Sheldon Simeon’s Loco Moco
If you’ve ever had loco moco in Hawaii and dreamed about it ever since, this recipe is for you. Flavorful beef patties, rich gravy, sautéed mushroom with onion and a perfectly fried egg top all over a bed of warm rice.
Whenever we visit Hawaii, we make sure to schedule a meal for loco moco. It’s such a classic and comforting dish, and everyone makes it a little differently, so it’s fun to try it at different restaurants.
After coming home from our Oahu trip, I was seriously craving Hawaii food and thought I’d love to try making loco moco at home. I tried it once a long time ago and felt like it was missing something, so I gave up. But now, I’m ready to try again.
This time, I used Chef Sheldon Simeon’s recipe. Chef Simeon appeared on Top Chef twice and was a finalist both times. He was born and raised in Hawaii and now owns two restaurants in Maui. I picked up his first cookbook, Cook Real Hawai’i, when it came out. Unfortunately, it didn’t include a traditional loco moco recipe. After searching online, I found a video of Chef Simeon showing another chef how he makes his loco moco. That chef shared the recipe on his website, and what I’m posting today is based on that recipe with a few slight adjustments.
This loco moco is really delicious. I love how the beef patties are thin and flavorful. The diced onion helps keep everything moist. The gravy is easy and full of flavor, and the sautéed mushrooms and onions add so much umami. A fried egg is always a must. Bryan really enjoyed this dish too!
This dish isn’t hard to make, but it does have a few components. Let’s talk about them one by one, and then I’ll share how I plan and pull it all together. With so many parts, it can feel a little hectic if you go in without a game plan.
Hamburger Patties:
I recommend using 80% lean ground beef, as more fat means juicier, more flavorful patties. Add all the patty ingredients to a bowl and combine, but do not overmix. One unusual ingredient here is mayonnaise, which helps keep everything moist and prevents the patties from drying out. Divide the mixture into 6 portions and pat each into a patty about ⅓-inch thick. Set them in the fridge to rest for at least 30 minutes.
To cook, I used a cast iron skillet, which helps develop a nice dark crust on the patties. Cook them in 2 batches, about 2 – 3 minutes per side, flipping only once. As the meat cooks, the patties will puff up and shrink slightly, which is completely normal. They should come out beautifully charred on the outside. Transfer to a plate, wipe the skillet clean, and continue with the second batch.
Gravy:
This one is pretty straightforward, essentially a roux. Melt butter and whisk in flour, cook for a few minutes, then slowly whisk in beef stock. Season with soy sauce, browning seasoning sauce, and salt. Browning seasoning sauce is a concentrated liquid that adds a savory, slightly smoky flavor and gives the gravy another layer of depth. This can be made ahead of time. Just reheat and whisk until smooth before serving.
Mushroom Topping:
This topping includes mushrooms, onions, and garlic. The key is giving the mushrooms a good sear. Lay them in a single layer in the skillet, then add the onion and garlic on top. Don’t stir; just let the mushrooms cook for 2–3 minutes. Then reduce the heat and mix everything together, sautéing until the onions are softened. Set aside in a bowl.
Fried Eggs:
Cook the eggs at the very last minute. You don’t want them sitting and waiting while the rest of the components are still coming together.
Planning and Cooking Time:
1 hour 10 minutes before dinner: Cut and chop everything, cook the rice, and mix and shape the hamburger patties. Refrigerate the patties.
45 minutes before dinner: Start the gravy. Half way through, cook the mushroom topping.
20 minutes before dinner: Cook the beef patties.
5 minutes before dinner: Fry the eggs and reheat the gravy if needed.
I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we did! It may not be a plane ticket to Hawaii, but one bite of this loco moco and you’ll feel like you’re there. Sometimes the best way to hold onto a travel memory is to bring it into your own kitchen. If you’ve ever had it in Hawaii and missed it, this one’s for you.
Sheldon Simeon’s Loco Moco
Ingredients
- Steamed rice
- Vegetable oil
Hamburger Patties:
- 1 pound ground beef, (80% lean)
- ½ cup onion, (cut into small dices)
- ¼ cup panko, (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- 1 large egg
- 1½ tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Gravy:
- 1 stick unsalted butter, (cut into 8 pieces)
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1½ – 1¾ cups low-sodium beef stock
- 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 1½ teaspoons browning seasoning sauce
Mushroom Topping:
- 4 ounces cremini mushrooms, (rinsed, pat dried, steamed removed, cut into ¼-inch slices)
- ½ onion, (thinly sliced)
- 2 garlic cloves, (thinly slices)
Fried Eggs:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 large eggs
Instructions
- First, prepare the hamburger patties. In a large plate or a quarter baking sheet, line with a parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, onion, panko, egg, mayonnaise, garlic salt and black pepper. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix. Divide into 6 portions, roll into balls, and pat down into thin round patties, about ⅓-inch thickness. Place on the prepare plate. If needed, use another parchment paper to separate the patties in between. Cover with plastic wrap and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, make the gravy. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add flour and whisk continuously for 4 minutes. While whisking the flour roux, slowly pour in 1½ cups beef stock (not all the stock). Whisk until smooth. Start on cooking the mushroom topping now (see next step). Reduce heat to medium-low for the gravy, add soy sauce and browning seasoning sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the gravy is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, whisking frequently. Set aside on stove top.
- When the gravy is cooking, make the mushroom topping. In a medium skillet over high heat, warm ½ tablespoon vegetable oil, place mushrooms evenly on the skillet, then top with a layer of onion slices and sprinkle with garlic slices. Season with salt and pepper. Let the mushroom cook until caramelize, about 2 – 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Stir and mix. Cook until the onions are softened, about 5 more minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a large skillet (preferably cast-iron) over high heat, warm ½ tablespoon vegetable oil. Season 3 hamburger patties with salt on both side. Cook until nicely charred and cooked through, about 2 – 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels. Add ½ tablespoon oil and repeat with the rest of the patties. Season and cook.
- In another large skillet over medium heat, heat until hot. Melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add the eggs. When the outer edges turn white in color, cover with a lid. Turn down the heat to low and cook for 3 more minutes. Start on reheating the gravy (see next step).
- When the eggs are cooking, work on the gravy. Reheat over medium-low heat, whisking for a couple times, about 3 minutes.
- To serve, in serving plates, add steamed rice, hamburger patties (2 per person), mushroom topping, gravy and fried egg. Serve immediately.
Notes
- There are a lot of components in this recipe, and at some points I found myself cooking a few things at the same time. A little planning goes a long way here. Here is how I did it:
1 hour 10 minutes before dinner: Cut and chop everything, cook the rice, and mix and shape the beef patties. Refrigerate the patties.
45 minutes before dinner: Start the gravy. Halfway through, cook the mushroom topping.
20 minutes before dinner: Cook the beef patties.
5 minutes before dinner: Fry the eggs and reheat the gravy if needed. - Browning seasoning sauce can be easily found in most grocery stores. The brand I used is Kitchen Bouquet.
- Gravy can be made ahead and keep in the fridge. Reheat on the stove and bring back to a simmer, whisking constantly.
- This dish makes great leftovers. Keep the gravy and mushrooms together, and the rice and beef patties together. I didn’t include the egg, as a fried egg doesn’t reheat well. Note that the gravy may separate after reheating. Just give it a quick stir to bring it back together.
