Description
Gyudon, a classic Japanese beef rice bowl, features thinly sliced beef and onions simmered in a savory dashi-based sauce with sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar. Served over steaming Japanese short-grain rice and garnished with pickled red ginger and green onions, this comforting dish blends sweet and umami flavors for a quick and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1/2 onion (4 oz, 113 g), thinly sliced
- 1 green onion/scallion, thinly sliced diagonally
- 1/2 lb (225 g) thinly sliced beef (such as ribeye), cut into 3 inch (7.6 cm) pieces
Sauce
- 1/2 cup dashi (Japanese soup stock)
- 2 Tbsp sake (or dry sherry, Chinese rice wine, or water for non-alcohol version)
- 2 Tbsp mirin (or 2 Tbsp sake/water + 2 tsp sugar)
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sugar (adjust to taste)
For Serving
- 2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice (approx. 1 2/3 cups / 250 g per serving)
- Pickled red ginger (beni shoga or kizami beni shoga) for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Thinly slice ½ onion. Cut 1 green onion diagonally into thin slices and set aside. Partially freeze the beef for 10 minutes, then cut into 3-inch wide pieces.
- Combine Sauce Ingredients: In a large frying pan (unheated), combine ½ cup dashi, 2 Tbsp sake, 2 Tbsp mirin, 3 Tbsp soy sauce, and 1 Tbsp sugar. Stir well to dissolve the sugar and blend the sauce.
- Add Onions: Add the sliced onions to the pan, spreading them evenly and separating the layers so they cook uniformly in the sauce.
- Add Beef: Lay the beef slices over the onions, separating each slice so the meat covers the onions evenly.
- Simmer Covered: Cover the pan with a lid and bring to medium heat. Once simmering, reduce heat to low and cook covered for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Skim Impurities: During simmering, occasionally remove the lid and use a fine-mesh skimmer to skim off any scum or excess fat floating on the surface for a cleaner broth.
- Add Green Onions: Sprinkle the sliced green onions on top, cover again, and cook for an additional minute. Optionally, add beaten eggs now and cook gently until set (refer to Tanindon recipe for details).
- Prepare Rice: Divide cooked Japanese short-grain rice evenly into donburi bowls, approximately 1⅔ cups (250 g) per serving.
- Assemble: Drizzle some pan sauce over rice, top with the beef and onion mixture, and add more sauce as desired.
- Garnish: Garnish with pickled red ginger and serve immediately.
Notes
- If you prefer a variation, try the Kansai Sukiyaki-style method by stir-frying onions in oil first, then adding beef, sugar, and cooking with sake, mirin, and soy sauce until the beef is cooked. Optionally, drizzle beaten eggs onto the beef and cook covered until just set before serving over rice.
- Freezing the beef slightly makes it easier to cut thin slices evenly.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days or frozen for 3-4 weeks.
- Use a fine-mesh skimmer to improve the clarity and taste of the simmering broth.
- You can substitute sake with dry sherry or Chinese rice wine, or use water if avoiding alcohol.
