Hambagu (Japanese hamburg steak)
Hambagu is the dinner Japanese children ask for on their birthday: a thick, juicy oval patty of beef and pork mince, browned and steamed in the pan, then smothered in a shiny sauce of ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Family restaurants from Shizuoka to Hokkaido build whole menus around it, served on a hot iron plate with rice and buttered corn. This recipe uses pork mince with beef. The common mistake is under-kneading the mixture; it needs a good 2 minutes of mixing until sticky, or the patties crumble and leak their juice. Mince must reach 71 °C, so check the thickest one. Chef's tip: press a dent into the centre of each patty before cooking; the middle puffs as it cooks and the patty stays flat and even.
























