Japanese Ground Beef Patties with Savory Sauce

• 500 g ground beef (20% fat)
• 4 pinches salt
• black pepper, to taste
• 60–70 g mozzarella cheese
• 160–200 g onion
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 4 tbsp water
• 1 g kombu
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sake
• 1 tbsp mirin

Preparation

1. Step 1

   1:02
   Remove air from the ground beef by pressing and squeezing about 10 times each side until the surface becomes smoother. Shape into patties about 2.5-3cm thick, adjusting the shape to fit your pan. Patties can be prepped and frozen; bring to room temperature before cooking.
2. Step 2

   2:09
   Slice the onion.
3. Step 3

   2:30
   Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat with the neutral oil. Place the patties in the pan and move them around initially so the oil is evenly distributed. Press with a weight or by hand to brown evenly. After a few minutes, flip and brown the other side for about 1 minute.
4. Step 4

   4:31
   Increase to high heat, add a pinch of the salt, and cook the patties until browned. If the pan gets dry, add water to prevent burning. Continue cooking for a few more minutes.
5. Step 5

   5:13
   Add the sauce mixture of water, soy sauce, sake, mirin, and kombu, then boil for 20-30 seconds.
6. Step 6

   5:26
   Reduce to low heat, add the mozzarella cheese, and cook for 4 minutes.
7. Step 7

   5:54
   Rest for 3 minutes with the remaining heat to gently finish cooking.