Loco Moco
Hawaii's diner classic done right: a seared beef patty over rice, mushroom-onion gravy, and a fried egg with a soft yolk over the top.
By Steven Russell
Hawaiian
Hawaii's diner classic done right: a seared beef patty over rice, mushroom-onion gravy, and a fried egg with a soft yolk over the top.
Loco moco was invented in Hilo in 1949, a cheap, filling plate for hungry teenagers: rice, a hamburger patty, an egg, and gravy. It has been Hawaii comfort food ever since, and it earns a place at a Sunday brunch. The trick is to take each part seriously. A hard sear on the patty builds the fond that flavors the gravy. The gravy is a real pan sauce, not a floury afterthought. And the egg goes on last, yolk soft, so it runs down into everything.
Cook it once and you understand why it is a whole meal on one plate.
Divide the beef into 4 patties, a little wider than your mound of rice. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Why Salt just before cooking so the surface stays dry and sears.Sear the patties in a hot dry skillet, about 3 minutes a side, until well browned. Move them to a plate.
Why The browned bits left in the pan are the base of the gravy.Lower the heat, add the butter, and cook the onion and mushrooms until soft and browned, about 6 minutes.
Why Cooking them in the beef drippings carries all that flavor forward.Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute, then whisk in the stock, soy sauce, and Worcestershire. Simmer until it coats a spoon.
Why A real simmer cooks out any raw flour taste.Slip the patties back into the gravy to warm through. In a separate pan, fry the eggs sunny-side up.
Why Keep the yolks runny; they finish the dish.Build each plate: a mound of rice, a patty, plenty of gravy, and a fried egg on top. Scatter with green onion.
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