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At a glance: Japanese Gyudon — Beef Rice Bowl in Tallow: serves 4, cooked in tallow, with no seed oils.
Gyudon is the Japanese fast food — beef and onion simmered in a sweet soy-mirin broth, served over a bowl of short-grain rice. Yoshinoya, Japan's largest gyudon chain, serves it in under 2 minutes. The home version takes 20 minutes and is significantly better because you can control the fat.
Japanese Gyudon Recipe
Ingredients
- 500g beef sirloin or ribeye, sliced paper-thin (ask the butcher, or freeze partially and slice yourself)
- 1 tbsp beef tallow
- 2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp sake (or dry sherry)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 4 cups steamed short-grain Japanese rice
- Pickled ginger and sliced spring onions to serve
- Soft-boiled or poached egg (optional)
Method
- Heat the tallow in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook for 5-6 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the sliced beef to the simmering sauce. The beef is so thin it will cook in 2-3 minutes — stir gently to separate the slices.
- Cook just until the beef changes colour. Do not overcook — the beef should be tender and just-cooked.
- Divide the steamed rice between 4 bowls. Spoon the beef and onion with its sauce over the rice.
- Top with pickled ginger and spring onions. Add a soft-boiled egg if using.
Is gyudon seed oil free?
Yes with tallow. Most gyudon restaurants use vegetable oil.
How do I slice the beef thin?
Partially freeze the beef (30-45 minutes) until firm but not frozen solid. This makes slicing with a sharp knife much easier. Alternatively, buy pre-sliced beef from an Asian grocery store.
What rice should I use?
Short-grain Japanese rice is essential — its slightly sticky texture holds the sauce better than any other rice type.
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