Hamburg Steak – by Kim Kang Woo from Pyunstaurant

This hamburg steak is juicy, tender, and coated in a savory sauce that makes it the perfect comforting home-style meal. It’s also  easy to meal prep for busy days on the go! 

When we lived  in Boston, we had a favorite cozy Japanese restaurant that was no frills. My husband would get their hamburg while I went with  their ultra crispy tonkatsu. Since moving to the DC area, we haven’t quite found a spot that compares. So when I saw Korean actor Kim Kang Woo make his version of hamburg on the TV show Pyun-Staurant, I knew I needed to try it. It’s obviously not the same as the restaurant, but we’ll be adding this into our daily rotation! 

What is Hamburg? 

Often called hamburg steak, it is a Japanese-style dish made from a combination of ground beef and pork which is shaped into a patty, pan seared and served with rice instead of a bun. It’s typically topped with a savory sauce. This recipe uses a tonkatsu base, but my husband has enjoyed tomato based or spicy chili sauces as well! 

Tips for Success

Kim Kang Woo includes several tips to help make sure the dish is a delicious success. 

• Usually the onion is sauted, but to save time and pans, this recipe microwaves the onions. The first three minutes soften the onions, while the final uncovered minute helps evaporate excess moisture.
• Use cold meat as it helps hold the shape of the hamburg. 
• Use Korean or Japanese breadcrumbs as the texture is different  from American or Italian breadcrumbs. 
• Store unused hamburg patties in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Freeze for a few weeks for easy meal prepping. 
• Make sure to follow the timed rules before flipping the meat or removing the cover as listed in the instructions. 

Hope you enjoy! 

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Hamburg Steak by Kim Kang Woo

This hamburg steak is juicy, tender, and coated in a savory sauce that makes it the perfect comforting home-style meal.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Korean

Servings: 4 patties

Jennifer | Chopsticks and Flour

Ingredients

• 300 g ground beef (10.5 oz)
• 300 g ground pork (10.5 oz)
• 1 onion diced
• 3 Tbsp oil
• 1 egg
• 6 Tbsp milk
• ¾ tsp salt *his recipe used ½ Tbsp
• 1 Tbsp oyster sauce *his recipe used 2 Tbsp
• ¾ cup breadcrumbs
• Oil for panfrying
• 3 Tbsp water

Sauce

• 2 Tbsp butter
• ¾ cup tonkatsu sauce* 12 Tbsp, bottled
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic

Instructions

• Place the diced onion in a bowl. Add 3 Tbsp of oil and mix well. Cover and microwave for 3 minutes. Remove the cover, microwave for 1 more minute. Transfer to the refrigerator and let cool completely.
  
• In a large bowl, combine the ground beef and pork. Add the egg, milk, salt and oyster sauce, mixing until combined. The mixture will be wet. Add in the breadcrumbs and mix thoroughly. Add the cooled onions and knead the mixture well with your hands
  
• Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions. Toss each meat patty from hand to hand and shape into oval patties. Lightly indent the center of each patty so it cooks evenly.
  
• Lightly oil a large frying pan and place the patties in the pan before turning on the heat. Turn the heat to medium. As the patties begin to release fat, let them cook for about 2 minutes.
  
• Flip the patties, cook for 2 more minutes.
  
• Pour 1 ½ Tbsp water per patty into the pan, adding water both between and around the patties. Cover the pan, reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the patties rest, covered, for 1 minute. Do not open the lid during this time.
  

Sauce

• In a separate pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add in the tonkatsu sauce, sugar and minced garlic. Cook until sugar is dissolved.

To Serve

• Plate the hamburg and spoon the sauce over the hamburg. Serve with steamed rice, a sunny-side-up egg, and a simple side salad for a classic, comforting meal.
  

Notes

Tip: If you don’t have store-bought tonkatsu sauce, use Just One Cookbook’s homemade version and measure out ¾ cup total: 4 ½ Tbsp worcestershire sauce, 2 Tbsp sugar, 5 Tbsp ketchup, 2 Tbsp oyster sauce – mix together