Authentic Gyūdon Recipe
Kanto Region, Japan
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Introduction & history
Although it is described as fast food, gyūdon can hardly be considered junk food. This satiable meal, one of the most popular Japanese dishes, is consisted of fresh, thin-cut beef which is simmered in a marinade made of soy sauce, sake, rice wine mirin, sugar, and onions. Sometimes, the meat is sautéed shortly before adding the liquid ingredients, but the end result is always the same — tender, bite-sized pieces of beef topping a portion of white rice soaked in savory-sweet sauce. The sauce is sometimes made with ginger and dashi – a simple broth made from water, dried kombu (kelp) and dried bonito flakes – which gives this dish a richer flavor. Since dashi is an essential part of miso soup, many gyūdon eateries offer a complimentary bowl of miso with every portion of gyūdon, or they sell it at a very reasonable price. In gyūdon restaurants the customers can choose between three sizes: nami (normal), omori... Read more
Cooking tips
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beef
Typically, modern gyūdon is made with ribeye or chuck. However, as it was invented to be an inexpensive dish, it is not necessary to use top-notch cuts. The meat should be fresh, contain some fat to make it juicier, and be cut into very thin slices, so it absorbs all the flavors from the sauce. Do not salt the meat before preparation – the soy sauce will be quite enough. -
techniques
There are two main techniques for preparing gyūdon.The meat can be immersed into a boiling mixture of soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and onions, and boiled until softened, or it can be sautéed first, and then drizzled with liquid seasonings. In this case, sautéing should be done over high heat. If the temperature of the oil is too low, the meat will soak up too much oil and become greasy. -
mirin
This ingredient, very common in Japanese cuisine, is a type of rice wine. It is sweeter than sake and has a lower alcohol percentage, hence it evaporates quickly during cooking. -
serving
Gyūdon is regularly served over a portion of cooked or steamed white rice. When it comes to toppings and garnishings, there is a number of options — fresh or poached eggs, sliced scallions, red pickled ginger called beni-shoga, or Japanese chili powder togarashi.
Recipe variations
Classic Gyūdon
PREP 5min
COOK 20min
READY IN 25min
The following recipe shows a classic approach to gyūdon, in which the beef is simmered in soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar with some onion and ginger, a type of preparation typical for the Kantō region.
Ingredients
Classic Gyūdon
250 g beef
150 g onion
10 g ginger
1 cup water
4 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup sake
1/4 cup mirin
3 tbsp sugar
cooked rice
red ginger, for garnishing
Preparation
Classic Gyūdon
Cut the beef into bite-sized pieces. Slice the onions and grate the ginger.
Mix water, soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar in a saucepan. Stir in onion and ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Then, add the beef.
Remove the excess liquid and continue cooking over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, until the onions and the beef become tender.
Arrange gyūdon over a portion of rice. Garnish with red ginger and serve.
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