Loco moco…sounds “crazy”, doesn’t it?! This unique Hawaiian dish is quite popular over in Hawaii but not very well known in the rest of the world. Its components are neither exotic nor difficult to procure – hamburger, egg, gravy, rice – yet for some reason, it has intrigued me ever since I first read about it. I had to make it. And yes, it was good! It’s a comforting meal that’s easy to make on a weekday after work.
Loco Moco
serves 2.
enough cooked white rice for 2
2 hamburger patties
2 eggs
oil (I use sunflower)
1 tbsp flour
1 cup beef stock, or stock from a cube
salt and pepper
You can either make your own hamburger patties or do what I did and just purchase them. There’s a stall at my farmer’s market that sells some quite nice ones. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and fry your hamburgers until done to your liking. Remove and keep warm. Either add more oil to the pan or remove oil – whatever you do, leave about 1 – 1.5 tbsps of oil in the pan. Add the flour and cook together until the roux darkens, stirring constantly with either a whisk or a spatula. Add the broth, whisking or stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you have a separate pan, fry your eggs in it. If not, decant your gravy into a bowl and keep warm. Use the same pan to fry your eggs. I like them over-easy.
To put it together, on each plate or shallow bowl, place enough rice for 1 person. Top with a hamburger patty and top that with a fried egg. Pour gravy overtop. Dig in!
We had some garlicky spinach on the side to, you know, be somewhat healthy!
Sun, 30 Sep, 2007 at 16:09
Looks delicious! The first time I saw a picture of loco moco, I though you would be so weighed down after eating it. It’s similar to a dish eaten in Japan–I think that’s what inspired it. Here’s a picture of when I made it:
http://knittingwhileintoxicated.blogspot.com/2007/02/i-finished-spring-outfit-for-ivy-jinbei.html
Sun, 30 Sep, 2007 at 16:25
Hi Donna! I also watched Lunch Queen but I had forgotten that their hamburg rice was topped with a fried egg too! But which came first? I’m more inclined to think that the American influence in Japan led to the hamburg rice, which in turn led to the loco moco in Hawaii? Anybody?
Sun, 30 Sep, 2007 at 18:19
This sounds far tastier than it looks!
Sun, 30 Sep, 2007 at 20:41
Seems at first like a bizarre idea, but I can see the appeal!
Mon, 1 Oct, 2007 at 01:33
looks great! I’ve bookmarked to make this shortly! 😀
Mon, 1 Oct, 2007 at 02:55
wow yours looks more delicious than they make it here in hawaii!
Mon, 1 Oct, 2007 at 03:03
I just heard about this dish about an hour ago from the Harvard Hawaiian Club representative. It intrigued me; this picture makes it look great. I might try it soon. Thanks for posting this information!
Mon, 1 Oct, 2007 at 03:13
By the way, in Spanish “loco moco” translates to “crazy booger.”
Mon, 1 Oct, 2007 at 19:13
Planethalder: 😀 See comment by mieternofugaz!
Kiriel: The components by themselves are already good so…uh…the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Mel: Do let us know it turns out!
destineeisrad: I’m honoured, thank you!
soledadenmasa: No problem!
mieternofugaz: Wow…it seems kind of apt but I can’t really figure out why… Thanks for the translation!
Thu, 4 Oct, 2007 at 10:27
my husband’s favorite! thanks for stopping by my blog too.
Fri, 5 Oct, 2007 at 22:03
😀 Do you make it often, Kat?
Tue, 9 Oct, 2007 at 12:22
no, maybe 2 times a year.
Mon, 15 Oct, 2007 at 22:18
Oh my goodness! I had a few friends from the Big Island in college, and they introduced this to us. We just used packets of brown gravy instead. I can’t imagine how much MORE delicious it’d be not using packaged brown gravy…
Mon, 15 Oct, 2007 at 22:53
AnnA: Packets of brown gravy? I probably shouldn´t be saying this but some of the Polish gravy packets I can get around here aren´t half bad! 😀 Might use one next time!
Fri, 19 Oct, 2007 at 23:54
I use package gravy also, easy and delicious.
Mon, 9 Jun, 2008 at 01:15
One restaurant/diner right outside Waikiki on Oahu is famous for the locomoce. I think it is close to that infamous local Luau shirt place. Anybody remember it?
Wed, 27 May, 2009 at 08:03
[…] Loco Moco – again, a slightly trashy combo of white rice, hamburger, fried egg and gravy has set everyone’s tastebuds tingling! […]
Mon, 29 Jun, 2009 at 22:25
[…] Gastronomer mentioned a loco moco made with Spam, foie gras, hamburger and rice at Animal in Los Angeles. I love this combo of high […]
Fri, 4 Mar, 2011 at 20:43
[…] moco & the side of vegetables Image by wynlok Jan.13’08 Su-lin described this recipe as good as the really reduction of over-easy egg, hamburger meat, as good as salsa over rice […]
Tue, 14 Jun, 2011 at 10:00
[…] on sticky rice” and was delivered in a crispy wonton shell. I am familiar with loco moco from Su-lin’s blog post as a casual and unique comfort Hawaiian dish. Judge Graham Elliot says, “I wish I had two […]
Tue, 14 Jun, 2011 at 10:01
[…] on sticky rice” and was delivered in a crispy wonton shell. I am familiar with loco moco from Su-lin’s blog post as a casual and unique comfort Hawaiian dish. Judge Graham Elliot says, “I wish I had two […]
Thu, 7 Jul, 2011 at 20:52
[…] had gone out to see Super 8 (we both liked it). I giggled at the sign the same way I did when I saw “loco moco” listed on a Hawaiian restaurant menu. After friends explained to me that the dish did not include […]
Fri, 17 Jan, 2014 at 12:27
seems very delicious. i think your recipe gone help me more wile making it at home.
Thu, 23 Jan, 2014 at 13:30
Much excited to try to cook it at home
Sun, 20 Mar, 2016 at 21:41
[…] all just a little bit more dressed up from what I can see is available on the original islands. No loco moco, no Spam musubi, no plate lunches. And certainly no oxtail soup, which apparently is commonly found […]
Tue, 8 Mar, 2022 at 20:04
[…] had gone out to see Super 8 (we both liked it). I giggled at the sign the same way I did when I saw “loco moco” listed on a Hawaiian restaurant menu. After friends explained to me that the dish did not include […]