Hambagu

Name: Hambagu
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4 plates
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 300 g Beef, minced, about 20 percent fat; 200 g Pork, minced; 1 medium Onion, finely chopped; 30 g Panko; 50 ml Milk; 1 large Egg; 1 pinch Nutmeg, freshly grated; 1 tsp Salt; 0.5 tsp Black pepper; 2 tbsp Neutral oil, 1 for the onion, 1 for the patties; 50 ml Water, for steaming; 60 ml Red wine, or sake; 4 tbsp Tomato ketchup; 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, or Japanese usuta sauce; 15 g Butter

ハンバーグ

Japanese hamburg steak: a thick beef-and-pork patty with onion and milk-soaked panko, seared then steamed, with a quick red wine, ketchup and Worcestershire pan sauce.

Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: ハンバーグ.

Start cooking

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 25 min
Rest: 15 min
Total: 1 hr 5 min
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: No chilli
Cost: Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price

Know it before you cook it

Image coming soon

About

Hambagu is the Japanese hamburg steak: a thick oval patty of mixed beef and pork, softened with sautéed onion and panko soaked in milk, seared and then steamed under a lid so it stays juicy to the middle. It is not a burger and does not go in a bun. The mix is kneaded until sticky, tossed between the palms to drive out air, and pressed with a dent in the centre so it cooks flat instead of puffing. The pan juices become the sauce, a quick reduction of red wine, ketchup and Worcestershire finished with butter. It comes with rice, a few glazed carrots and a little salad.

What you'll need

15 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.

0 of 15 ready

4 servings

Patties
Sauce

Ingredients

Servings

Patties

Beef, minced, about 20 percent fat300 g
Pork, minced200 g
Onion, finely chopped1 medium
Panko30 g
Milk50 ml
Egg1 large
Nutmeg, freshly grated1 pinch
Salt4.9 ml
Black pepper2½ ml
Neutral oil, 1 for the onion, 1 for the patties30 ml
Water, for steaming50 ml

Sauce

Red wine, or sake60 ml
Tomato ketchup59 ml
Worcestershire sauce, or Japanese usuta sauce44 ml
Butter15 g

Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.

Steps

Step 1
Fry the onion in 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat for about 8 minutes, until soft and light gold. Spread it on a plate to cool completely. Soak the panko in the milk.
10 min
Step 2
Put both minces and the salt in a cold bowl and knead by hand for 1 to 2 minutes, until the meat turns sticky and pale. Add the cooled onion, soaked panko, egg, nutmeg and pepper and knead for another minute until even.
4 min
Tip: Salting and kneading the meat alone first is what holds the patty together.
Step 3
Divide into 4. With oiled hands, toss each portion from palm to palm ten times to knock out the air, shape it into an oval about 2 cm thick and press a dent into the middle with two fingers. Chill for 15 minutes if you have time.
20 min
Step 4
Heat the second tablespoon of oil in the frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the patties dent side up for 3 minutes until well browned, then turn them. Add the water, cover, turn the heat to low and cook 8 minutes, until the juices run clear when you press the centre.
12 min
Watch: This has pork in it. Cook to 71°C in the middle, with no pink juice.
Step 5
Lift the patties onto warm plates. Pour off most of the fat, add the wine and boil 1 minute, scraping up the brown bits. Stir in the ketchup and Worcestershire, simmer 1 minute until glossy, then take the pan off the heat and swirl in the butter. Spoon over the patties and serve with rice.
4 min

Nutrition

Per serving · estimate

Calories: 490 kcal
Protein: 36.8 g
Carbs: 16.4 g
Fat: 29.6 g
Saturated fat: 10.3 g
Fibre: 1 g
Sugar: 7.7 g
Sodium: 986 mg

Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.

Allergens

Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.

Wheat
Milk
Eggs
Fish

Nut-free

Adapt this recipe

The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.

Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 13 November.

Substitutions

Beef and pork mince → All beef mince
Firmer and less juicy. Add a spoonful more milk to the panko.

Tips

Keep the meat cold while you knead. Warm fat melts out and the patties crumble.
A fried egg on top with the sauce underneath is the classic family-restaurant way.

History & culture

Hambagu is yoshoku, Western-style Japanese cooking, and one of the most common family dinners in the country. Children ask for it on birthdays, every family restaurant chain has a page of variations, and bento shops sell it cold. Toppings include a fried egg, melted cheese, grated daikon with ponzu, or demi-glace in the smarter versions.

Minced-beef steaks reached Japan with Western cooking after 1868, by way of the German Hamburg steak and its American cousin. Yoshoku restaurants served it from the early 1900s, and in the 1960s and 70s ready-made patties and school lunches put it into every home. Pork probably went into the mix to make it cheaper, and it stayed for the juiciness.

Traditional — Japanese cooks often use usuta or chuno sauce, which is fruitier and thicker than British Worcestershire and has no anchovy; either works, and the Japanese sauce takes fish off the allergen list. Sake can replace the red wine.

Provenance: Editorial adaptation.

Questions about this recipe

Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.

How long does Hambagu take?

1 hr 5 min all in — 25 min prep, 25 min cook, 15 min rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.

How many does it serve?

The recipe is written for 4 plates. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.

How hard is it?

Easy.

How spicy is it?

No chilli.

What allergens should I watch?

This recipe is labelled for Wheat, Milk, Eggs, Fish. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.

Does it fit a diet?

The published recipe is labelled Nut-free.

7 more questions

What does it cost to cook?

Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.

What equipment do I need?

Frying pan, Mixing bowl, Chef's knife, Cutting board.

How much salt do I put in?

The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp.

What can I use instead?

Beef and pork mince → All beef mince. Firmer and less juicy. Add a spoonful more milk to the panko.

What should I watch for?

This has pork in it. Cook to 71°C in the middle, with no pink juice.

Any tips from this recipe?

Keep the meat cold while you knead. Warm fat melts out and the patties crumble. A fried egg on top with the sauce underneath is the classic family-restaurant way.

Can I use an air fryer?

This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.