Menchieez Katsu Sando

Lone Mountain Wagyu, Onion, Cheese, and Honey-Milk Bread Bun

Chef Daniel Son of Katsu Sando | Los Angeles
Yield: 8 sandos

Adapted by StarChefs | June 2021

INGREDIENTS:

Pickled Onions:
1½ cups Kikkoman rice vinegar
1½ cups fukujinzuke pickle juice
¼ cup salt
¼ cup honey
Onions, diced

Secret Takuan Sauce:
½ cup Kewpie mayonnaise
3 tablespoons ketchup
½ tablespoon Kikkoman rice vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons small-diced Takuan
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

Onion Wagyu Jam:
8 ounces A5 wagyu fat
6 white onions, julienned
½ cup dry sake
2 cups mirin
2 cups Kikkoman soy sauce
8 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

Menchieez Patties:
Rice bran oil
Peanut oil
32 ounces Lone Mountain Wagyu short rib and sirloin, ground
Salt
Black pepper
16 slices American cheese
3 cups bread flour
6 eggs, whisked well
2 quarts panko breadcrumbs

To Assemble and Serve:
House-made honey milk bread buns or brioche buns
Butter

METHOD:

For the Pickled Onions:
Combine all ingredients with 3 cups of water. Cover and let sit at least 1 hour.

For the Secret Takuan Sauce:
Combine all ingredients. Set aside.

For the Onion Wagyu Jam:
In a rondeau over medium-low heat, render wagyu fat until it shrinks to at least 90% in size. Discard any remaining solids from pan then raise heat to medium-high. Once the pan begins to smoke, add onions and cook until translucent. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking onions until nicely browned and soft. Add dry sake and mirin. Cook out alcohol and reduce by half. Add soy sauce then reduce again until mixture becomes shiny and glossy. Add black pepper then remove from heat. Cool and reserve. 

For the Menchieez Patties:
In a cast-iron Dutch oven, preheat the oils to 375°F. Fill only halfway to prevent overspilling. Gently combine ground wagyu and 8 ounces Onion Wagyu Jam and season with salt and pepper. Do not overmix. Form 16 thin patties, each weighing 4 ounces and slightly larger than a slice of cheese. Stack 2 slices of cheese and cut into 4 equal square parts. Stack those pieces up (should be 8 slices thick). Sandwich 1 stack of cheese between 2 patties. Tightly pinch edges together and seal the cheese within the meat. Repeat with remaining cheese and patties. Heavily salt and pepper each patty on both sides and keep cold until ready to apply breading. Once ready to bread, temper each patty closer to room temperature. Line up separate containers of bread flour, eggs, and panko. Gently dredge patties in bread flour and pat off excess flour. Place dredged patties in eggs, completely coating until no dry flour spots are seen then drain as much egg wash mixture as you can. With a dry hand, grab a handful of panko and nestle a flat panko surface for patties to stick evenly on their bottom sides. Press tightly with panko for the top of the patty. Dredge in panko more for the desired amount. Repeat the breading procedure with remaining patties. Gently drop 2 to 3 breaded patties into the oil. Cook for 8 minutes until crispy and golden brown. Remove excess bread crumbs as needed. Let rest for at least 5 minutes. 

To Assemble and Serve:
Toast honey milk bread buns in butter. Spread 1 tablespoon of Secret Takuan Sauce on each half of the bun. Add a Menchieez Patty and ½ cup of Pickled Onions. Serve while it's hot and crispy! 

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