A Hamburg steak | |
| Place of origin | Germany orUnited States |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | Beef |
Hamburg steak is apatty ofground beef. Made popular worldwide by migrating Germans, it became a mainstream dish around the start of the 19th century. It is related toSalisbury steaks, which also use ground beef. It is considered the origin of thehamburger when, in the early 20th century, vendors began selling the Hamburg steak between bread as a sandwich.
The German equivalent of the Hamburg steak is theFrikadelle, also known as aBulette, which is known to have existed in the 17th century.
In the late 19th century, the Hamburg steak became popular on the menus of many restaurants in theport of New York. This kind of fillet was beef ground by hand, lightly salted, often smoked, and usually served raw in a dish along with onions and bread crumbs.[1][2] The oldest document that refers to the Hamburg steak in English is aDelmonico's Restaurant menu from 1873 that offered customers an 11-cent plate (equal to $2.89 today) of Hamburg steak that had been developed by American chefCharles Ranhofer (1836–1899). This price was high for the time, twice the price of a simple fillet of beef steak.[3][4] By the end of the century, the Hamburg steak was gaining popularity because of its ease of preparation and decreasing cost. This is evident from its detailed description in some of the most popular cookbooks of the day.[5] Documents show that this preparation style was used by 1887 in some US restaurants and was also used for feeding patients in hospitals; the Hamburg steak was served raw or lightly cooked and was accompanied by a raw egg.[6]
The menus of many American restaurants during the 19th century included a Hamburg beefsteak that was often sold for breakfast.[7] A variant of Hamburg steak isSalisbury steak, which is usually served with agravy similar in texture tobrown sauce. Invented by Dr.James Salisbury (1823–1905), the term Salisbury steak has been used in the United States since 1897.[8]

By 1930, Hamburg steaks were usually served as part of asandwich known as ahamburger; the meat part of the sandwich became known as apatty. The term "hamburger" has, in turn often been shortened to simply "burger".[9] "Burger" is now commonly used as a suffix to create new words for different variants of the hamburger, includingcheeseburger,chickenburger,porkburger, baconburger, and mooseburger.[9]
Hamburg steak is made from finelyground beef.[10]Seasoning,egg,breadcrumb,onion, andmilk may be combined with the meat[10] which is then formed into patties and cooked by frying, roasting, or smoking.[11]
Hamburg steak is listed byEscoffier as a classic dish inhaute cuisine.[12]


Hamburg (ハンバーグ,hanbāgu; Hamburg steak)[13] is a popular dish in Japan. It is made from ground meat with finely choppedonion,egg, andbreadcrumbs flavored with various spices, and made into a flat, oval shape about 4 cm thick and 10 to 15 cm in diameter. Many restaurants specialize in various styles of Hamburg steak.[14] Some variations includehanbāgu topped with cheese (チーズハンバーグ, orchīzuhanbāgu),hanbāgu withJapanese curry, and Italianhanbāgu (with tomato sauce rather thandemi-glace).In Japan, it is more commonly made from a mixture of ground pork and ground beef (called aibikiniku in Japan). If only beef is used instead of pork, the restaurant will usually indicate this.[citation needed]
Hamburg steak became popular during the 1960s as a more affordable way to serve otherwise costly meat. Magazines regularly printed the recipe during that decade, elevating it to a staple dish in Japanese culture. In Japan, the dish dates back to theMeiji period and is believed to have been first served inYokohama, which was one of the first ports opened to foreigners. Since the 1980s, vacuum-packed hamburgers with pre-added sauce have been available and are commonly used in boxed lunches (bento).Frozen hamburgers are popular, as well, and are often served in fast-food style restaurants.
InHawaii, Hamburg steak is very similar to the Japanesehanbāgu. It consists of a burger patty with brown gravy. It is usually served with macaroni salad and rice in aplate lunch. Another variety includes an egg, which is calledloco moco.

In thePhilippines, Hamburg steaks are a popular menu item from the fast food chainJollibee (where they are called "burger steaks"), and are served with gravy, mushrooms, and a side of steamed or adobo fried rice.
InAustralia, it is referred to as a Rissole. Often made at BBQ events and also known for being a menu item at Returned Servicemen's League (RSL) clubs. Various sauces and side dishes can be served with it.[citation needed]
InFinland, the dish is calledjauhelihapihvi ("ground meat steak") and is prepared and served like ameatball: pan-fried, and served with potatoes andbrown sauce.
InDenmark, a Hamburg steak is calledhakkebøf (“ground steak”). It is traditionally served with sautéed onions, boiled potatoes and vegetables,hakkebøf med bløde løg, or in a sandwich with brown sauce,bøfsandwich.[citation needed]
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