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Beef Gyudon (Japanese Beef Rice Bowl)

Beef Gyudon (Japanese Beef Rice Bowl) reads umami 7.1, sweetness 5.4 and salinity 5.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Japanese main, about 42 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.9 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.8 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 3.0 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.4 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.2 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.4 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.1 · Sweetness 5.4 · Salinity 5.1 · Allium 4.0 · Richness 3.9 · Sourness 2.8 · Funk & Ferment 2.8 · Herbaceous 2.1 · Warm Spice 1.7 · Floral 1.5 · Earthy 1.3 · Fruity 1.2 · Nutty 0.9 · Bitterness 0.7

What's in it (14)

• short-grain white rice — 710 g
• eggs — 400 g
• water — 473 g
• broth dashi — 5 g
• soy sauce — 79 g
• mirin — 59 g
• granulated sugar — 38 g
• sake — 30 g
• yellow onions — 220 g
• ginger — 5 g
• sirloin steak beef — 454 g
• salt — 5 g
• scallions — 200 g
• pickled ginger — 30 g

Time & effort: about 42 min (37 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 166.5 kcal, 7.3 g protein, 4.1 g fat, 24.4 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (11 steps)

1. Cook the rice according to package directions; keep covered and warm.
2. Bring a small pot of water to a boil, gently lower in the eggs, and boil for 6.5 minutes for jammy, spoonable yolks.
3. Transfer the eggs to an ice bath to stop the cooking, then peel and set aside.
4. In a wide skillet, whisk together the water, dashi granules, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sake, then bring to a simmer over medium heat.
5. Add the sliced onions and simmer until softened and translucent, about 5-6 minutes.
6. Stir in the grated ginger, then lay the beef slices in a single layer over the onions.
7. Simmer, gently separating the slices with chopsticks or tongs, until the beef is just cooked through and no longer pink, 2-3 minutes.
8. Season with salt, then let the mixture simmer 1-2 minutes more to meld the flavors.
9. Divide the warm rice among four bowls, then ladle the beef, onions, and broth generously over the top.
10. Halve the soft-boiled eggs and nestle two halves onto each bowl.
11. Scatter with scallions and a few slices of pickled ginger, and serve hot.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• General Tso's Cauliflower — Chinese-American
• General Tso's Chicken — Chinese-American
• Tofu Katsu with Curry Sauce — Japanese
• Yaki Udon with Chicken and Vegetables — Japanese
• Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie with Lentils — British

Keep reading: what umami, sweetness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.