Loco Moco is Hawaiian dish featuring a hamburger patty, savory gravy and fried egg, all served over bed of rice. The flavor of all those layers and the texture make this a filling, warm and delicious meal. This step by step tutorial will help you make this popular Hawaiian dish perfectly every single time, so roll up your sleeves and bring Loco Moco to your kitchen! This is how to prepare an absolute next tier Loco Moco, step by step.
Here’s what you’ll need to prepare this recipe for a family of six (adjust quantities as needed for your group):
For the Beef:
2 cups rice (Calrose or Jasmine varieties work well)
2 lbs ground beef
1-2 tablespoons olive oil or beef tallow (for coating the skillet)
Salt and pepper (to season the burger patties)
For the Gravy:
1 sweet onion (yellow onion works as a substitute)
1 cup mushrooms (optional, if you enjoy them)
2 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour (or cornstarch, if preferred)
Other Ingredients:
2 cups rice (Calrose or Jasmine varieties work well)
Step 1: Cook the Rice
Step one of Loco Moco is preparing your rice. For the rice, I like to use a pressure cooker (like an Instant Pot) because the rice turns out perfectly sticky and the cooking method is so simple. You can set and forget it with the Instant Pot so you can concentrate on other elements of the dish. You have to rinse it well before cooking otherwise the starch in this rice will make your dish unsuitable. It ensures you get that ideal, sticky consistency. It is 1: 2 ratio; for each cup of uncooked rice use 1 cup of water So even if you were not happening to have an Instant Pot, it is all right! If all else fails, you can always fall back on cooking your rice the old-fashioned way on stovetop. Just keep an eye on it and do not let it go soggy.
Step 2: Create the Burger Patties
As the rice cooks, you can shape your burger patties and season them. As for patty size, I like to make them 4-6 ounces and about ½ inch thick for this recipe. That way, they will all cook through evenly and you will have perfect burger-to-rice ratio. Season patties liberally with salt and pepper. Feel free to season according to your taste but go heavy handed with the seasoning — this really helps with building flavor on the meat. For cooking them, I like to sear patties in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop. Or, you can always grill your patties if you are into that smoky flavor. Either method works great but today we are going skillet route for a nice crisp sear.
Step 3: Chop the onions and mushrooms
Now that your patties are ready, slice some onions and mushrooms. You want those to have been timed so they are ready to cook just after your burgers. The onions would bring with them some natural sweetness, the mushrooms will add a beautiful earthiness. Put them aside for now, as they are gonna be cooked in the liquid from all the beef fat that you will get when cooking the burger patties
Step 4: Char the Burger patties
Next we have to put the burger patties on stove for cooking. Place a cast-iron skillet on high and add 1–2 tablespoons of oil or beef tallow. This prevents the patties from sticking to your pan and allows them to sear beautifully. Once the skillet is hot, add your patties. Sear for 3–4 minutes on each side to form a crust. Avoid overcrowding the pan, like it will prevent a proper sear. Depending on size of your pan, you might have to cook in batches. You can also test for doneness with meat thermometer but personally I prefer my burgers medium-well for this recipe, which would be around an internal temperature of almost 150°F. When the patties are done, take them out of skillet and set on a plate. Keep them covered to stay warm while you prepare rest of the patties.
Step 5: Cook the onions and mushrooms
Once the burger patties are all cooked through, crank the heat in the skillet down to medium-low and toss your diced onions and mushrooms. The drippings of the beef will impart great flavor to the vegetables as they are stirred about in the pan so stir them often, allowing them to cook evenly and caramelize. It is essential to the addition of the deep, meaty flavor that goes so well with burgers. When the onions are translucent and turning golden brown and the mushrooms have shrunk down a bit and released their liquid, set them aside in a bowl away from the p
Step 6: Fry the Eggs
You can break an egg in a hot pan while onions and mushrooms are cooking. In a second pan, on medium-low heat cook your eggs sunny side up or over-easy. You will use one egg per burger, so cook as many eggs as you do patties. The gooey yolk gives the Loco Moco a rich, creamy feel(though you can always prepare the eggs to your tasting). The trick is giving those yolks the proper doneness so they will ooze when you dig into it.
Step 7: Make the Gravy
Then it savory gravy, the finishing touch that brings it all together. First, pour off all but 2 to 3 tablespoons of the beef drippings from the skillet. Which is why you leave a little, if you leave too much the gravy will be oily.
Over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of flour to the pan to make a roux. Mix it for 1-2 minutes until you have a golden brown slurry. This adds a depth to your gravy with silky, velvety texture.
When the roux is made stir in the beef broth, soy sauce, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce one at a time Do not stop stirring as we do not want any lumps to form. Continue to cook till the gravy thickens, taste & correct for salt. Taste, and season as you need.
And if you need a shortcut (or don’t have beef broth too), a packet of store-bought brown gravy mix gets the job done in an instant. You can also replace the flour with cornstarch if you want to thicken the gravy. Combine the cornstarch with the beef broth, soy sauce, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce then pour it into the skillet. (You can press is in a bowl using 2 Tbsp of cornstarch to thicken.) Bring it to a boil and then bring the heat down and let it thicken.
Step 8: Assemble the Dish
Now that you have everything prepped, it is time to build your Loco Moco. Begin with a scoop of rice on each plate. Next, add a burger patty on top of the rice. Pour some gravy on the patty so that it is drenched in the area.
And finally, top it off with your fried egg. Either way, the runny yolk will blend in with some sapid creaminess from the gravy and rice. And there you have it, a beautiful Loco Moco.
Final Touch
Loco Moco is a comforting and delicious plate, which makes it suitable for each meal of the day. The comforting combination of the rice, beef in gravy and a fried egg layered above. This is a sure fire way to make it Loco Moco — whether it be for family dinner or special occasion, follow these steps and get the best of you Loco Moco throughout. Enjoy!
