Gyudon (Japanese beef bowl)
Cuisine: Japanese
Region: 日本各地
Servings: 2人分
Gyudon (Japanese beef bowl), also called Japanese beef rice bowl / gyumeshi. Gyudon, the Japanese beef rice bowl also known as gyumeshi-style donburi, simmers thinly sliced beef and onion in a sweet-savory soy–mirin–dashi broth and ladles it over hot rice.
At a glance
Time: about 25 min · Serves 2 · Difficulty: easy · ≈ 650–750 kcal per bowl (estimate)
Gyudon (Japanese beef bowl), also called Japanese beef rice bowl / gyumeshi. Gyudon, the Japanese beef rice bowl also known as gyumeshi-style donburi, simmers thinly sliced beef and onion in a sweet-savory soy–mirin–dashi broth and ladles it over hot rice. It is a fast, filling staple at home and in Japanese fast-food shops, often finished with beni shoga and a soft egg.
Ingredients
- Hot cooked rice 2 bowls (about 300–350g)
- Thinly sliced beef (short rib or lean) 250g
- Onion 1 (about 200g)
- Dashi (or water + instant dashi) 150ml
- Soy sauce 3 tbsp
- Mirin 2 tbsp
- Sake 2 tbsp
- Sugar 1½ tbsp
- Grated ginger 1 tsp (optional)
- Beni shoga (pickled red ginger) to taste
- Onsen or soft-boiled eggs 2, optional
- Chopped green onion to taste
Steps
- Halve the onion through the root and slice 5mm with the grain. Cut the beef into bite-size lengths and blot surface moisture with paper towel.
- In a pot combine dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and ginger. Warm over medium, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the onion in an even layer, cover, and simmer medium 3–4 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add the beef spread out, separating pieces with chopsticks so they don’t stack. Skim foam when it boils; simmer uncovered medium 2–3 minutes. When the meat browns, lower heat and cook 1–2 minutes more until the broth thickens slightly.
- Mound hot rice in bowls and make a shallow well. Ladle beef, onion, and plenty of broth over it; top with egg if you like, then beni shoga and green onion.
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Notes
Frozen-cold beef chills the broth—take it out of the fridge so it nears room temp before cooking for even doneness.
Simmering onion first brings sweetness that pairs with the beef. For speed, slice the onion thinner.
A generous broth soaks the rice like a gyudon shop bowl. Leftover sauce works next day for egg donburi or udon broth.
Beni shoga cuts the richness. A raw egg yolk works as well as an onsen egg.
For sweeter bowls go up to 2 tbsp sugar; for lighter taste use less mirin and a bit more sake.
Time and temperature
Warm seasoning liquid medium ~2 min until sugar dissolves · Onion covered medium 3–4 min · Beef uncovered medium 2–3 min then low 1–2 min until lightly thickened
Nutrition
700 kcal · Protein 32 g · Fat 22 g · Carbs 85 g
1 bowl with rice, estimate for 2 servings
Substitutes
- Dashi → water + 1 tsp instant dashi or light chicken stock
- Mirin → 1 tbsp sugar + 1 tbsp water (weaker)
- Thin beef → thinly sliced pork for butadon-style
- Onsen egg → soft-boiled or raw yolk
- Beni shoga → pickled ginger
Storage
Cool the beef-onion topping and refrigerate up to 2 days; reheat gently until simmering and spoon over fresh hot rice. Broth thickens in the fridge—loosen with a splash of dashi. Freezing is OK for the topping up to a month; rice is best cooked fresh.
FAQ
- Why is my gyudon broth watery?
- Simmer uncovered after adding the beef until it lightly coats a spoon; too much dashi or covering the pot keeps it thin.
- Can I make gyudon ahead of time?
- Yes—cook the topping, chill, and reheat while you make fresh rice. Add egg and beni shoga just before serving.
- How do I keep the beef tender?
- Use thin slices, don’t boil hard for long, and let cold beef warm toward room temp so it doesn’t seize the broth.
- What if I don’t have mirin?
- Use a little extra sugar plus a splash of water or sake; flavor will be less rounded but still sweet-savory.
- Is gyudon the same as sukiyaki on rice?
- Related sweet-savory soy profile, but gyudon is a quicker donburi with onion and dashi, not a full sukiyaki hot pot.
Origin and history
Gyudon is thinly sliced beef and onion simmered in a sweet-savory soy–mirin–dashi broth, poured over hot rice. It’s quick, filling, and a staple in Japanese homes and fast-food shops.
Its roots are often traced to Meiji-era gyunabe culture—“gyumeshi” of beef and green onion over rice. In the Showa era specialty shops spread, and late-night gyudon chains went nationwide; home cooks adjust broth strength and sweetness to taste.
Beni shoga and an onsen egg give a shop-style finish, good for busy lunches, dinners, or late snacks. The broth soaks into the rice for a satisfying bowl.