Skip to content

Meat, East Asian

Hambagu with demi-glace sauce and rice

Hambagu is a Japanese style hamburger steak made from beef and pork, served with a red wine demi-glace style sauce, rice, and green beans. This easy recipe takes 45 minutes for 4 people, at about €3.00 per person. The key is kneading the meat well so it stays soft once cooked.

Tonight, Japanese style hamburger steak, hambagu, soft and juicy under a red wine sauce, with rice and crisp green beans.

Hambagu with demi-glace sauce and rice
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.00
Calories per person
530 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Hambagu is Japan's take on the hamburger steak, soft inside, lightly caramelized on top, and finished with a glossy brown sauce made from red wine and ketchup that tastes like a restaurant demi-glace. The beef and pork mix keeps it tender, panko soaked in milk locks in moisture, and a pinch of nutmeg adds warmth without taking over.

This is a great choice for a weeknight when you want something more interesting than a plain hamburger steak, without any complicated technique. Kids recognize the familiar shape, adults get won over by the sauce, and rice with green beans round out the plate with almost no extra effort.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Ground beef 300 g
  • Ground pork 300 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Green beans 300 g

Dairy

  • Egg 1
  • Milk 4 tbsp
  • Butter 20 g

Pantry

  • Panko 4 tbsp
  • Nutmegoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Ketchup 3 tbsp
  • Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp
  • Red wine 10 cl
  • Oiloften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Eggs, Gluten, Lactose, Fish

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the chopped onion in a little oil until translucent, then let it cool. 5 min

    A cooked, cooled onion makes the steak softer and juicier.

  2. Mix the meats with the onion, egg, panko soaked in milk, nutmeg, and salt, and knead until the mixture turns sticky.

    Shape into 4 thick patties and press a dent in the center with your thumb, they won't puff up while cooking.

  3. Cook the rice in salted water, then cook the green beans in another pot for 8 minutes, and drain them. 11 min

    Plunge the green beans into ice water after cooking to keep their bright color.

  4. Brown the patties in a pan for 3 minutes on each side, then cover and cook over low heat. 10 min

    Cover with a splash of water, the steam cooks the center without drying it out.

  5. Remove the patties, deglaze the pan with the wine, add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and butter, let it reduce, then spoon over the patties. 4 min

    The reduced red wine and butter create a sauce reminiscent of the demi-glace served in Japanese restaurants.

Our tips to get it right

  • Soak the panko in milk until it turns into a soft paste, it should blend into the meat easily.
  • Never press down on the steaks while they cook, you'd push out the juices and dry out the meat.
  • Check doneness by piercing the center of a steak with a knife tip, the juices should run clear.

The variations

  • Swap the pork for ground veal for a milder tasting steak.
  • For a vegetarian version, use a plant based ground mix with finely chopped mushrooms, the sauce works just as well on top.
  • For kids in a hurry, shape smaller, thinner patties, they'll cook in half the time.

What to serve it with

  • Plain steamed rice
  • Crunchy cabbage salad
  • Hot green tea

Storage

Cooked steaks keep for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, sauce included. You can freeze them without the sauce for up to 1 month. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water to keep them soft.

Questions about this dish

Can you shape the steaks ahead of time?

Yes, shape the raw patties the day before and keep them covered in the fridge. Cook them right before serving so they stay soft and juicy.

What can replace panko?

Use fine regular breadcrumbs instead of panko, the texture will be slightly denser but it still keeps the meat soft.

Can you freeze hambagu steaks?

Yes, freeze the cooked steaks without the sauce, well wrapped, for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge before reheating in a pan.

Why press a dent into the center of each patty?

The center puffs up as it cooks, so the dent keeps the patty flat and cooks evenly. It's a simple trick that prevents an unevenly cooked bulge in the middle.

How long does it take to make a hambagu with demi-glace sauce and rice?

Count 45 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a hambagu with demi-glace sauce and rice?

About 530 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a hambagu with demi-glace sauce and rice cost?

About €3.00 per serving, or €12.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs, gluten, lactose, fish. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

East Asian cuisines

See all

Beef recipes

See all