Name: Gyudon (Japanese Beef Rice Bowl)
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 400g (14 oz) Wagyu rump steak (chill in the freezer for one hour); 2 cups Japanese short-grain rice; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 onions, thinly sliced; 2 soft boiled eggs, halved; 4 tbsp Japanese pickled ginger, to serve; 4 tbsp finely sliced spring onion (scallions); Stir-fry sauce:; 4 tbsp mirin; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tsp dark soy sauce; 2 tbsp brown sugar

Gyudon (Japanese Beef Rice Bowl)

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Love wagyu, but think it’s a luxury item that’s out of your price range? Then this recipe is for you: it’s the cheapest way to enjoy wagyu… any night of the week! A beef rice bowl to soothe your soul, gyudon is the ultimate Japanese comfort food.

PREP TIME

1 hour chilling

COOK TIME

30 minutes

SERVES

Ingredients

400g (14 oz) Wagyu rump steak (chill in the freezer for one hour)

2 cups Japanese short-grain rice

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 onions, thinly sliced

2 soft boiled eggs, halved

4 tbsp Japanese pickled ginger, to serve

4 tbsp finely sliced spring onion (scallions)

Stir-fry sauce:

4 tbsp mirin

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp dark soy sauce

2 tbsp brown sugar

Steps

Place the steak in the freezer for 60-90 minutes or until just firm.
Place the rice in a bowl and wash under running water, rinsing 3-4 times. Now place the rice and 2¼ cups water in a rice cooker and cook. Alternatively, place in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low and cook for 12-13 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn the heat off and allow the rice to steam with the lid on for another 10 minutes before serving.
Meanwhile, mix the ingredients for the sauce together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Use a sharp knife to slice the beef as thinly as you can.
Divide the rice among serving bowls.
Now let’s fry! Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add the onions and stir-fry for a minute. Then add the beef. Spread the beef out in the pan and allow to colour on the first side for a minute before tossing the beef around. Drizzle the sauce around the sides of the pan, so that it heats up and bubbles quickly. Toss the beef through the sauce. Then move the beef to one side of the pan so that only the sauce is directly over your heat source. Allow the sauce to bubble and thicken for 1-2 minutes. Toss the beef back through the sauce. Remove from heat and spoon the beef over the rice in each bowl. Top with half an egg, pickled ginger and spring onion and serve.

What is gyudon?

Gyudon is the total champion of comfort food. A popular Japanese dish, it’s essentially thinly sliced beef cooked in a slightly sweet sauce consisting of mirin and soy sauce. It’s then served over rice as the ultimate rice bowl recipe.

What is Wagyu beef?

Wagyu is a Japanese cattle breed: ‘wa’ means Japanese and ‘gyu’ means cow. As for wagyu beef itself, it is a highly marbled beef, which gives it a unique taste and high level of tenderness. Marbling refers to the fine flecks of fat that run through beef, also known as intramuscular fat. In fact, wagyu is highly regarded by chefs and food lovers all over the world.

Is wagyu beef healthier?

Some health experts suggest that there is a higher mono-unsaturated to saturated fat ratio in wagyu steak compared to other beef. The saturated fat is also slightly different, as it is thought to have less impact on cholesterol levels.

30-minute meals Beef Comfort food Dinner Eggs Lunch Rice Steak Steak night Stir-fries