Served with a red wine reduction sauce, this Japanese Hamburger Steak (Hambagu) is big on flavors. The meat is juicy and melts in your mouth. It‘s perfect to make in a hot frying pan either in the kitchen or on the grill!
I still remember vividly how my mom and I spent many evenings making Japanese Hamburger Steak or Hambagu (ハンバーグ). If I was home, she would call me around 4:30 PM and always encouraged my presence in the kitchen. Unless I was in the middle of a novel that I couldn’t stop reading, I didn’t mind helping her out most of the time. That’s how I learned to cook Japanese food from her.
What is Hambagu
Japanese Hamburger Steak, or we call it Hambāgu (ハンバーグ) or Hambāgu Steak (ハンバーグステーキ), is a popular dish enjoyed both at home and at Yoshoku (Japanese style western food) restaurants. It’s a steak made from ground meat and usually served with rice rather than buns.
While researching facts about Hambāgu on Japanese Wiki, I learned that there is an American version of hamburger steak and it’s very similar to a dish called Salisbury Steak, which I’ve never tried before.
Variations of Japanese Hamburger Steak
The common theme for all these hamburger steaks is that they are made from a blend of minced beef and other ingredients.
There are many variations of Hambāgu in Japan, like Wafu Hambāgu (soy sauce-based sauce with grated daikon), Teriyaki Hambāgu, Demi-glacé Hambāgu, and more. You’ll also find different topping options, such as sautéed shimeji mushrooms and a fried egg.
Today I’m sharing the basic Hambāgu recipe with a delicious homemade sauce.
Use of Both Ground Beef and Ground Pork
Hambāgu in Japan is typically made from both ground beef and ground pork. Supermarkets in Japan sell a convenient package of both ground beef and ground pork (we call it Aibiki Niku 合いびき肉) so that we don’t have to buy the meat separately. The common ratio of Aibiki Niku is 7:3.
For this Hambagu recipe, you can decide the beef/pork ratio either 2:1 (8 oz/4 oz) or 3:1 (9 oz/3 oz).
We often use this Aibiki Niku for Menchi Katsu, Spaghetti Meat Sauce, Curry Doria (Rice Gratin), and Hambāgu recipes.
7 Tips to Make Perfect Hamburger Steak
To enhance the flavor of Hambāgu, below are a few important tips, which I learned from my mom. I also included a video on how to toss hamburger steak to force out the air pockets.
- Sauté onion slowly and then cool it down completely. The cooked onion will add natural sweetness to Hambāgu.
- Knead the mixture with your hand until it’s pale and sticky.
- 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. If you skip it, the hambagu will crack while cooking.
- Let the meat patties cool in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to solidify fats and take them out right before cooking.
- Indent the center of each patty with 2-3 fingertips to avoid explosion or crumbling of the meat patties when you cook. The meat will expand during cooking, and the indentation will disappear.
- Use wine for steam cooking and the delicious sauce. If you can’t consume alcohol, use beef/chicken stock instead.
- Cook the red wine reduction sauce in the same pan. The rich grease left in the pan adds another layer of flavor to the already juicy Hambāgu.
How to Serve with Hambagu
Serve the Hamburger Steak with Crispy Baked Potato Wedges, steamed broccoli, and sauteed carrots. If you want to make it into a Japanese-style meal, serve this dish with steamed rice and Miso Soup. You will have a fancy and extra special dinner that doesn’t cost a bomb. This is exactly the kind of recipe that calls for a bottle of red wine and a reason to celebrate.
Other Japanese Hamburger Recipes You’ll Enjoy
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Japanese Hamburger Steak (Hambagu)
Video
Ingredients
For the Hambagu Patties
- ½ onion (5 oz, 142 g)
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil
- ¾ lb ground beef and pork combination (2 to 1 (8 oz/4 oz) or 3 to 1 (9 oz/3 oz) is a good beef-to-pork ratio)
- ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ⅓ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell)
For Cooking the Hambagu
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil
- 3 Tbsp red wine (for steaming; I use this mini wine; or substitute beef or chicken stock)
For the Sauce
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp ketchup (to taste)
- 3 Tbsp tonkatsu sauce (or make Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce)
- 3 Tbsp red wine (I use this mini wine; or substitute beef or chicken stock)
- 3 Tbsp water
Instructions
Before You Start…
- Please note that this recipe requires 30 minutes of inactive resting time (patties in the refrigerator) in addition to the total active cooking time.
- Gather all the ingredients. If doubling the recipe, please cook one batch at a time in the pan.
To Make the Hambagu Patties
- Mince ½ onion finely (we call this cutting technique mijingiri in Japanese). Lay the cut onion flat side down on the cutting board. With the knife tip pointing toward the root end, make ⅛-inch vertical slices to within ½ inch of the root end. With the knife edge toward the root end, make ⅛-inch horizontal slices, again keeping the root intact.
- Finally, make perpendicular cuts down through the vertical slices you made. If you need to chop the onions finer, run your knife through them using a rocking motion. Hold down the tip of the knife; otherwise, the onions will go flying around the room.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral oil. Then, add the onions.
- Sauté the onions until tender and almost translucent. Transfer to a large bowl and let it cool.
- Once the onions are cool, add ¾ lb ground beef and pork combination to the bowl. Add ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper as you like, and ½ tsp nutmeg. Tip: You can make hambagu with 100% beef, but it will not be as juicy and tender as combining the two meats.
- Add the ⅓ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), 2 Tbsp milk, and 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell).
- Start mixing it all together with a silicone spatula or spoon.
- Then, switch to mixing by hand and knead the mixture until it‘s sticky and pale.
- Divide the mixture into 4 portions (4 oz, 113 g each) or 6 smaller portions. Scoop out one portion.
- Toss it from one hand to the other repeatedly about five times in order to release any air inside the mixture (see the video link above). Tip: Without releasing the air inside, the hamburger steaks will likely crack while cooking.
- Make an oval-shaped patty and place on a tray or plate. Repeat with the remaining portions. Cover the patties with plastic wrap and keep them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before cooking so that the meat combines well and the fat solidifies.
To Cook the Hambagu
- Heat a large pan over medium heat. (Cook one batch at a time if you‘re doubling the recipe.) When the pan is hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral oil. Place the patties gently into the pan. Indent the center of each patty with two fingers because the centers will rise with the heat.
- Cook the patties until browned on the bottom side, about 3 minutes. Then, carefully flip and cook for another 3 minutes until browned.
- Add 3 Tbsp red wine and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 5–7 minutes to thoroughly cook the inside of the patties (adjust the cooking time depending on the thickness of the patties).
- Uncover and check that it‘s fully cooked by inserting a skewer; if clear juice comes out, it‘s done. Increase the heat to medium to let the alcohol finish evaporating. When it’s almost finished, transfer the hamburger steaks to individual plates. Do not wash the pan as you will make the sauce next using the pan juices.
To Make the Red Wine Reduction Sauce
- To the same frying pan, add the ingredients for the sauce (for one batch): 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, 3 Tbsp ketchup, and 3 Tbsp tonkatsu sauce. Tip: Since some ketchup is sweeter than others, adjust the amount to taste. For the tonkatsu sauce, you can substitute Worcestershire sauce and sugar in a pinch.
- Add 3 Tbsp red wine and 3 Tbsp water to the pan.
- Mix well together and bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat; let the alcohol evaporate.
- When the sauce thickens (and you can draw a line on the bottom of the frying pan with a spatula), remove from the heat. Drizzle some sauce over the hamburger steaks.
To Serve
- Pour the remaining sauce into a small bowl or jar and bring it to the table for serving. We typically serve Steamed Rice, Homemade Miso Soup, Crispy Baked Potato Wedges, sauteed carrots, and steamed broccoli or a salad with this meal. Hambagu also goes well with Japanese Potato Salad and Corn Potage (Japanese Corn Soup).
To Store
- Transfer the leftover hamburger steaks to an airtight container and let them cool completely. You can store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and the freezer for up to a month.
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on December 17, 2012. The content has been updated in August 2017. The post has been updated with a new video and images in June 2020.
Just wow…the patties and the sauce are to DIE for. I ended up using Wagyu ground beef since that’s what I had on hand, so I had to drain a lot of oil out before putting the wine in. I also used some shallots in addition to the onion. Seriously, the best sauce and patties I’ve ever had in my life. Can’t believe I’ve been missing out all this time – thank you so much for sharing your recipe with us!
Hi Edward! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! WAGYU ground beef! YES! It has lots of delicious fat in the ground beef! Thanks so much for your kind feedback. I’m really happy to hear that you enjoyed the sauce!
Hi Nami,
Can you bake it? What temperature and how long?
Thanks!
Hi Wendy! No, we don’t really make hambagu in the oven… and I’ve never tried it. I think the meat will be drier as there is no steaming stage. 🙂
Made this last night and loved it. I’m curious if you eat Hambagu in a bun?
Hi Hanna! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback. Nope, typically with steamed rice or a dinner roll. We don’t make it to “hamburgers”. So I serve miso soup, steamed rice, and maybe a salad with this meal in the picture. 🙂
My boyfriend super hates onions (ugh of all the things to hate…) so what could I use as a substitute? Unfortunately I love him and won’t replace him, so I gotta replace the onions lol
Hi Brooke! Hahahaha! Yes, let’s replace instead of skipping it because the onion gives sweetness and tender meat patties. In Japan, we often replace onion with cabbage, napa cabbage, bean sprouts, or long green onion (Negi). Not sure if your BF is okay with green onions but that can be a good sub. Let’s say, if you use cabbage, I would saute and do the same cooking method as onion. 🙂
You can skip the onion, but the patties will be similar to western patties (kind of hard and dense?) and lack of fluffiness. Hope that helps!!
Wow! This recipe was super good! I didn’t use the wine since I don’t have at hand but it still tasted fantastic. So moist and yummy, but not to heavy on the taste. Your tips were very helpful! Thanks!
I was wondering, can the patty be frozen? I worry it won’t taste as good if I freeze and cook them.
Hi K! I’m so glad you liked this recipe! Thanks for your feedback! We usually cook first, let cool, and freeze. The meat quality lasts longer after being cooked than raw in the freezer. 🙂
Eu nunca se quer havia pensado no uso do leite na carne de hambúrguer,
fez toda a diferença.
E esse seu molho ficou perfeito e uma bela combinação para o
hambúrguer tradicional que eu faço aqui em casa.
Obrigado por mais uma valiosa dica;
Eu também sou fã dos seus Lamen e Ramen são um melhor que o outro.
Obrigado mais uma vez.
Olá Syd! Obrigado pelo seu feedback gentil sobre esta receita! Tão feliz em saber que você gostou. Minhas receitas de ramen são rápidas e fáceis, mas acho que é melhor do que o ramen embalado. 🙂
I love this dish. However, I don’t understand why the recipe for patties is different for wafu. Shouldn’t the ingredients measures be the same for all styles of Hamburg steak? Does one need to be updated?
I like the simple ratio of 1:1 beef pork patty in the wafu Hamburg with the sauce in this recipe. I Sometimes enjoy this with an egg for a better loco moco than the original recipe!
Thanks for showing how to make my own tonkatsu sauce!
Hi Roro! There is no set rule or ratio for making hambagu and I make hambagu with different ratios all the time (just like how hambagu is made differently in each household or restaurant). I used less beef for wafu to make it a less beefy taste to go with ponzu sauce. And for this wine-reduction sauce, more beef tastes better in my opinion. But feel free to adjust based on your preference or what you have in your fridge. 🙂
Glad you like my homemade tonkatsu sauce! Thanks for your kind feedback.
I make this all the time to remind me of my trips to Japan. Great flavours and great the next day too. Thanks for this authentic recipe
Hi Kirk! I’m really glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe and thank you for your kind words!
Thank you so much for your recipe. It was very easy to follow and turned out moist, flavorful, and delicious.
Hi Jane! Thank you for trying this recipe. I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for your kind feedback. xo
Tried this and it was very well received. I’ll be honest- I was too lazy to make the red wine sauce so I used canned demi-glace sauce instead. I’ll definitely be using this recipe again – the tips are gold.
Hi Eve! Thank you for trying my recipe! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe! The red wine sauce is pretty easy, but I recommend preparing the ingredients measured ahead of time so you can quickly make the sauce. 🙂
Made this yesterday for dinner and everyone loved it! The sauce goes well with the hambagu. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Kathy! I’m so glad you liked this recipe. Thank you for your kind feedback. 🙂 xo
Hi Nami, can I use airfryer to cook the hamburger? If it’s possible, what should the timing and temperature be?
Hi Rayna! I do not own an air fryer so I can’t surely say…but you need the grease coming from the patties to make the delicious sauce. 🙂
Hello Nami, may I know what is the subsidize for red wine? I only have Japanese Cooking Wine and Mirin.
Thank you and hope to hear from you soon.
Hi Rayna! Sure, you can use sake for a substitute but next time please use red wine for this dish. It makes it really delicious!
Facebook reminded me that only a year ago, I have been enjoying a hamburger curry at the famous Coco Ichibanya, and since I’m too far from the London branch to order a takeaway, I Googled the recipe for Japanese hamburger and your recipe is the first one I saw! The beef curry that I made using your recipe was a hit, and I have no doubt that this will be another hit for me! Can’t wait to make this.
Hello Mrs. W! I’m so glad now you get to make this dish at home. Thank you so much for your kind feedback. xo
Hi Nami! More quarantine cooking for me. i made this for dinner tonight and my family loved it. The sauce was great, too!!
Oh..just one question, is the half onion really 192 grams? That’s more than half of the meat mixture alrdy. Wasn’t too sure so I just used about 100 grams. But still turned out great!!
Also, made your kabocha stir-fry. A great recipe for leftover squash. Thanks again!
Hi Anna! Thank you so much for trying this recipe. I’m glad to hear your family enjoyed this dish. 🙂
As for the onion, yes the measurement is correct. We’re actually editing our next video which is this recipe. We reshot the images and already added to the post (yes the one you’re currently seeing) but I haven’t swapped the step by step images and ingredient image yet. In this updated images, the onion was 5 oz (142 g), so I just edited the ingredient list. The onion may seem a lot but it will be sauteed, get dehydrated, and become a small amount. The onion improves the texture of the patties and sweet flavor for the hambagu. 🙂
Thank you for making the kabocha stir fry too!