Come Eat This! đ˝ď¸
New recipe! A burger bowl with a twist!
I love a burger bowl just like the next girl and a few weeks ago I was craving one butâŚdifferent. Maybe elevated? Perhaps a twist here and thereâŚ
Hi, Iâm Bri and apparently I have the palate of a Michelin star critic and the frozen pizza standards of a college sophomore. Like I want a basic burger bowl but one Iâd go to a restaurant and pay actual dollars for.
And thatâs how these Hibachi Burger Bowls were born!
Theyâre saucy, almost disturbingly savory, and a little bright and crisp thanks to our quick pickled cucumbers (a quickle if you will!).
Now listen, Iâm going to hold your hand when I say this...there are 5 components to this dish that are non-negotiables. If you try to make all five of them at once, right before dinner, on a weeknight...you will break up with me. I just know it. I can feel it.
BUT, each one of these components can be made ahead of time so by the time itâs dinner all weâre doing is ASSEMBLING. And just like that youâre back in a committed relationship with me. Hi!
Letâs dive in!
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The Story Behind Hibachi & Yum Yum Sauce
Hibachi: This is a Quiz You Might Fail
Hereâs a little fun fact that might rearrange your whole understanding of hibachi night: those restaurants you grew up going to, with the onion volcanoes and the chef flipping shrimp into his hat, are technically not hibachi at all.
Hibachi (literally âfire bowlâ) is a traditional Japanese charcoal grill thatâs been used for centuries, mostly for warmth and simple cooking (or just heating tea). What we know and love in America is actually teppanyaki (cooking on a large flat iron griddle).
Teppanyaki became a phenomenon in the U.S. thanks to Benihana, the restaurant founded in New York City in 1964 by Hiroaki âRockyâ Aoki, who understood at the time that his customers didnât just want dinner, they wanted a show! The chefs, the fire, the flying spatulas! A completely new dining experience that absolutely took off and never looked back.
So âhibachiâ as we know it is a cultural mashup: Japanese technique, American showmanship.
Yum Yum Sauce: A True American Original
Plot twist: yum yum sauce did not originate in Japan. Despite living at every hibachi restaurant in the country, it was actually developed in the United States by Japanese-American restaurant owners catering to American palates. In Japan youâd find ponzu, ginger dipping sauces, or simple soy-based condiments alongside grilled food...not a blush-pink mayo situation đ
But honestly? That origin story makes it better. Itâs a condiment invented specifically to bring two culinary worlds together, and it did its job so well that nobody ever thought to question it.
And really it reminds me of the burger sauce from In N Out with just a little more umami and smoothness, which makes it perfect for this spin on a burger bowl!
Prep Ahead Guide:
How to Make Hibachi Bowls Weeknight-Easy
Almost everything in this bowl gets better when made ahead, which means the prep work you do on Sunday is actively rewarding you on Tuesday. Hereâs how to break it down.
Morning of or Up to a Few Days Ahead: Bring the Yum Yum Sauce Together
This is your lowest-effort, highest-reward prep task. Whisk it together in five minutes, pour it into a jar, and stick it in the fridge. It improves over a day or two as the flavors meld together. Make a double batch while youâre at it. You will use it on everything.
Day Before or Up to 3 Days Ahead: Caramelize the Onions
This is the component that trips most people up on weeknights because it takes 35-40 minutes of low, slow attention. Do it on a weekend afternoon and refrigerate. They reheat beautifully in a skillet with a tiny splash of oil, or right on top of the beef while it finishes in the pan.
Day Before Up to 3 Days Ahead: Cook the Hibachi Mushrooms
I actually cook these when I cook the onions. Once the onions are done I remove them and use the same skillet to cook the mushrooms. The mushrooms reheat well and are arguably even better the next day, once theyâve had time to sit in their own soy-mirin glaze. Store in an airtight container and reheat in a hot skillet for 2-3 minutes (or on top of the beef while it finishes in the pan).
Right Before Serving (15-20 Minutes): Brown the Beef & Build
Season the beef, get your skillet ripping hot, and brown it until itâs almost crispy in spots.
Shred your iceberg (unless you bought store-bought shredded iceberg lettuce đââď¸), slice your green onions, and youâre ready to go. With everything else already done, dinner is on the table in under twenty minutes.
A note on the mushrooms and onions: Yes, 10 oz of mushrooms and 2 onions might look like youâve lost the plot when youâre staring them down on the cutting board. You have not lost the plot! Both shrink down significantly as they cook, and if youâre feeding 5 or more people you truly need every last bit of them.
A note on servings: This recipe as written serves 5-6 people. Cooking for 2 or 3? It cuts in half exactly, no math headaches required, just halve every ingredient and youâre good to go.
Subscribers allow me to keep creating recipes! Keep me in the kitchen (I mean this in the best possible way!) by subscribing belowđ
Here are some kitchen tools that I think are worth calling out for this recipe!
Large Enameled Cast Iron Braiser or Skillet: I love using my Le Creuset Braiser for this dish and if you have wanted to get one that is not so much of a splurge, this brand is at an amazing price and has great reviews!
Meat Crumbler: I love using this tool to quickly and uniformly crumble my meat!
Serving Bowls: I love serving this dish in these bowls because they have a wide, flat bottom but raised sides so no good morsel can escape!
Hereâs the full recipe with the printable version available đ
Serves 5-6
Get the printable recipe here.
Ingredients
For the Ground Beef
1½ lbs 80/20 ground beef
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (1/2 tsp if using Mortonâs)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
For the Yum Yum Sauce
1 cup mayo (I love Dukeâs or Kewpie)
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp sugar
For the Quick-Pickled Cucumbers
1 large English cucumber, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp sesame oil
For the Hibachi Mushrooms
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
10 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp mirin
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper (to finish)
For the Caramelized Onions
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp soy sauce
Pinch of sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
For the Bowl
6 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Yum Yum Sauce, for drizzling
Instructions
There are a lot of components to this bowl, but most of it can be made ahead of time! Note that the caramelized onions take the longest to cook, about 35-40 minutes, so if you do not make those ahead of time, start with them!
Caramelize the Onions
Melt 2 Tbsp butter with 1 Tbsp oil in a wide skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions, along with a pinch of salt and sugar.
Cook low and slow, stirring occasionally, for 35-40 minutes until deeply golden.
Stir in 1 tsp soy sauce in the last few minutes for an umami, glossy finish.
Make the Yum Yum Sauce
Whisk together 1 cup mayo, 2 Tbsp ketchup, 1 Tbsp melted butter, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp paprika, and ½ tsp sugar until smooth.
Refrigerate until ready to use (will last in the fridge for up to 7 days).
Pickle the Cucumbers
Combine 3 Tbsp rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp kosher salt in a small bowl, stirring until dissolved.
Add the sliced cucumber and ½ tsp sesame oil and toss to coat.
Let sit for at least 20 minutes while you prep everything else (can be made the morning of and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. These will last in the fridge for 7 days).
Brown the Mushrooms
Heat 2 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp neutral oil in a large skillet over high heat (I use the same one I caramelized the onions in). Add 10 oz sliced shiitake mushrooms in a single layer. Donât stir for the first 3 minutes so they get a good sear.
Flip the mushrooms and saute for another 3 minutes on the other side. Add 3 cloves of garlic, minced, and saute until the smell of garlic hits your nose!
Pour in 2 Tbsp soy sauce and 1 Tbsp mirin, toss to coat, and cook another minute until glossy and slightly caramelized.
Season with black pepper. Set aside.
Cook the Ground Beef
In a large bowl, combine 1½ lbs ground beef with 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, and ½ tsp black pepper. Mix to combine.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to the pan. Once the oil is heated, add the ground beef and crumble with a meat crumbler or wooden spoon.
Brown the beef for 6-8 minutes until it is completely browned and almost crispy.
Build Your Bowl!
Divide the shredded iceberg lettuce among the bowls. Top with the ground beef, then a pile of caramelized onions, and a scoop of hibachi mushrooms. Add pickled cucumbers alongside.
Drizzle generously with Yum Yum sauce. Finish with sliced green onions and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy!
I cannot wait for you to try this recipe! When you do, come back here and tell me all about it!
Adding this to next weekâs meal plan! Canât wait to try it.
Trying this soon. Yum!!