Japanese Hamburger Steak

Let’s make this Japanese Hamburger Steak a.k.a hambagu! the perfect combination of a juicy and tender steak with bursting gravy sauce flavor. It’s a must-try recipe to cook at home!

Japanese hamburger steak is so delightfully tender and juicy smothered in gravy and onions. Serve with hot carrot and broccoli or hot rice for an easy-to-make dinner classic rotation.

Japanese Hamburger Steak or hambagu: A Delicious Japanese Twist on Classic Hamburgers

Japanese Hamburger Steak or Hambagu is a mouth-watering dish that’s gaining popularity around the world. This savory and juicy dish is made with a mixture of ground beef, onions, breadcrumbs, and seasonings, and is served with a flavorful sauce and side dishes that perfectly complement its rich and juicy flavors. This food is a popular dish enjoyed both at home and at Yoshoku (Japanese-style for western food) restaurants.

Moreover, There are many different types of sauce for this Japanese Hamburger steak, some of the most popular sauces are Demi-glace sauce, Soy sauce base wafu sauce, Tomato base sauce, Teriyaki sauce, and Cheese sauce. For today’s recipe, I made gravy onions sauce, I want to feel the natural flavor of the meat instead. I bet it’s already yummy!

A burger without a bun

Yes, you read it correctly. A burger without a bun. A patty which serving in a steak way. It’s a little bit confusing, aren’t they? I tell you why

Unlike a traditional American hamburger, Although it is called a hamburger, this Japanese hamburger steak or hambagu is usually served with rice or vegetable rather than buns. Therefore, it is closer to the German Hamburg and the American Salisbury Steak. Some of the side variations for hambagu are rice, vegetables, potatoes, miso soup, and others.

So, if you’re a fan of hamburgers and steaks, then you’ll love Beef Hambagu steak. It’s a simple yet delicious dish that’s perfect for any day of the week. With a few basic ingredients and some simple techniques, you can enjoy this Japanese-style hamburger at home and impress your family and friends with your fancy cooking skills. Whether you’re a meat lover or just looking to try something new, this Japanese-style hamburger is sure to become a favorite. let’s get started

Ingredients of Japanese Hamburger Steak

Hamburger Steak

• Ground Beef and  Saikoro . Using fresh (not previously frozen) meat to produce the best results. It’s recommended to have a fair amount of fat in it. Therefore I mix it with the Saikoro to avoid the final result Hamburg steak will be too dry and crumbly.
• Onion for the aromatics. I pre-cook onion and add it to the meat mixture as it adds sweetness and a deeper aroma flavor.
• Bread Crumbs for mixing together into a paste to add to the patty mix. Breadcrumbs are actually essential as a binding agent for juicy hamburger steak. They not only soften the meat but also absorb the flavor from the meat and onions during the cooking process.
• Egg Adds extra moisture to the mixture and acts as a core component.
• Garlic Powder
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Nutmeg Powder
• Olive Oil for sautee

Gravy

• Unsalted Butter, Chicken Broth, Ketchup, Worcestershire Sauce, Oyster Sauce, Sugar, Garlic Powder -for seasoning and mix together
• Cornstarch and Water – for the last step to make the sauce texture thicker.

How to make Japanese Hamburger Steak

Hamburger steak Patty

First thing first and basic step, prepare the mixture. Let’s chop onion, then sautee onion with olive oil over medium heat for 3 minutes until fragrant and translucent. Set aside and let it cool.

Next, make the patty mixture. with a chopper, grind saikoro then mix it with the rest of the hamburger steak ingredients which are ground beef, onion, breadcrumbs and egg. Mix all together with a spatula then knead by hand until well combined.

Divide the hamburger mixture into 110 g each. Scoop the mixture, form a ball then toss it from one hand to another about five times to release the air from inside of the hamburger mixture.

Form the mixture in an oval or round shape and place it on a tray, do it with the rest of the hamburger mixture.

After the shape is ready, Cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Next, After refrigerating the hamburger steak, prepare the pan.

In a pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and cook the hamburger steak for about 3 minutes or until both side turns brown. Set aside.

The sauce

First, In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until combined. Then set aside.

Next, In the same pan, melt 1 tbsp butter. Then add the rest of the gravy ingredients, except cornstarch and water. Stir the gravy then wait until the gravy is boiling.

While the gravy is boiling, add the cornstarch mixture (stir again before adding to a pan). Keep stirring the gravy, and when it is bubbling, add the hamburger steak back to the pan. Make sure to cover it with a lid then cook for 10 minutes until cooked through.

For the last step cooking. add the remaining butter at the end.

and turn off the heat once the butter melted.

Last, Place the hamburger steak on a plate, and pour the gravy over the hamburger steak. Serve it with boiled carrots and broccoli or you can substitute it with rice too.

Enjoy your homemade hambagu!

Recipe Notes:

• Sautee onion slowly and then cool it down completely. The cooked onion will add natural sweetness to Hambāgu. Make sure to add onion when it’s already cool.
• Use your hands to shape the patties. Knead the mixture with your hand. Play catch, tossing meat mixture from your left hand to your right hand. Do this a couple of times in order to release the air inside.
• Use a non-stick-patty. Japanese hamburger steak is very delicate in texture and easily falls apart without proper handling, so it is incredibly helpful to use a non-stick surface to cook the patties.
• A side dish to serve with Japanese Hamburger Steak Hambagu is versatile in flavor and pairs well. you can pair it with a bowl of rice, a salad, a boiled vegetable, or mashed potatoes.
• If your patty steak mixture is a little bit too wet, add in some more bread crumbs until you think it’s a perfect consistency mixture.

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