When I go out for dinner, I want dinner. When I go out for dessert, I want dessert. What I don’t want when I go out specifically for dinner is, well, dessert. With the exception of that wonderful/terrible genus of Chinese takeout that is so uniquely American, I don’t like my dinner foods to be overly sweet.
And that is why I almost never, ever order a teriyaki burger when I go out to eat. Most teriyaki burgers I’ve had at restaurants are gloopy, syrupy messes that taste more like burger-flavored candy than Asian-flavored burgers. Where is the savory? Where is the beefy goodness? Covered in sugar.
So, if I want a teriyaki burger that actually tastes like beef, isn’t dry as jerky, and doesn’t send me into a diabetic coma, I’m just going to have to make it myself. Here, we present the tips you need for a more authentic, tastier teriyaki burger, based on the incredible, balanced recipe from J. Kenji López-Alt over at SeriousEats.com.
What even is teriyaki?
To be technically correct, teriyaki is a cooking technique more than it is a flavor. The word itself, teriyaki, is a word made of two words in Japanese, teri (meaning shiny, lustrous) and yaki (which is the method of broiling or grilling). So the word basically means shiny-grilled. The shiny, lustrous bit comes from the tare sauce—what we would call teriyaki sauce—that is made of soy sauce, mirin (rice wine), and sugar.
In Japanese teriyaki restaurants, meats are grilled over charcoal and glazed with several coats of the savory/sweet sauce until they attain a semi-lacquered appearance. The result is a more multi-dimensional coating of teriyaki sauce.
In his recipe, Kenji recommends making your own teriyaki sauce from scratch, and it’s really not hard to do. But by all means, try this recipe if you have a quality store-bought sauce. That’s what we used, and it was delicious.
(Of course, even with a homemade sauce, no one can argue that a teriyaki burger is authentic Japanese food. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t use some authentic techniques to make a better burger.)
After we glaze, the burgers will come off the heat slightly sticky and very savory. We’ll then turn them in a stack of scallions, coating the patties in green onion. Yum.
What about pineapple?
Another thing you’ll see at most restaurants is a slice of pineapple adorning a teriyaki burger. Somehow, this addition is less controversial than pineapple on pizza…though it shouldn’t be. Bring on the pineapple/burger controversy! This recipe omits it in favor of some simple shredded cabbage, which lets the flavor of the beef shine. That being said, if you want pineapple on your burger, by all means, put it on. But I recommend fresh pineapple, and that you also grill it before topping your burger.
Teriyaki burger temps
All burgers, except those that are made from fresh-ground beef, must be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) to minimize the risks of food-borne illness. In order to hit that temperature without overshooting, we recommend using the two-stage method of grilling burgers. Start your burger over indirect heat until you get to 20°F (11°C) below your target temp. Then move them to direct heat to sear. To get that sheen that we’re looking for, start basting the meat before you move it to direct heat. One coat per side should do the trick. Because this stage of cooking isn’t happening over direct heat, you can use a leave-in probe to monitor the thermal progress. A Smoke X2™ will do the job nicely.
Then, when you move the burgers over direct heat, start basting them with more sauce until they reach 160°F (71°C) using your Thermapen.
Note: This recipe is one that highlights the quality of your beef. Grinding fresh and cooking to a lower temp is a great idea. At the very least, use the highest-quality beef you can find.
Also, the recipe calls for a Japanese spice blend called shichimi togarashi. This blend, or ones like it, can be found in well-stocked grocery stores in the Asian section or at your local Asian market.
Better Teriyaki Burger Recipe
Description
Teriyaki burgers that aren’t too sweet, based on Kenji’s recipe at SeriousEats.com
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb ground beef chuck (about 80% lean—so you can cook it less)
- Kosher salt
- 2 tsp shichimi togarashi (see note)
- 1 C thinly sliced scallions
- 1 C Teriyaki Sauce (homemade or a good quality one from the store)
- 4 soft hamburger buns
- 4 Tbsp mayonnaise, Japanese-style is best
- 2 C finely shredded green cabbage
Instructions
- Preheat your grill for indirect cooking by placing lit charcoal under one half of the grate.
- Form the beef into patties that, with a divot in the center, are a little wider than your buns. Season them well with salt and shichimi togarashi on both sides. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Scatter the sliced scallions on a large plate or cookie sheet. Divide your teriyaki sauce into two portions, one for grilling and one for dressing.
- Place the burgers on the indirect-cooking side of the grill. Insert the probes from a Smoke X2 into the patties and set the high-temp alarm for 140°F (60°C). Baste them once with teriyaki sauce.
- When the high-temp alarm sounds, remove the probes from the meat and move the patties to the direct-heat side of the grill.
- Turn the burgers over every 30–60 seconds, basting with teriyaki each time you flip. The frequent additions of sauce should help slow the cooking so that you have time for the sauce to set up on the surface before the burgers are fully cooked.
- Temp the patties frequently with your Thermape to check for doneness. Remove the patties from heat and place them on the scallion-strewn platter when they reach 160°F (71°C).
- Turn the patties over in the scallions so that they adhere to the sticky surface. Allow the patties to rest while you toast the buns on the grill.
- Once the buns are toasted, spread the bottom half of each bun with mayo, top with half of the shredded cabbage, place a patty on top, baste with a little more sauce, top with the rest of the cabbage, and close it out with the top bun.
- Dig in and enjoy!
Notes
This is a simple, balanced recipe that allows for the flavor of the meat to really shine. It will be best with the highest quality ground beef you can find.
Also, the recipe calls for a Japanese spice blend called shichimi togarashi. This blend, or ones like it, can be found in well-stocked grocery stores in the Asian section or at your local Asian market.
These burgers—balanced, and beefy—are absolutely delicious! They are a perfect blend of savory, and salty, with a hint of sweet and a terrific bit of crunch from the cabbage. And, thanks to temperature monitoring by the Smoke X2 and the trusty Thermapen®, you can have them cooked to perfection. Give them a try and leave dessert for dessert.
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Rick Nicolls says
The recipe says that shichimi togarachi is explained in the notes but I don’t see it. What is it and how is it used?
★★★★
Martin says
Note added!
KAT says
“shichimi togarash (see note)”
wasn’t in the notes
Martin says
Fixed!
Brad says
2 tsp shichimi togarashi (see note)?
I saw note, but no mention of whatever this is!
Martin says
I fixed it, sorry for the trouble!
Dan says
They may not be traditional, but they are Japanese food. Teriyaki burgers were invented by a Japanese fast food chain called MOS Burger in the 70’s. All the Japanese fast food burger chains have had them ever since. These are really good with a fried egg on them, by the way.
★★★★★
Martin says
Dan,
I’ll have to try it with the egg! Thanks for the info!