Tofu Hamburg Steak "Beyond the Ultimate," Made Without Onions or a Knife: Binding It with Firm Tofu and Mayonnaise

The main ingredients are mixed ground beef and pork and firm tofu. This time, Ryuji strongly recommended using firm rather than silken tofu. Firm tofu gives more of a meaty feel, and the texture is such that you wouldn't notice tofu was in it unless told. Looking back, Ryuji said the previous tofu hamburg steak probably wasn't made with firm tofu, and explained that this is what's different this time.

The other difference is leaving out the onions. Ryuji called mincing onions the task they "hate most in the world," and stressed that just skipping it makes things this much easier. The tofu is crumbled by hand and the other ingredients are simply measured and added, so a knife is never used from start to finish.

For quantities, half a block of firm tofu (175g) is combined with an equal amount, 175g, of mixed ground meat. The mixture comes to about 350g, making three patties of a little over 110g each. Ryuji figures an adult might be able to eat about two. If you want to make a lot, such as enough for the whole family, using a full block of tofu yields six.

The tofu needs to be drained. If its moisture gets into the mixture, the flavor is diluted and the mixture turns watery. Ryuji's method is simply to press the tofu by hand, taking care not to break it apart. There's no need to put a weight on it and leave it; pressing makes water come out steadily, about 2 to 3 tablespoons' worth.

When a staff member asked whether just wiping the surface with paper towels would be enough, Ryuji replied that paper towels don't get this much water out. Pressing by hand is the fastest way to drain it, and since you're probably hungry when you're cooking, it's better to avoid time-consuming methods.

Add 175g of ground meat to the drained tofu, then the seasonings. Ryuji explained the role of each ingredient.

Panko: 4 tablespoons. The more you add, the softer the texture; leave it out and the texture is just tofu and meat. Panko absorbs moisture, so it also helps the mixture hold together.

Lard: 1 tablespoon. The idea is that adding a little fat makes it tastier; if you don't have any, vegetable oil is fine. Salt: 2/3 teaspoon, an amount Ryuji admits is "quite a lot." Ajinomoto: 8 shakes, which boosts the umami of the meat. Nutmeg: 5 shakes. Ryuji said restaurant hamburg steaks almost always contain it, and adding it makes them considerably tastier. Black pepper is added as well.

Finally, add 4 teaspoons of Pure Select Mayonnaise, or a little over 1 tablespoon. Ryuji believes that cracking in an egg brings out a strong egg flavor and also dulls the meatiness. This time the aim was to make the most of the texture and umami of the tofu and meat, so mayonnaise was used as the binder instead of egg. Pure Select Mayonnaise has little acidity and doesn't interfere with a dish's flavor, so in Ryuji's opinion it's the only mayonnaise to use in cooking.

While kneading the mixture, Ryuji talked about sponsored videos. Some viewers dislike them, assuming they're done just for the money. Ryuji admitted to doing them for the money too, but said that accepting money comes with responsibility, so they put out something good. Ryuji said this mindset came from many years as a company employee.

Ryuji also revealed that this recipe was developed two years ago and saved for this mayonnaise sponsorship.

Once kneaded, the tofu breaks into fine bits that are only visible here and there, and the mixture looks almost entirely like meat. With prices rising across the board and many people wanting to save money by cooking at home, tofu hasn't gone up much in price. Ryuji cited this as an advantage of the recipe, then immediately added, "It might have gone up a little."

Divide the mixture into three portions, shape them into balls, and press out the air. This makes them less likely to crack when cooked. When a staff member asked whether the mixture needs to rest, Ryuji said it doesn't, but it shouldn't be allowed to get warm. If it warms up, the juices come out, so cook the patties right after shaping, or put them in the fridge if you're not cooking them yet.

Oil a frying pan and cook over medium heat. The center puffs up as the patties cook, so press the middle lightly at the start. Once one side is browned, flip them and cover with a lid. Steam builds up under the lid, helping the heat reach all the way through.

Asked how to tell when they're cooked through, Ryuji said to poke one with a skewer or something similar, and if the inside is warm, it's done. Ryuji also said that if you cook them the same way, you'll have no problems. Tofu warms up quickly and the heat spreads from there throughout, so hamburg steaks with tofu cook through more easily than regular ones, making them much simpler. As for the finished result, Ryuji said they won't turn mushy because the moisture has been removed.

As the patties finished cooking, Ryuji brought up their own hype lines. Since Ryuji says "the most delicious yet" every time, people often ask which one is actually the best. A staff member suggested it depends on the person, but Ryuji dismissed that as "a cop-out." The latest recipe builds on all past dishes, so it's the most delicious, and therefore this tofu hamburg steak is the best of Ryuji's hamburg steaks. That's Ryuji's answer.

One of the three patties is set aside on a separate plate to be eaten with salt. Since sauce has calories, Ryuji suggests that those who want something healthier eat it with salt, specifically Aji-Shio.

The sauce is made in the pan the patties were cooked in. Pour off a bit of the accumulated fat, then add 10g of butter, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of mirin, 2 teaspoons of whole-grain mustard, and 3 shakes of Ajinomoto, and stir. Ryuji said this was the first time showing this mustard sauce in a video. The amount is for three servings, so for two people you can adjust how much you pour over. Ryuji explained that it has a strong butter and soy sauce flavor yet still tastes light. The salt plate gets Aji-Shio and a little black pepper. Ryuji said this one is tasty with a "solid flavor."

As requested, a side dish was made too. Take one bag of frozen okra (130g) out of the bag and put it in a container. Frozen vegetables don't spoil, so you can eat them whenever you like, and Ryuji has been using them a lot lately. Crack an egg into it (in the video Ryuji said "about one"). Ryuji's skillet doesn't need plastic wrap, so it's covered with its lid and microwaved at 600W for 4 minutes. If you're worried about the egg exploding, you can poke a hole in the yolk with a toothpick, but Ryuji skipped this, declaring that "cooking is an explosion."

After heating, break up the egg to make a tartar-like mixture. Mayonnaise mixes in better once the heat has eased a little, so let it cool for a bit. To finish, add about 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise. Ryuji said the stickiness of okra goes well with mayonnaise. Aji-Shio (about 8 shakes) and black pepper are enough for seasoning, but if you want more punch, garlic powder also works. Ryuji actually added 5 shakes and said it brings the flavor together. It pairs well with bread, so it could also be made into a sandwich. Asked how long it keeps, Ryuji said it's similar to potato salad, so it should keep about 3 days in the fridge.

The hamburg steak was soft enough to break apart easily with chopsticks. After tasting it, Ryuji and the staff agreed that neither by appearance nor by taste could they tell it was a tofu hamburg steak; it was just a regular hamburg steak. Ryuji said they had forgotten the taste since the recipe was from two years ago, and that you wouldn't be able to tell at all unless told there was tofu in it. Ryuji was also surprised at how satisfying it was despite having no onions. Ryuji explained that the mayonnaise sits between the tofu and the ground meat, binding them while keeping things juicy.

Ryuji rated the Aji-Shio plate as holding its own against the sauce. To compete with sauce you need umami, and Aji-Shio contains umami, Ryuji said. The staff also admitted that, honestly, they had assumed the sauce was essential, but it was delicious with just salt. The reason for using firm tofu was confirmed once more: with silken tofu, the tofu comes through, while firm tofu brings out the meatiness, in Ryuji's assessment.

As for the okra tartar, Ryuji liked it so much as to say "this alone is enough," and the staff said they would make it as soon as they got home. It was praised for the refreshing okra and for being easy, with no knife needed. One suggestion was that adding tuna would make it a dish worthy of being the main course. Ryuji closed by saying the acidity of Pure Select Mayonnaise isn't noticeable at all, and encouraged viewers to try making both the hamburg steak and the tartar.