Gyudon
Gyudon
Gyudon is Japan's most popular quick weekday meal, a bowl of hot steamed rice topped with thinly sliced beef and soft, sweet onions simmered together in a light sauce of dashi, soy sauce and mirin. The name translates simply as beef bowl, and it delivers exactly what that description promises: a deeply satisfying, uncomplicated combination that can be prepared in under fifteen minutes and that consistently provides the kind of comfort that a meal eaten in a hurry rarely achieves. Gyudon chains like Yoshinoya and Matsuya are fixtures of Japanese city life, but the homemade version is easy to produce and noticeably better.
The key to good gyudon is the beef: it should be sliced paper-thin, which allows it to cook in seconds and soak up the seasoning rapidly. Japanese butchers routinely produce this cut, known as gyudon-you or usugiri, and it is also available in frozen form from Japanese grocery stores. The sauce should be made with proper dashi rather than water, even a quick one made from Hondashi granules is significantly better than plain water, and the ratio of soy to mirin determines the flavour balance. A little sake adds depth and removes any remaining meatiness from the broth.
The equipment required is minimal. A medium saucepan or skillet, a rice cooker or regular pot for the rice, and a set of donburi rice bowls for serving are sufficient. The donburi bowl matters more than it might seem, its depth keeps the rice warm under the topping and its wide mouth allows the ingredients to be arranged properly.
A shichimi togarashi chilli blend on the side is the standard finishing touch in Japan.
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Serve in our donburi bowls and use a quality saucepan for the broth.
Showing 21 products
AVAILABILITY: In stock (500 items)
The Aizome Chopsticks Set features lacquered chopsticks in an Aizome indigo-dyed inspired design - the deep, moody blue of Japan's traditional textile dyeing tradition applied to everyday dining chopsticks. Country of Origin MADE IN JAPAN Set Includes 5 Pairs of...
AVAILABILITY: In stock (0 items)
Tsuyu Sauce, concentrated Japanese dashi broth seasoned with soy and mirin. The all-purpose sauce base for soba, udon, tempura dipping, and gyudon rice bowls. Dilute and use endlessly. Contents 500ml Origin Made in Japan 🇯🇵 Browse also: gyudon tools, udon...
AVAILABILITY: In stock (500 items)
Todai Chopstick Tongs, Japanese precision serving tongs in the form of elongated chopsticks with a spring mechanism. Perfect for serving salads, noodles, and teppan-grilled dishes at the table. Brand & Origin TODAI Kitchenware | Made in Niigata, Japan 🇯🇵 Material...
AVAILABILITY: In stock (0 items)
The Iwachu Yaki Frypan, Japanese cast iron skillet designed for high-heat searing of fish, meat, and vegetables. Thick base creates intense, even heat for a proper sear and natural non-stick surface. In the Box 1 Japanese Cast Iron Frying Pan...
AVAILABILITY: In stock (500 items)
The Nishiki Bowls Gift Set brings together a selection of beautifully decorated Japanese bowls in a coordinated Nishiki brocade pattern , the perfect tableware gift. Includes 5 bowls + gift box, 1000g total Rice bowls 11.5cm (4.5"), 270ml Donburi bowls...
AVAILABILITY: In stock (500 items)
Kujira Bowls (set of 4) are deep ceramic bowls from the coordinated Kujira whale series - perfect for rice, miso soup, and noodles as part of a complete ocean-themed Japanese table setting. The Kujira Collection Please note: This collection is...
AVAILABILITY: In stock (3 items)
Arita Rice Bowls are classic Japanese Arita porcelain chawan rice bowls in traditional blue and white - the definitive Japanese rice bowl in the ceramic tradition that has set the standard for over 400 years. Origin Handcrafted in Arita, Japan...
AVAILABILITY: In stock (-2 items)
Shichimi Togarashi, classic Japanese seven-spice blend. Fragrant, complex chili mix with red chili, sansho pepper, citrus peel, sesame, nori, and ginger. The all-purpose Japanese table spice. Product Typology Shichimi Togarashi (七味唐辛子: Traditional Seven-Flavor Chili Seasoning) Signature Flavor Profile Aromatic, complex,...
AVAILABILITY: In stock (-1 items)
Ichimi Togarashi, pure Japanese dried red chili pepper flakes. Straightforward, clean heat without additional spices. The essential single-chili seasoning for udon, gyudon, and hot-pot. Product Typology Ichimi Togarashi (一味唐辛子: Premium Coarse-Ground Pure Red Chili Pepper) Primary Pairing Ramen, udon, soba...









