Before becoming a 1980s TV-dinner hall of famer, Salisbury steak was a 19th-century health fad. Dr. James Salisbury looked at chopped beef and somehow saw medicine; America looked at it and covered it in gravy.
Dr. Salisbury wanted to start a high-beef-scraps diet, and apparently only missed on the “please cover it in cholesterol” attractant. Like that stinky gel sporting goods store sells to make fish want to take your bait, Americans beeline for saturated fats with their saturated fats. This hammered beef steak stands proud alongside other such classic foods originating from the United States, such as spray cheese, nachos, Irish nachos, and deep-fried Twinkies.
Some foods are invented. Salisbury steak was prescribed.
Every thing is better with gravy on it. You can have surgery to clean out your carotid artery later if you need it.
In college I worked for a restaurant and on a whim, the owner brought over some oreos and we battered and deep-fried them. We also deep fried things like bacon and hot dogs, so this wasn't completely crazy. But the molten heap in the center of the batter that used to be an oreo was not great. I tried it once. Once is all you need.