India-Hamburger Steak (Hambagu)
Hambagu in Japan is typically made from both ground beef and ground pork, and the common ratio is 7:3. Japanese supermarkets sell a convenient package of both ground beef and ground pork so that we don't have to buy the meat separately. We use this Aibiki Niku for Korokke, Spaghetti Meat Sauce, and Hambagu recipes.
Hambagu in Japan is typically made from both ground beef and ground pork, and the common ratio is 7:3. Japanese supermarkets sell a convenient package of both ground beef and ground pork so that we don't have to buy the meat separately. We use this Aibiki Niku for Korokke, Spaghetti Meat Sauce, and Hambagu recipes.
- 1 egg
- freshly ground black pepper
- sauce
- sea salt
- oil
- 1/2 (6.8 oz, 192 g) large onion
- 85 lb (386 g) ground beef and ground pork (today i use a prepackaged 50% beef and 50% pork, but you can use 100% beef. if you pick your own meat, make sure to choose ground meat on the fatty side).
- 2 tbsp. milk
- 1/3 cup panko
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/4 cup red wine
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 3 tbsp. red wine
- 3 tbsp. water
- 3 tbsp. ketchup
- 3 tbsp. tonkatsu sauce (or worcestershire sauce)
- Carbohydrate 16.1710172923153 g
- Cholesterol 170.455 mg
- Fat 49.7458270833333 g
- Fiber 0.959981248319146 g
- Protein 5.78553687501739 g
- Saturated Fat 30.1919975 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (152g)
- Sodium 837.19524166766 mg
- Sugar 15.2110360439961 g
- Trans Fat 3.6790725 g
- Calories 549 calories
Step-by-step
- Chop the onion finely. With the knife tip pointing toward the root, slice the onion to within 1/2 inch of the base. Make about 1/4 inch parallel cuts. Then slice the onion horizontally about 1/4 inch parallel cuts. Then cut perpendicular to the first slices you made. If the onions need to be chopped finer, you can run your knife through them in a rocking motion. Be sure to hold down the tip of the knife, otherwise the onions are going to go flying around the room.
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat and sauté the onion until translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to a large bowl and let it cool.
- Add the meat in the bowl and mix all together.
- Add an egg, milk, Panko, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg.
- Mix the meat well with your hands until the mixture gets sticky. If you want to keep your hands clean, use rubber gloves or use plastic bags.
- Pinch off 2 inch from the mixture and make 4 large patties (or 6 medium patties). Toss each ball from one hand to the other hand repeatedly about 5 times in order to release air inside the balls (see the video link above). The hamburger steaks will crack while cooking if you don’t release the air inside.
- Make oval shape patties. The top shouldn’t be flat, more like round. Keep in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before cooking so that the meat combines together.
- In a large pan, heat oil over medium heat and place the patties gently on the pan. Indent the center of each patty with 2 fingers because the center of patties will rise with heat.
- Cook the patties about 5 minutes. Do not flip until nicely browned.
- After you flip, pour red wine and lower heat to medium low heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes to thoroughly cook he inside of the patties (adjust cooking time depending on thickness).
- Then uncover and increase heat to medium high to let the red wine evaporate. When it’s almost gone, transfer steaks into individual plates. Do not wash the pan.
- Combine the liquid sauce ingredients in a bowl.
- In the same pan (without cleaning), add butter and sauce ingredients and mix well.
- Lower the heat to medium low and let it simmer for a few minutes until alcohol smell is gone. While simmering, you can skim off the scum and fat.
- When the sauce thickens, pour the sauce over the hamburger steaks. Serve the hamburger steak with vegetables over your favorite side dish.
Swapping the traditional 7:3 beef-to-pork blend for 100 percent lean beef significantly alters the texture, often producing a dry patty that lacks the moisture supplied by pork fat. Achieving a proper hambagu relies almost entirely on physical manipulation rather than seasoning alone. Thoroughly chilling the formed patties for at least 30 minutes allows the proteins to bind with the panade, creating a cohesive structure that holds together over direct heat.
- Toss each molded meatball between your palms roughly five times to expel trapped air pockets that cause structural cracking during the sear.
- Press a distinct thumb indentation into the center of every raw patty before it hits the pan to counteract the natural expansion caused by heat.
- Allow the first side to develop a deep brown crust for five minutes without moving it, ensuring proper Maillard browning.
- Build the pan sauce directly in the unwashed skillet to incorporate the rendered meat fats left behind.
Scaling this formulation for larger crowds requires mixing the meat in separate batches rather than doubling everything in one bowl, which prevents uneven distribution of the panko and egg. Maintaining adequate spacing in the pan prevents the patties from steaming instead of searing properly.
