburger steak?
Why is Salisbury steak so good?
Is Salisbury steak a cow?
Why is it called Salisbury steak?
Salisbury steak is named after Dr. James Henry Salisbury (not Dr. James Henry Steak, although that would have been funnier). He was an American physician and early advocate of a meat-centric diet. In the late 19th century, Dr. Salisbury promoted a diet centered around minced or ground lean meat, believing it to be beneficial for health.
Who invented Salisbury steak?
Salisbury steak can be traced back to late 19th century America. It was named after Dr. J. H. Salisbury, an early advocate of a meat-based diet. Dr. Salisbury promoted a meat-centered diet to improve health and prevent ailments. His theory was that vegetables and starchy foods were harmful and caused various diseases.
Is Salisbury steak a cut of steak?
Salisbury steak is not, technically, a cut of steak. It’s made of ground meat, which is usually ground beef, although a blend of meats can be used. Per the USDA, Salisbury steak has to be made up of at least 65% meat, and up to 25% of that meat can be pork. The ground meat is typically seasoned with onion, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper.
Why was Salisbury steak so popular during the Civil War?
Dr. Salisbury researched the health effects of eating ground beef on soldiers during the Civil War, noting that this type of beef was easily digestible and, therefore, led to overall health. Although these claims may be disputed today, Salisbury’s research was well-received, and Salisbury steak eventually became a staple on many dinner tables.