Hamburg Steak Recipe ingredients

To prepare this Hamburg Steak Recipe, first take a thick slice from the top of the round. Have the butcher put in with it a small piece of marrow. Pound the steak enough to loosen the small fibres, cut in convenient pieces for putting through the grinder, and remove any threads of tough fibre. These will sometimes collect in the teeth of the grinder, and may be easily removed with a fork. Put with the pieces of meat a small piece--what would amount to 2 teaspoonfuls--of the marrow and grind through with it, putting in at the last a small piece of stale bread or crust; this will clear all meat from the teeth of the chopper, and the small amount of crumbs will do no harm in the meat.

Add to the chopped meat a few drops of onion juice or kitchen bouquet, and pepper, but do not salt it until after it is cooked; it will be less tender and juicy if salted first. Toss it lightly with a silver fork to mix the seasoning in, and with the fork, or two forks, make it into cakes or flattened balls. This is easiest done on a shallow baking-dish (a granite pie-plate is good for the purpose). Do not pack the meat closely, or make it into cakes with the hands, but pack it only closely enough with the fork to make the balls hold in shape.

Have the pan very hot, as for broiling other steak, rub it with a piece of fat to prevent sticking and breaking the balls in turning. As soon as seared on the under side, turn with a spatula and cook the other side. They should be well browned on the outside and rare and juicy within.

As soon as done lift with the spatula to a hot platter, make an incision with a knife in the centre of each ball, put a lump of butter in the place, sprinkle with salt, set in a hot oven for two minutes, and serve.

Should there be any gravy in the pan, add 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls of boiling water, 2 tablespoonfuls of tomato catsup, a little salt, and a dash of paprika; stir briskly, and pour around the balls.