Fake Steak, or Mock Filet Mignon, is my favorite childhood meal. I have no idea where the recipe originated; it was simply in my mom’s recipe box. The internet didn't show me the recipe I remembered as an adult, so my mom sent it to me. It's hearty, savory homestyle cooking. It's not the same as real steak at all, but it's delicious nonetheless.
Fake steak is patties of ground beef mixed with rice (instead of oats or breadcrumbs) and onion. Worcestershire sauce gives Fake Steak its savory flavor and makes it taste so much better than I'd expect from such a short ingredient list.
A roommate once told me they seemed like miniature meatloaf. I see the resemblance, but it's so much better than meatloaf. The rice in the patties gives you something to sink your teeth into, so if you don't like meatloaf because of its texture, give Fake Steak a try.
I love Fake Steak because it's hearty and satisfying - a comfort food dinner just like Roast Beef Hash or Breakfast Sausage Hash.
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What Is Fake Steak (or Mock Filet Mignon)?
Nowadays if you do an internet search for "fake steak," you'll get lots of plant-based meat substitutes. Even if you search for recipes that take ground beef, they usually take crackers or something other than rice. Many of those recipes use condensed soup as a gravy - and I hate gravy!
I assume this recipe is one of those thrifty, make-do recipes from the 1930s, 40s, or 50s, that would help stretch out your grocery money. That's why you add inexpensive rice to give extra bulk to usually inexpensive ground beef.
It's called "Mock Filet Mignon" on my mom's recipe card. While it's not the same as those simple, elegant steaks, these patties are pretty tender. Wrapping them in bacon is hardly inexpensive, but does make the meal seem pretty fancy.
Ingredients & Equipment
It's a little more work than cooking a simple steak, but it takes just a few ingredients.
- Ground beef
- Cooked rice
- Minced onion
- Garlic
- Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper
- Bacon (optional)
For ground beef, don't go too lean, because you need the fat for texture and flavor. I've used 80%, 85%, and 88% lean ground beef. Fake steak pictured in this post is made with 80% lean.
Always use cooked but cooled white rice. If your rice is hot, it will soften the fat in the ground beef and making the patties will be more difficult. While brown rice will work, the texture will not be as good since brown rice remains chewier than white rice does.
Mince your onion very small so that the pieces meld with the hamburger and rice; you don't want a sharp onion taste. I recommend using a mild onion, perhaps a yellow onion.
Worcestershire sauce is a savory, tangy condiment, made from fermenting anchovies. I honestly only ever use Worcestershire sauce to make Fake Steak and Chex Mix from scratch. Since it's made with anchovies, it's not suitable if you have a fish or seafood allergy. If you don't have any or if you run out, you can add a little soy sauce for an umami boost.
Bacon is wrapped around filet mignon, to add a little fat in addition to making it fancy. I usually skip it, and it's not necessary with fattier ground beef. If using, I recommend thinner cut bacon, unlike what I've used in pictures.
I highly recommend using a broiler pan (affiliate link) or wire rack to drain the grease away from the fake steak, particularly if you use meat with a higher fat content. I like having the grease drip from the patties onto vegetables below so that I can make the entire meal at once. A wire rack may work, although the patties can be delicate and a rack may not provide enough support.
That said, you can bake the patties directly in a baking dish. Choose one large enough to leave space between the patties, and with 2-inch sides, since the patties will release grease.
Instructions
If you're cooking your rice immediately before making fake steak, give it time to cool. Otherwise, your patties will be greasy and won't stick together well.
- Gently mix all the ingredients together. The Worcestershire sauce will try sink to the bottom of the bowl. For salt and pepper, sprinkle it along the surface so it doesn't clump up. Don't treat the meat too roughly or it will get tough, but it's important to get the rice broken up and mixed in well.
- Shape the mixture into 8 patties that fit nicely in the palm of your hand. Pack them together like you're shaping a snowball, and make them all around the same shape and height. I flatten patties without bacon slightly to make them easier to cut with a fork.
If you're using bacon, use a wooden (not plastic) toothpick to secure it together. Wrapping in bacon will make your patties taller.
- Arrange the fake steak patties on broiler pan (affiliate link) without the sides touching.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Hint: I always put a green vegetable under the fake steak to cook in the drippings. It's one fewer dish to wash, and green vegetables like broccoli or green beans taste better this way! Fresh, not frozen, vegetables will cook better here because frozen vegetables will let off a lot of steam, and will be a bit soggy.
Serving and storage
Once the fake steak patties are formed, you can refrigerate them for a day before cooking them. Cold patties should be cooked for the longer baking time.
Fake steak is a pretty heavy entree, so I prefer to have a green vegetable, like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, or green beans alongside it. I never have anything starchy with it, since the patties already include rice.
Leftover cooked fake steak is good in the fridge for a few days, although we usually eat it quickly. Reheat it in a covered container for 30 seconds at a time until it's as warm as you'd like.
⏲️Make-ahead
Since I've been purchasing my ground beef from a local farm in one-pound packages, I always use 3 pounds and made a double batch of Fake Steak. Rather than cook them all at once, I freeze half of the patties to have for another meal. It's not much more prep work, and saves you a lot of time in the future!
- Place the patties on a sheet of waxed paper on a freezer-safe plate or pan, without them touching. Freeze until firm.
Remove from the plate, top frozen patties with another sheet of paper, and place in an airtight freezer bag. (Even with the paper, you may need to let the patties rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before they come off the plate.)
- Thaw overnight in the fridge. It's ok if they're still a little frozen in the middle.
Remove them from the freezer bag and waxed paper, place on the broiler sheet, and bake as usual.
Recipe FAQ
It can be! Ground beef, rice, and onion are naturally gluten-free, but only some brands of Worcestershire sauce are gluten-free. Check the ingredients on the label to be sure it's safe for you if you need to avoid gluten.
I've used soy sauce instead of Worcestershire sauce in Fake Steak; it's not quite the same flavor, but still delicious. It's an great substitute if you can't eat Worcestershire sauce due to a fish allergy. Check the ingredients on the bottle if you need it to be gluten-free as well, as not all brands are.
While you can technically use raw oats (or breadcrumbs) instead of cooked rice in Fake Steak, I don't like it that way. Oats do make the patties incredibly tender and the flavor will still be good, but they also change the texture to be like meatballs or meatloaf instead of the toothsome texture that Fake Steak has. Cooked and cooled brown rice is an adequate substitute for white rice, although those patties will not hold together as well and will be much chewier.
🏡Other Homestyle Meals
Try these other hearty, satisfying meals!
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📖 Recipe
Fake Steak
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds raw ground beef (80%, 85%, 88% lean all work well)
- 2 cups cooked white rice (290 grams/10 oz; cooled but not cold)
- 1 cup onion (~113 grams/4 ounces; about 1 medium or ½ large) (finely minced)
- ½ teaspoon garlic (minced; 1 clove)
- 2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce (30 grams)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons table salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 8 slices bacon (optional)
Instructions
- Use your hands to gently combine all ingredients. Don't overwork the meat or it can become tough, but be sure all the rice is mixed throughout and not clumpy.
- Shape into eight ¾-inch patties.
- If using, wrap bacon around each patty; you can use a wooden (not plastic) toothpick to fasten it if necessary.
- Place on broiler sheet over a drip tray (preferred) or in a shallow baking pan. If desired, place vegetables on drip tray to roast (see notes). Bake at 450F for 20-25 minutes.
Make-Ahead Instructions
- Place shaped patties separated on a sheet of waxed paper on a plate or other freezer-proof tray; I get 4 per plate. Top with another sheet of waxed paper, then layer on the other 4 patties. Top with waxed paper and place in the freezer.
- Once frozen, transfer the 2 layers of patties, and waxed paper sandwiching them, in a freezer bag. Label with cooking instructions.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator the night before you want to cook them. At dinnertime, remove them from the bag and paper, place on the broiler pan (affiliate link), and cook as usual.
Notes
[Originally published April 2017 & revised in March 2019. Post was completely redone, with minor recipe tweaks, in June 2025]
Leona Konkel says
This is my favorite meal from my childhood, ever. I'm thrilled that I have it and that my daughter likes it. It's hearty, great comfort food. I hope you love it too. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!