This burger recipe comes from the chef Tadashi Ono's 2011 book, “The Japanese Grill: From Classic Yakitori to Steak, Seafood and Vegetables,” written with Harris Salat. The writer Alex Witchel raved about it in The Times that same year: “Half beef, half pork, it stayed uncannily moist despite being cooked through. Perfection.”
Lightly dab your hands with sesame oil. Using your palms, roll each part of the meat into a ball, then pat the ball flat, shifting it from hand to hand, to form a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Make a shallow indentation across the center of the patty with the side of your hand, to keep it from puffing while it grills.
04For the burgers: Grill the burgers, flipping twice, until browned and cooked through, with no pink in the middle, about 10 minutes. (Alternatively, they may be broiled or sautéed.) Let rest for 2 minutes. Serve on buns, topped with some wasabi ketchup.