Description
Gyudon is a classic Japanese beef rice bowl featuring thinly sliced beef and onions simmered in a savory-sweet sauce of dashi, soy sauce, sake, and mirin, served over steamed Japanese short-grain rice. This quick and comforting dish balances tender meat with flavorful broth and picks up crispiness from pickled ginger, perfect for a satisfying meal any day.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meat and Vegetable
- 1/2 onion (4 oz, 113 g), thinly sliced
- 1 green onion/scallion, sliced diagonally
- 1/2 lb thinly sliced beef (such as ribeye), cut into 3 inch (7.6 cm) wide pieces
Sauce
- 1/2 cup dashi (Japanese soup stock)
- 2 Tbsp sake (or dry sherry, Chinese rice wine, or water for non-alcohol)
- 2 Tbsp mirin (or 2 Tbsp sake/water plus 2 tsp sugar)
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sugar (adjust to taste)
For Serving
- Cooked Japanese short-grain rice, 2 servings (about 1 2/3 cups or 250 g per serving)
- Pickled red ginger (beni shoga or kizami beni shoga) for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Thinly slice ½ onion and slice the green onion diagonally. Partially freeze the beef for about 10 minutes then cut into 3 inch-wide pieces for ease of handling.
- Combine Sauce Ingredients: In a large frying pan (off heat), mix ½ cup dashi, 2 Tbsp sake, 2 Tbsp mirin, 3 Tbsp soy sauce, and 1 Tbsp sugar. Stir well to dissolve the sugar completely.
- Add Onion: Layer the thinly sliced onions evenly in the sauce in the pan, separating the onion layers to allow even cooking and flavor absorption.
- Arrange Beef: Place the beef slices over the onions, spreading and separating the pieces so the meat covers the onions evenly.
- Simmer: Cover the pan with a lid, turn heat to medium. Once it starts simmering, reduce to low and cook covered for 3–4 minutes.
- Skim Impurities: Occasionally lift the lid and skim off any scum or excess fat from the broth with a fine-mesh skimmer to keep the sauce clear.
- Add Green Onions: Sprinkle the sliced green onions on top, cover and cook for an additional minute. Optionally, beaten eggs can be added now as per personal preference.
- Serve: Place 2 servings of cooked Japanese short-grain rice into bowls. Drizzle some pan sauce over the rice, then top with the beef and onion mixture.
- Garnish and Enjoy: Add pickled red ginger on top for garnishing. Drizzle any remaining sauce over the dish as desired and serve immediately.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days or freeze up to 3-4 weeks.
Notes
- For a variation called Kansai Sukiyaki-Style Gyudon, stir-fry onions in oil until tender, add beef and sugar and stir quickly, then add sake, mirin, and soy sauce until beef is cooked. Add beaten egg gently and cook covered until set. Serve over rice.
- Partially freezing the beef makes it easier to slice thinly and evenly.
- If a non-alcoholic version is desired, substitute sake with water and slightly increase sugar to balance flavor.
- Use a fine-mesh skimmer while simmering to keep broth clear and remove excess fat.
- Pickled red ginger adds a bright, tangy contrast that enhances the dish’s flavor profile.
- Use authentic Japanese short-grain rice for the best texture and traditional experience.
