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Japanese hamburger steak patties glazed in tangy sauce with rice and green beans

Japanese Hamburger Steak (Hambagu)

Juicy Japanese style beef patties finished in a tangy ketchup and Worcestershire pan sauce, the diner classic made lighter.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 700 g lean ground beef about 1.5 lb, 90 percent lean
  • 1 onion, finely diced half for the patties, half for the sauce
  • 30 g panko breadcrumbs about 1/2 cup
  • 3 tbsp milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg optional but traditional
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • 3 tbsp ketchup for the sauce
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce for the sauce
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce for the sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar for the sauce
  • 100 ml water about 7 tbsp, for the sauce

Method
 

  1. Soak the panko in the milk for a few minutes. This paste (a panade) is what keeps lean beef juicy.
  2. Mix the beef, half the diced onion, the soaked panko, egg, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Knead with your hand for a full minute until the mixture turns slightly sticky and pale. This is the opposite of American burger advice, and it is correct here; the kneading gives hambagu its bouncy, tender texture.
  3. Divide into 4 oval patties about 2cm thick. Toss each one between your palms a few times to slap out air pockets, then press a shallow dimple into the center so they cook flat.
  4. Heat the oil in a lidded pan over medium-high. Brown the patties 2 minutes per side.
  5. Add 3 tablespoons of water, cover, drop the heat to medium-low, and steam 5 to 6 minutes until the centers hit 70C (160F). Move the patties to a plate.
  6. Add the remaining onion to the pan and cook 2 minutes in the leftover fat. Stir in the ketchup, Worcestershire, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and water. Simmer 2 minutes until it coats a spoon, then return the patties and turn them in the sauce.
  7. Serve with rice and something green, sauce spooned over the top.