what cut of beef does yoshinoya use

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Gyudon is a Japanese beef bowl made with soft, flavorful beef slices and sweet, juicy onions. It is served over a bowl of rice.

Gyudon also known as Japanese Beef Rice Bowl is comfort food for me. The restaurant chain Yoshinoya, which is famous for their Japanese Beef Donburi, made it popular in the U.S.

Every trip weve made to Japan always included several bowls of Gyudon. There was soft beef and onions, a sweet and savory broth, hot rice, and an egg yolk on top. its the perfect cure for jetlag.

This Japanese Beef Donburi (rice bowl) is such an easy recipe to make. It can be included in your weekday menu without adding stress to your day.

This Gyudon recipe is for a family sized portion but its easy to double up for convenient leftovers. It also freezes well. I like to store it in single servings for a quick lunch or days when I’m too tired or lazy to cook.

Demystifying the Tender Flavorful Beef in Yoshinoya’s Signature Gyudon

As the largest beef bowl chain in Japan, Yoshinoya has perfected the art of gyudon – thinly sliced beef simmered in a sweet and savory sauce, served over steaming rice. The melt-in-your-mouth tenderness of their beef is what makes their gyudon so craveable.

But what exactly is the cut of beef that gives Yoshinoya’s gyudon its signature flavor and texture? Let’s uncover the secrets behind the quintessential Japanese comfort food.

A Brief History of Yoshinoya Gyudon

Yoshinoya opened its first restaurant in Tokyo in 1899, serving inexpensive gyudon made with inexpensive beef cuts. This allowed fishmongers, traders, and workers in the area to enjoy a quick, tasty, affordable meal.

Over the decades Yoshinoya expanded across Japan and worldwide helping drive gyudon into the mainstream. They are now the largest beef bowl chain in Japan, serving over 200,000 bowls daily!

Yoshinoya’s Thinly Sliced Komagire Beef

The star of Yoshinoya’s gyudon is the thinly sliced beef. Premium thin slices are vital for optimizing the beef’s texture and flavor.

Yoshinoya uses a cut of beef called komagire, which comes from the chuck or shoulder area of the cow. Komagire has moderate marbling and connective tissue.

This produces beef slices that are tender enough to cook quickly yet retain enough chew and beefy flavor. The thin slices also let the komagire absorb the umami of the sauce.

Benefits of Thin Slicing

Slicing the beef thin offers advantages:

  • Cooks rapidly to serve customers quickly
  • Absorbs sauce flavors
  • Easy to chew
  • Lovely texture contrast with rice
  • More surface area for caramelization
  • Stretches expensive cuts further

Thin slices balance quick cooking with the rich flavor and pleasant chew of cuts like chuck.

Yoshinoya’s Other Gyudon Cooking Secrets

In addition to komagire beef, Yoshinoya uses other techniques:

  • Slow-cooked onions for perfect tenderness
  • Umami-rich dashi broth as a flavor base
  • Aroma oil like sesame for fragrance
  • Special thick-cut negi onion for crunch
  • Red pickled ginger for piquant accent

These ingredients accentuate the beef’s natural flavor.

Recreating Yoshinoya’s Gyudon at Home

Here are some tips for Yoshinoya-style gyudon at home:

  • Use komagire or chuck eye roll if possible
  • Freeze steak briefly to slice it thin
  • Simmer onions thoroughly on low
  • Make dashi broth from scratch
  • Season simply with soy sauce and mirin
  • Add sesame oil for aroma
  • Top with pickled ginger and thick negi
  • Serve with short-grain rice

Focus on thin slices and gentle cooking for maximum tenderness. Though Yoshinoya’s exact recipe is secret, you can still make excellent homemade gyudon.

Ideal Accompaniments for Gyudon

In addition to negi and beni shoga, classic pairings include:

  • Miso soup
  • Onsen tamago (slow-cooked poached egg)
  • Fukujinzuke (Japanese pickles)
  • Yuzu kosho (yuzu pepper paste)
  • Karashi mustard

These round out the meal perfectly.

Tips for the Best Yoshinoya-Style Gyudon

Follow these tips:

  • Seek out komagire or chuck eye roll
  • Freeze steak briefly to slice thin
  • Cut negi thick and beni shoga thin
  • Make dashi from scratch; use MSG-free seasoning
  • Simmer onions thoroughly on low
  • Let sauce reduce to intensify flavors
  • Adjust sweetness to taste
  • Top with sesame and shichimi togarashi

With high-quality ingredients and slow cooking, you can recreate Yoshinoya’s magic.

The Last Bite

Yoshinoya has turned gyudon preparation into an art after a century of specializing. Their gyudon starts with premium thin-sliced chuck simmered slowly in an umami-rich sauce.

Though the exact recipe is secret, focus on finding quality thin-sliced beef and cooking it gently. With dashi and Japanese seasonings, you can make restaurant-quality gyudon at home.

Now grab some negi, beni shoga, and short-grain rice to complete your bowl. Your tastebuds will transport you to Yoshinoya with the first tender, juicy bite.

what cut of beef does yoshinoya use

Which Cuts of Beef Can I Use for Japanese Gyudon Beef Bowl?

My favorite cut of beef for this dish is a thinly sliced short plate. It has a nice beefy flavor with a good amount of fat. Most Asian grocery stores and even Costco sell frozen or fresh shabu-shabu meat that is thinly sliced. Any of these will work as well.

Something with strips of fat running through it is better for me than something with fat marbled into it. The contrasting textures between the chewy fat and meat is ideal for this Gyudon recipe.

You can ask the butcher to slice the short plate for you if your grocery store doesn’t have it. An ⅛ of an inch or thinner is what were looking for. Alternatively, you can cut the meat yourself.

Freeze your meat for about two hours before cutting it. This is long enough for the meat to keep its shape but not be completely frozen. This will allow you to make uniform slices with ease. If the meat is still too soft, put it back in the freezer and try again in 30 to 60 minutes.

The cut of beef you select will determine your Gyudon cook time. Something like short plate can withstand a short braise and absorb the lovely sweet and savory broth. If you don’t want the meat to fall apart, sliced ribeye should be cooked quickly instead of slowly.

Which Type of Onion Should I Use for Yoshinoya Style Beef Donburi?

Yellow or sweet onions will work just fine for Gyudon. I like to use white onions because they cook faster. Cut the onion into thin wedges.

Start by trimming off the stem and the root and cutting the onion in half through the root. First, cut it into thin wedges from stem to root, or pole to pole, like you would cut an apple.

The Perfect Japanese Fast Food, GYUDON | Beef Bowl

FAQ

What cut of beef is used for gyudon?

It’s typically made with ribeye or chuck that’s been shaved extra thin on a meat slicer. You’ll be able to find good meat for gyudon in Japanese supermarkets, but if you don’t have access to that, any beef intended for Philly cheesesteaks will work (even the frozen stuff!).

Does Yoshinoya use real beef?

Again, we at the Yoshinoya Holdings Group only source beef that satisfies all of the international, U.S. and Japanese standards to serve it to customers.

What cut of beef is shabu shabu?

Thin-sliced Beef Rib steaks, top sirloin and sirloin tip are excellent cuts for Shabu Shabu.

What cut of beef is used for spiced beef?

The cut of beef in the Irish version varies according to different writers; cuts suggested include round, silverside, topside, rump, and brisket. The meat is rubbed with some or all of the spices mentioned above, and then usually boiled, broiled or semi-steamed in water, Guinness (or a similar stout).

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