Hambagu Steak

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil, for the onion
• 1 large onion, finely chopped (about 200 g)
• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
• 4 tbsp milk
• 600 g beef mince, not too lean, kept cold
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil, for searing
• 150 g button mushrooms, sliced
• 4 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 150 ml water
• 1 tbsp butter
• 4 cups cooked Japanese or short-grain rice, to serve

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan over medium heat. Cook the chopped onion, stirring often, until soft and lightly golden. Spread it on a plate to cool completely.
2. Stir the panko and milk together in a large bowl and leave for a few minutes until the crumbs are soft and damp.
3. Add the beef, cooled onion, egg, salt, pepper and nutmeg to the bowl. Mix with your hand for about 1 minute, just until the mixture turns sticky and holds together.
4. Divide into 4 equal portions. Toss each one between your palms several times to push out air, then shape into an oval about 2 cm thick. Press a shallow dimple into the centre of each. Chill for 10 minutes.
5. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the large frying pan over medium-high heat. Sear the patties for 3 minutes, until the underside is deep brown, then flip.
6. Brown the second side for 1 minute. Lower the heat to low, add 3 tbsp of water to the pan, cover and steam for 8 minutes, until the centre reaches 71°C and the juices run clear. Move the patties to a plate.
7. In the same pan over medium heat, cook the mushrooms for 3 minutes until they soften. Add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, sugar and 150 ml water, and stir up the browned bits from the pan.
8. Simmer the sauce for 3 to 4 minutes until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the butter until it melts.
9. Return the patties and any resting juices to the pan. Spoon the sauce over for 1 minute to warm them through, then serve at once with rice.

Tips

• Keep the beef cold and handle it briefly. Warm hands and overmixing give dense, rubbery patties.
• Cool the cooked onion fully before mixing, or it will warm the fat in the meat and make the patties fall apart.
• The centre dimple stops the patties from puffing up into a dome as they cook.
• For a richer sauce, use beef mince with about 15 to 20 percent fat.