Authentic Gyūdon Recipe
Kanto Region, Japan
JUMP TO RECIPE
We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
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
-
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
Simple Gyūdon
PREP 5min
COOK 15min
READY IN 20min
The following recipe shows how to prepare a pan-fried gyūdon braised in sake, mirin, and soy sauce and served with rice and fresh cabbage. Having the meat fried first is typical for the Kansai region.
Ingredients
Simple Gyūdon
500 g beef
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp sake
1 tbsp mirin
3 ½ tbsp soy sauce
FOR SERVING
2 cabbage leaves
4 servings of cooked rice
beni-shoga (red pickled ginger), to taste
Preparation
Simple Gyūdon
Start by slicing the beef into thin, 5 centimeter-long pieces.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the meat over high heat until browned.
Add sugar and continue frying, stirring constantly.
Now, pour in sake, mirin, and soy sauce. Braise until the liquid evaporates, then remove from heat.
Cut the cabbage leaves into fine shreds, soak them in cold water and drain.
Assemble the gyūdon: put cooked rice on the bottom, follow with shredded cabbage, and top with beef. Garnish with beni-shoga to taste and serve.
Other authentic recipes
Rating And Comments
Rate It
Wanna try?
Add To List