"Japanese hamburger steak" (ハンバーグ hambāgu), a variation of Hamburg Steak or Salisbury Steak, is a dish made by kneading ground meat—often a 7:3 blend of beef and pork—and sometimes other ingredients such as chopped onions, egg, breadcrumbs and spices, rolling it into a patty, and grilling it.

Popular with people of all ages, it's probably one of the most common dishes on the dinner table in Japan and a staple of 洋食 yōshoku (Western-influenced cooking that originated in the Meiji Period).

The recipe is quite simple, but the process of finely chopping onions and other ingredients, kneading the meat, and making it into patties requires a certain amount of time and effort.

Instagram user 冷凍子ママ reitoumama (@reitoumama), who specializes in cooking lifehacks, introduced a surprisingly time-saving recipe which drew a lot of feedback from many people.

How to Make Hamburger Steak

In a nutshell, reitoumama's recipe is as follows:

  • 1. Overturn a package of ground meat directly into a heated frying pan coated with oil.
  • 2. Season with salt and pepper and grill, flattening the meat on both sides with your spatula as you do so.
  • 3. Add vegetables of your choice, such as bean sprouts and corn, to the same pan, stir-fry, and pour your favorite steak sauce on top.

This bold method of skipping all the tedious steps and grilling the ground meat as it is from the supermarket (or butcher) is quite astonishing!

The video showing this recipe being made reveals that it looks as delicious as if it were served at a restaurant.

The video will not play in the embedded post below. Clicking on the play button takes you to reitoumama's Instagram account page where you can play the video.

According to reitoumama, this hamburger steak is made with only ground meat, without onions, so it has a satisfying steak-like texture.

The post received a lot of comments from people who saw it, such as:

  • "It's the epitome of effortlessness, and it looks delicious!"
  • "I like it because it's bold. In the US, people don't add onion or other vegetables to patties like they often do in Japan, so maybe it's actually closer to the original recipe!"
  • "Great idea. Now I see the light!"

By the way, reitoumama recommends you use a rich, flavorful steak sauce.

If you're short on time or just want a hamburger steak with a strong meaty flavor, this could be a lifehack you'll want to try!


reitoumama links


By - grape Japan editorial staff.