Hamburg Steak
ハンバーグ · Hambagu
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Hamburg steak is one of Japan's best-loved yoshoku (Western-inspired) dishes, and it is a reliable favorite on the preschool lunch menu. The onion is softened in the microwave and then gently cooked so it turns sweet and mild, and the patties are bound with panko and milk instead of egg, so they come out tender and fluffy. A quick pan sauce of ketchup, chuno sauce and soy sauce makes them even more appealing, though small children are happy to eat them plain too.
Toddlers to adults. The whole family can eat this exactly as written.
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 90 gground beef and pork mixIn Japan a blend of ground beef and pork is sold pre-mixed; use roughly half and half. Substitute: All ground beef, or mix equal parts ground beef and ground pork.
- 30 gonion
- to tasteoil for stir-frying
Sauce Mixture (A)
- 10.5 gpanko
- 15 mlmilk
- 0.5 gsalt
- a pinchpepper
Mixed Seasonings (B)
- 5.4 gketchup
- 3 gchuno sauce (Japanese medium-thick brown sauce)A sweet, tangy, fruit-and-vegetable-based brown sauce that sits between thin Worcestershire and thick tonkatsu sauce. Substitute: Tonkatsu sauce, or Worcestershire sauce mixed with a little ketchup.
- 2.7 gsoy sauce
- 2 gsugar
- 4.5 gsakeSake (Japanese rice wine) is used in small amounts to soften the smell of fish and meat and add depth. Japanese "cooking sake" often contains added salt. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: The same amount of water (the taste will be a little simpler), or dry white wine.
- 15 mlwater
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- ground beef and pork mix (合い挽き肉)
- In Japan a blend of ground beef and pork is sold pre-mixed; use roughly half and half. Substitute: All ground beef, or mix equal parts ground beef and ground pork.
- chuno sauce (Japanese medium-thick brown sauce) (中濃ソース)
- A sweet, tangy, fruit-and-vegetable-based brown sauce that sits between thin Worcestershire and thick tonkatsu sauce. Substitute: Tonkatsu sauce, or Worcestershire sauce mixed with a little ketchup.
- sake (酒)
- Sake (Japanese rice wine) is used in small amounts to soften the smell of fish and meat and add depth. Japanese "cooking sake" often contains added salt. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: The same amount of water (the taste will be a little simpler), or dry white wine.
Directions
Video is in Japanese — the steps below are synced to it, so tap ▶ on a step to jump to that moment.
- 1
Finely chop the onion. Place it in a microwave-safe container, cover loosely with plastic wrap and microwave at 1200W for about 2 minutes (4 minutes at 600W). Heat the oil in a frying pan, cook the onion over low heat for about 3 minutes, then let it cool. (This drives off the sharpness and brings out the sweetness, so it is easier for children to eat.)
- 2
Put the ground beef and pork mix, the onion from step 1 and (A) in a bowl and knead well until the mixture becomes sticky. (Even without egg, the panko gives a light, fluffy result.)
- 3
Divide into 5 portions, toss each one back and forth between your hands to knock out the air, and shape into ovals about 2 cm thick. (If you have time, rest them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes for an even juicier result.)
- 4
Lightly oil the frying pan, arrange the patties from step 3 in it and press a shallow dimple into the center of each. Cover and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes. Flip, add 2 tbsp water (not in the ingredient list), cover again and steam-cook for about 5 minutes more, then transfer to plates. (Pierce with a skewer; if the juices run clear, they are done.)
- 5
Add (B) to the pan from step 4, bring to a simmer over low heat for about 1 minute and pour over the hamburg steaks. (For small children, it is fine to serve them without the sauce.)
Microwaving the onion before sautéing lets you draw out its savory sweetness in a short time.
Work the meat mixture quickly so the heat of your hands doesn't melt the fat, and the patties will cook up juicy. The recipe uses no egg, so it is a good option when you need an egg-free main dish.
You can also make these with ground pork.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 309 kcal | 618 kcal | 309 kcal |
| Protein | 18.2 g | 36.3 g | 18.2 g |
| Fat | 20.7 g | 41.4 g | 20.7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 15.3 g | 30.6 g | 15.3 g |
| Fiber | 1.4 g | 2.7 g | 1.4 g |
| Salt equivalent | 1.5 g | 3 g | 1.5 g |
| Calcium | 33 mg | 66 mg | 33 mg |
| Iron | 2.1 mg | 4.2 mg | 2.1 mg |
| Potassium | 363 mg | 726 mg | 363 mg |
| Phosphorus | 136.5 mg | 273 mg | 136.5 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | Phosphorus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 309 kcal | 18.2 g | 20.7 g | 15.3 g | 1.4 g | 1.5 g | 33 mg | 2.1 mg | 363 mg | 136.5 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 618 kcal | 36.3 g | 41.4 g | 30.6 g | 2.7 g | 3 g | 66 mg | 4.2 mg | 726 mg | 273 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.
