At times, what you crave is a substantial meal to fuel you through a demanding day. On such occasions, I turn to a hearty donburi, the ideal Japanese one-bowl meal that’s not only speedy to prepare but also provides comfort and satiety. While I’ve shared numerous donburi recipes, today I want to introduce another beloved option: Yakiniku Don, a Japanese Grilled Beef Bowl.
What is Yakiniku Don?
Yakiniku (焼肉) is a Japanese grilled meat dish, which typically implies beef and occasionally pork. Don (丼) is short for donburi (丼ぶり), which means a Japanese rice bowl dish. You can find yakiniku don on the menu at yakiniku restaurants, donburi specialized restaurants, izayaka, family restaurants (fami-resu), and diners. I’ve made this recipe simple for everyone so you can rustle it up in under 30 minutes. All you need is steamed rice, well-marbled beef, and a yakiniku sauce.
How to Make Yakiniku Don
The Ingredients You’ll Need
Boneless beef short-rib slices – I’ll discuss more about this below. Store-bought or homemade yakiniku sauce – It’s so easy to make the homemade version. This additive and preservative-free sauce takes less than 5 minutes to make! Cooked short-grained rice – Make sure to cook the rice in advance or defrost your frozen rice (Freezing cooked rice is the best method). Green onion (for garnish) White sesame seeds (for garnish)
The Cooking Steps
What Kind of Beef to Use for Yakiniku
I highly recommend getting well-marbled beef slices like these (see the pictures below). As you can see from the picture above, the marbling and fat content is slightly different from the packages, so “study” the meat before you pick. My children and I prefer a more red, less fatty one, while Mr. JOC would go for extremely well-marbled beef. From observing different Asian grocery stores around my area, I learned that Korean and Japanese grocery stores carry similar cuts and quality meat. If the meat is not well-marbled, it is very chewy and hard to eat. Since it contains quite a bit of fat in the meat, you probably don’t need to buy/eat as much.
Cooking Tips
What to Serve with Yakiniku Don
For those who are looking for a more full menu, here are some recipes that I would pair up with.
Salad: Green lettuce with Sesame Dressing, Carrot Dressing, or Wafu Dressing. Soup: Japanese Egg Drop Soup, Harusame Soup, or Vegetable Miso Soup. Dessert: Shiso Sorbet, Purin, or Matcha Ice Cream.
More Quick Donburi Ideas?
These donburi recipes are my go-to when I’m short on time and saved our family dinner countless times! I hope you give them a try.
Salmon Sashimi Bowl Oyakodon Unagi Chazuke Soy Glazed Eggplant Donburi Soboro Don
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