Sukiyaki (Japanese Beef Hot Pot)

The flavor of beef and vegetables combined with the sweet and savory sauce is in perfect harmony, and I don't know anyone who doesn't like this hot pot dish. That's how popular Sukiyaki is in Japan. It is often eaten during the cold winter months, but because of its delicious taste, it can be enjoyed year-round.

Jump to:

• What is Sukiyaki?
• What ingredients are used
• Differences by region
• Main cooking process and timing of eating
• Shocking fact
• Ingredients
• Step-by-step instructions
• Tips on how to make
• Recipe Card

What is Sukiyaki?

Sukiyaki is a one-pot dish in which beef, vegetables, and other ingredients are cooked in a sweet and savory sauce made from sake, mirin, sugar, and soy sauce. While there are various theories as to the origin of the name, it is generally believed that it comes from using a plow (suki), a farming implement, as a substitute for a pot to cook (yaki) the ingredients.

This dish is typically enjoyed by several people gathered around a single pot, with each person serving themselves ingredients from the pot onto their own plate. Of course, it can also be eaten alone, but it is more of a feast shared with family, friends, or loved ones.

Since thinly sliced, marbled high-grade beef is often used, it is one of the most popular dishes served at year-end and New Year's gatherings with relatives in Japan.

What ingredients are used

Sukiyaki is typically made using the following 4 main ingredient groups:

1. Beef: Use thinly sliced beef, about 0.08 inch (2mm) thick. Thick slices of beef should not be used, as they will become tough while cooking. Beef with a moderate amount of fat is better than lean meat.
2. Aroma and flavor ingredients: Naganegi (Japanese leeks), onions, hakusai (napa cabbage), shiitake mushrooms, shimeji mushrooms, and others.
3. Aroma and texture ingredients: Shungiku (crown daisy: similar to bitter spinach), mizuna (Japanese mustard greens), carrots, and others.
4. Ingredients that adjust for moisture and absorb flavor: Shirataki konjac noodles, konjac noodles, kudzu starch noodles, momen tofu (medium-firm tofu), atsuage (thick fried tofu) , fu (Japanese wheat gluten), and others.

You can enhance the flavor of your sukiyaki by using a well-balanced combination of ingredients from each section. However, most Japanese people are not aware of the role of each ingredient in sukiyaki. In short, you can add any ingredients you like.

After all the ingredients have been consumed, it is common practice to simmer udon noodles or rice in the remaining sauce and enjoy it as the final dish. The sweet and savory sauce pairs well with either option.

Differences by region

Sukiyaki is prepared differently in various regions of Japan. For example, in Kyoto, the ingredients are mainly browned, whereas in Tokyo, the ingredients are mostly simmered. This is because Kyoto has preserved the original method of making sukiyaki, while Tokyo was influenced by a dish called Gyu Nabe (beef hot pot), which became popular in the 19th century.

In other regions, sukiyaki is made slightly differently, not only in the way it is prepared, but also in the ingredients. In Osaka and Kobe, kombu dashi (kelp stock) is used for seasoning, and in some other regions, pork or chicken is used instead of beef.

The recipe I am sharing here is one that I have improved over many years. I hope you enjoy making and eating it.

Main cooking process and timing of eating

Sukiyaki is a dish that can be cooked and enjoyed repeatedly. The main cooking process is as follows.

1. Prepare the ingredients and sukiyaki sauce.
2. Brown the beef in the pot, adding seasoning as you cook it.
3. Remove the beef from the pot and transfer to a plate. Then, add the sukiyaki sauce and ingredients to the pot and bring it to a simmer.
4. When the ingredients are partially cooked, return the beef to the pot and continue to simmer until fully cooked. Then, eat.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all the ingredients are used (for more than 2 servings or if the pot cannot hold all of the ingredients).
6. Once all the ingredients have been eaten, add udon noodles or rice to the pot and simmer. Then, eat.

The timing of eating sukiyaki varies from household to household and can be based on personal preference. That is, some people prefer to eat only the beef first, after it has been browned according to step 2. This allows them to fully enjoy the flavor of the beef.

Process 5 is necessary when making a large amount of sukiyaki, because all the ingredients cannot fit in a single pot. By simmering the ingredients several times, you can always enjoy the freshly prepared taste.

Shocking fact

Actually, there is something I haven't told you yet about the necessary ingredient for sukiyaki. The information you are about to read may surprise you. Are you ready?

Once the sukiyaki is prepared, it is brought to the dining table in a pot, and each person takes a plate to serve their own ingredients. Typically, each plate is filled with a beaten raw egg.

It may sound shocking, but it is true. Eggs in Japan are sanitized in such a way that they are safe to eat raw. The mild flavor of raw eggs goes well with the sweet and savory sukiyaki sauce. If you can find eggs that are safe to eat raw (such as pasteurized eggs), go ahead and give it a try.

You can still enjoy sukiyaki without beaten eggs. There are people in Japan who enjoy sukiyaki without eggs. However, in that case, you may want to dilute the flavor of the sukiyaki sauce slightly with water or kombu dashi (kelp stock).

Ingredients

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Step-by-step instructions

🕒 Total 35 mins

Step 1
Prepare the ingredients as follows:
Naganegi: Cut into 0.4 inch (1cm) wide diagonal slices.
Shiitake mushrooms: Remove the stems and cut the caps in half.
Hakusai: Cut into bite-sized pieces.
Shungiku: Cut into 1.6 inch (4cm) pieces.
Carrot: Cut into 0.2 inch (5mm) thick slices.
Shirataki konjac noodles: Rinse them with water and cut them in half. Put the shirataki and sugar (for shirataki) into a plastic bag, and massage them for 3 minutes. Then, remove them from the bag and rinse them under running water.
Tofu: Cut into bite-sized pieces.

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Step 2
Put A (sake, mirin, soy sauce, sugar) in a small pot, and heat over medium heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, turn off the heat. The sukiyaki sauce is now ready.

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Step 3
Heat the beef fat in a large pot over medium heat. Once the pot is coated with oil, remove it, and add the beef to the pot and brown it. While browning the beef, pour a small amount of the sukiyaki sauce, which was prepared in step 2, over it.

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Step 4
Once the beef has browned, transfer it to a plate. Next, add　the naganegi and shiitake mushrooms to the pot and cook until browned.

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Step 5
Add the sukiyaki sauce and the remaining prepared ingredients (hakusai, shungiku, carrot, shirataki mushrooms, tofu) to the pot. (If you are making more than 2 servings or if the pot cannot hold all of the ingredients, add only half or one-third of the ingredients, and transfer some of the naganegi and shiitake mushrooms to a plate.) Cover the pot with a lid and simmer over medium heat.

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Step 6
Once it comes to a simmer, remove the lid and turn the ingredients over. Add the beef, cover and let it simmer again. After a few minutes, when the ingredients are cooked, the dish is ready to be served.

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Step 7 (optional)
Crack an egg into each dish and beat it for dipping purposes.

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Step 8
If you are making more than 2 servings or if the pot cannot hold all of the ingredients, simmer the ingredients again with the remaining sauce after eating the sukiyaki (repeat steps 5 and 6).

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Step 9 (optional)
After consuming all the prepared ingredients, put udon noodles into the pot. Cover with a lid and simmer until the udon noodles are cooked. Then, enjoy the dish.

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Notes

If you don't use eggs, the seasoning might be too strong. In that case, add water or kombu dashi (kelp stock) to the sukiyaki sauce and adjust the consistency to your liking. Similarly, if the sauce becomes too strong after several rounds of simmering, add water or kombu dashi to adjust the seasoning.

To Store

You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Tips on how to make

• If you are using shirataki konjac noodles or regular konjac noodles, prepare them. This will help eliminate the characteristic odor of konjac. While this recipe suggests using sugar to remove the smell, you could also use salt instead or boil the konjac noodles in water.
• The sukiyaki sauce should be sweetened. I suggest combining sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar in a ratio of 10:10:10:3 to create a delicious flavor. Even if you adjust the taste to your liking, the sauce will still be delicious as long as you maintain its sweetness.
• Brown the beef first. This way, the beef retains its flavor as it cooks. I recommend browning only one side of the beef first, but you can brown both sides as well.
• When adding naganegi or shiitake mushrooms, it is recommended to brown them at the same time as the beef. Browning them before simmering will enhance their flavor.
• It is not necessary to put all the ingredients in the pot at once. If you are making a large amount or using a smaller pot, start a second or third round with the same ingredients.

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