Soft and juicy Japanese Hamburger Steak served with homemade a sugar-free demi-glace sauce. This recipe is a family favorite and an absolute crowd pleaser!
Japanese Hamburger Steak has and will always be a popular dinner choice any day of the week.
There’s nothing better than juicy and flavorful ground meat patties served with an addicting demi-glace sauce. Truly a Japanese classic recipe!
What is Japanese Hamburger Steak?
Japanese Hamburger Steak, pronounced ‘hambagu’ in Japanese, is not like the usual “hamburger” with two buns you might be used to.
Instead, it is just a thick and juicy ground meat patty topped with a special sauce and served with a side of vegetables.
How do you make Japanese hamburger steak?
A 50% ratio of ground beef to ground pork is mixed with saute onions, garlic, pork rinds (or can sub with panko), egg, half and half, nutmeg.
The mixture is formed into thick patties and cooked on medium-high heat turning once until the juice runs clear. Approximately 6-8 minutes.
What is the nutritional information for this Japanese hamburger steak recipe?
- 377 Calories
- 5g Carbohydrates
- 1g Fiber
- 19g Protein
- 29g Fat
- 1g Trans Fat
- 97mg Cholesterol
- 650mg Sodium
- 497mg Potassium
- 44mg Calcium
- 3mg Vitamin C
What sides go well with this Japanese dish?
- Pan-fried cauliflower rice in butter or steamed rice of choice.
- Boiled green vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, green beans.
- Hard-boiled eggs.
Why do you use a 50/50 ground meat mixture of ground beef and ground pork to make Japanese hamburgers?
Using a 50/50 ground meat mixture ensures the patty is soft and juicy.
Did you have any tips in making Japanese Hamburger Steak recipe?
- Use a blend of at least 50% ground pork ratio.
- Hamburger steak is ready when only clear juices come out when lightly pressed down with a spatula.
- Serve with boiled green vegetables and rice of choice for a balanced healthy meal.
Looking for other healthy Japanese recipes?
- Japanese Beef Fried Rice
- Japanese Seared Hamachi Yellowtail
- Japanese Miso Salmon
- Japanese Chicken Egg Bowl Oyakodon
- Japanese Cabbage Salad
Now, let’s get making this authentic Japanese Hamburger Steak recipe!
- Prepping Time 10M
- Cooking Time 10M
- Total Time 20M
- Net Carb/Serv ~4g
- Serving 4 Patties
Ingredients
Hamburger
- 1/2 lb Ground Pork (fat>20% preferred)
- 1/2 lb Ground Beef (fat>20% preferred)
- 1/2 tbsp Butter
- 1 tbsp Chopped Onions
- 1 Garlic Clove
- 1 oz Unflavored Pork Rinds (2 tbsp if using Pork Panko or regular Panko Bread Crumbs)
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/8 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 Egg
- 1 1/2 tbsp Half & Half
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
Demi-Glace Sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp Butter
- 1 1/2 tsp Sweetener (Monkfruit Erythritol Blend, sugar or sweetener of choice)
- 4 1/2 tbsp Red Wine
- 4 1/2 tbsp Water
- 4 1/2 tbsp Sugar-Free Ketchup (can sub with regular ketchup, but use half the sweetener)
- 4 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
Directions
1) Gather all the ingredients.
2) Dice onions. In a medium sized frying pan, add 1/2 tbsp butter on medium heat. Once butter is melted, add onion, cook until browned and set aside. Should take around 2-3 minutes.
3) Grate garlic with a grater or a garlic press. Put into a large mixing bowl.
4) Pour Unflavored Pork Rinds into a food processor and pulse until ground into very fine crumbs and transfer into the mixing bowl. You can also use your hands to crush the pork rinds if you don’t have a food processor. Note – if you’re using Pork Panko or regular Panko Bread Crumbs, place directly into the mixing bowl.
5) In mixing bowl, add ground pork, ground beef, salt, pepper, egg, half & half, nutmeg, cooked onions from step 2). Combine with hands until mixed well.
6) Take 1/4 of the mix and throw from one hand to another while gently cupping the mix with the palm and hand forming a ball. Place the ball onto a plate and press down on it with the palm of your hand to form a patty. The patty should be around 1 inch thick. Afterwards, take your thumb and gently press and make an indent in the middle of the hamburger patty. This ensures the hamburger will retain it’s shape during the cooking process (otherwise it will expand upwards).
7) In a small frying pan, add 1 1/2 tbsp butter, red wine, water, Sugar-Free Ketchup, sweetener and Worcestershire sauce on medium-low heat. Mix and reduce until the sauce thickens. Should be around 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat once thickened.
8) In a large frying pan, spray cooking oil and bring up to temperature on medium-high heat (about 2 minutes). Carefully place patties with indented side upwards, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes or until browned. Flip to the other side and repeat.
9) Once hamburgers are done, transfer to a serving plate and pour demi-glace sauce on top. Best served with a side of vegetables.
Hope you enjoy your authentic Japanese Hamburger Steak!
If you’re looking for other recipe ideas, be sure to check out our growing Recipe Index full of healthy Asian inspired recipes!
Join us on Facebook to be part of our interactive discussions & recipe requests and follow us on Instagram, Pinterest, or subscribe to our New Recipe Notification and be the first to know when we post a new recipe!
Japanese Hamburger Steak
Ingredients
Hamburger
- 1/2 lb Ground Pork fat>20% preferred
- 1/2 lb Ground Beef fat>20% preferred
- 1/2 tbsp Butter
- 1 tbsp Chopped Onions
- 1 Clove Garlic
- 1 oz Unflavored Pork Rinds 2 tbsp if using Pork Panko or regular panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/8 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 Whole Egg
- 1 1/2 tbsp Half & Half
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
Demi-Glace Sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp Butter
- 1 1/2 tsp Sweetener monkfruit erythritol blend, sugar or sweetener of choice
- 4 1/2 tbsp Red Wine
- 4 1/2 tbsp Water
- 4 1/2 tbsp Sugar-Free Ketchup can sub with regular ketchup, but use half the sweetener
- 4 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Dice onions. In a medium sized frying pan, add 1/2 tbsp butter on medium heat. Once butter is melted, add onion, cook until browned and set aside. Should take around 2-3 minutes.
- Grate garlic with a grater or a garlic press. Put into a large mixing bowl.
- Pour Unflavored Pork Rinds into a food processor and pulse until ground into very fine crumbs and transfer into the mixing bowl. You can also use your hands to crush the pork rinds if you don’t have a food processor. Note – if you’re using Pork Panko or regular Panko Bread Crumbs, place directly into the mixing bowl.
- In mixing bowl, add ground pork, ground beef, salt, pepper, egg, half & half, nutmeg, cooked onions from step 2). Combine with hands until mixed well.
- Take 1/4 of the mix and throw from one hand to another while gently cupping the mix with the palm and hand forming a ball. Place the ball onto a plate and press down on it with the palm of your hand to form a patty. The patty should be around 1 inch thick. Afterwards, take your thumb and gently press and make an indent in the middle of the hamburger patty. This ensures the hamburger will retain it's shape during the cooking process (otherwise it will expand upwards).
- In a small frying pan, add 1 1/2 tbsp butter, red wine, water, Sugar-Free Ketchup, sweetener and Worcestershire sauce on medium-low heat. Mix and reduce until the sauce thickens. Should be around 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat once thickened.
- In a large frying pan, spray cooking oil and bring up to temperature on medium-high heat (about 2 minutes). Carefully place patties with indented side upwards, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes or until browned. Flip to the other side and repeat.
- Once hamburgers are done, transfer to a serving plate and pour demi-glace sauce on top. Best served with a side of vegetables.
Video
Nutrition
*This page contains affiliate marketing links*
yum yum yum. Really good. Thank you!
I made some changes because of lacking them in the house and it was still REALLY good. Changes I made were:
no pork rinds
all ground beef
no salt/pepper because I just for didn’t read carefully or forgot
changed out cream for half and half
In the demiglace, I changed red wine for red wine vinegar. Thank you. Thank you. You guys are great!!
You are very welcome and love the enthusiasm!! Using pork & pork rinds would be more juicy compared to beef and no rinds. All the other subs are minor and wouldn’t make a noticeable impact in the final dish IMO. Either way, glad you enjoyed the recipe!!
This came out so delicious! My demi-glace did not turn out as dark as yours, but it tasted great. Cant wait to try more of your recipes!
Hey Tom! So glad you liked the recipe and thanks for the feedback!