How to Make Authentic Nikujaga (Japanese Meat & Potato Stew)

Sudachi

In this video, I&#039;ll show you how to make nikujaga, Japan&#039;s most iconic comfort stew with tender pork, chunky potatoes, and a sweet-savory dashi broth that soaks into every bite.  🖨 PRINT FULL RECIPE: https://sudachirecipes.com/nikujaga-recipe/ 📖 GET MY FREE COOKBOOK: https://sudachi.kit.com/5c166f80ba 🔔 SUBSCRIBE HERE: https://tinyurl.com/b69ed7na  ✨My First Printed Cookbook: https://amzn.to/4j512pZ 🧰Cooking Tools I Use: https://sudachirecipes.com/japanese-cooking-tools/  📌 RECIPE DETAILS: ⏰ Time: 55 minutes (10 min prep + 45 min cook) 👥 Servings: 3 portions 🥕 Ingredients: - 300 g potato (waxy, such as Yukon Gold), cut into 3 cm chunks - 150 g carrot, roll-cut into 2 cm pieces - 150 g onion, cut into 1.5-2 cm wedges - 200 g thinly sliced pork belly (or beef), cut into 5 cm pieces - 1 tsp neutral cooking oil - 450 ml dashi stock - 1 tbsp light brown sugar - 3 tbsp mirin - 3 tbsp sake - 100 g shirataki noodles (optional) - 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (+ 1 tbsp for finishing) - 8-10 snow peas, for garnish  💡MY RECOMMENDED JAPANESE PANTRY ITEMS⬇️ https://sudachirecipes.com/top-20-japanese-ingredients/  📖 FULL RECIPE &amp; INSTRUCTIONS WITH TIPS Website: https://sudachirecipes.com/n

Transcript

00:00Every country has a dish that feels like home. In Japan, that dish is Nikujaga.

00:04Tender meat and potatoes simmered in a sweet savoury dashi broth are so comforting,

00:09one bowl says everything, words cannot.

00:13If you'd like a printable version of this recipe to keep in your kitchen,

00:17just google Nikujagasutachi to find it.

00:20First, peel 300g of waxy potatoes.

00:24What I have today is a Japanese variety called Meikween,

00:27but of course use any waxy varieties you can get in your area, like Yukon Gold.

00:33Drop them whole into a bowl of cold water.

00:36We'll cut them into 3cm chunks right before they go into the pot.

00:41Keeping them whole for now prevents too much starch from leaking out into the soaking water.

00:47Next, roughly cut 150g of carrot into pieces, no thicker than 2cm,

00:54and slice 150g of onion into 1.5-2cm wedges.

01:00Then take 200g of thinly sliced pork belly and cut it into pie-sized pieces, roughly 5cm wide.

01:09Pork belly is the most forgiving choice for this dish.

01:12The extra fat keeps the meat tender and melts into the broth with a gentle sweetness that ties everything together.

01:21Pork shoulder slices work as a lean alternative, and you can go Kansai style with thinly sliced beef.

01:28In that case, shaved steak sold for cheese steaks is actually a great no-first substitute.

01:35Quick note on equipment.

01:37My recipe was developed using a 30cm carbon steel wok.

01:43Unconventional for a Japanese dish, sure.

01:46But the curved base and tall walls make searing, tossing and simmering all surprisingly easy.

01:53An enameled Dutch oven or a heavy bottom sauté pan with tall size works just as well.

02:00Just avoid anything too narrow or shallow.

02:03Alright, everything's prepped, let's cook.

02:06Set your pot over medium heat and add 1 teaspoon of neutral cooking oil.

02:11When the oil shimmers, lay the pork slices in a single layer.

02:17Let the meat sit completely undisturbed for about a minute per side.

02:21If you're looking for golden brown edges and the unmistakable toasty savoury smell,

02:26searing also renders out some of the pork belly's fat and that becomes a cooking medium for the vegetables.

02:34Now, this searing step is actually optional in some Japanese households,

02:39but I think the difference in depth of flavour is real.

02:43In the same pot, using the beautiful rendered pork fat left behind,

02:48add the onion wedges, stir them gently or medium heat until the edges soften,

02:53and begin to turn a light golden colour, about 2-3 minutes.

02:58Once the onions are looking good, drain the potatoes and cut them into thirds or quarters,

03:05those 3cm chunks we talked about.

03:09Add them to the pot along with the carrots and give the pot a few gentle shakes,

03:15just enough to cool everything in a thin film of the pork fat.

03:19Now, here is a quick note on potato prep.

03:22There's a traditional Japanese technique called mentori,

03:26where you use a knife or peeler to gently round off the sharp edges of each potato chunk.

03:32The idea is that those corners are the first crumble during simmering,

03:36releasing studs that close the broth and can turn the whole pot into mashed potato territory.

03:44If you want to go proper, do it, but honestly, I don't bother too much for Nikujaga.

03:49I actually like some bits of potato dissolving into the broth,

03:53it creates a nice texture difference, and gives the sauce a bit of rustic body.

03:59Pour in 450ml of dashi stock, homemade dashi made from bonito flakes and konbu is wonderful here,

04:06but teabuck saladash packets are a great next best option.

04:10Instant granulated dashi like hondashi works too, but keep in mind,

04:15it contains added salt and other flavour boosters.

04:18Dashi is what makes this broth taste clean and deeply satisfying rather than just salty sweet.

04:24It's the backbone.

04:26Raise the heat and bring the liquid toward a gentle, almost boil.

04:30Wash the surface carefully. You want a soft rolling movement where small bubbles rise lazily around

04:37the edges, roughly 90 to 95 degrees Celsius. The moment you see large aggressive bubbles,

04:45back the heat down immediately.

04:46Now, add one tablespoon of light brown sugar and three tablespoons of sake.

04:52I like using light brown sugar, but of course, white sugar or raw sugar will work too.

04:58And the sake adds depth and a gentle aromatic layer to the broth as it simmers.

05:05Next, place an otoshibuta, a droplet, directly on the surface of the simmering liquid.

05:12This little tool is doing four things at once.

05:16It keeps ingredients gently submerged so they season evenly.

05:20It reduces the violence of convection currents.

05:23It controls the evaporation rate and it helps trap aromas in the broth.

05:29You've got options.

05:30Perchmine paper is easy to cut to size and research has shown it gives the most even seasonal penetration.

05:38A wooden droplet delivers excellent tenderness but can cause more breakage.

05:44Aluminum, foil, stainless steel, and silicone lids all work too.

05:49For today, I've got a homemade parchment paper droplet ready to go.

05:53I've made this one ahead of time.

05:56If you want to see how to make it on, check out my separate how-to video.

06:01Now, we simmer for 15 minutes until a skewer slides into the potatoes easily,

06:07but the edges still hold their shape.

06:10While the potatoes simmer, let's put the waiting time to work.

06:15If you're using shirataki, that's 100g of konnyak noodles,

06:20bring a small separate pot of water to a vigorous boil,

06:24and blanch them for 2-3 minutes, then drain and rinse.

06:28This removes the natural odor that comes straight out of the package.

06:34Shirataki are completely optional, but they are a traditional addition,

06:38and they give each bite a fun, springy, chewy contrast against the soft potatoes.

06:44If you can get them, they're worth tossing in.

06:47Alright, 15 minutes are up.

06:50Remove the droplet.

06:51Now add 3 tablespoons of mirin, 2 tablespoons of Japanese soy sauce,

06:57the blanched shirataki noodles, and the seared pork belly from earlier.

07:01Resist the urge to stir, I know it's tempting.

07:05Instead, tilt the pot gently forward and back a few times,

07:08rocking the liquid so the soy sauce disperses across the surface

07:12and trickles down around the ingredients.

07:16This protects your now tender potatoes from the force of a spatula

07:21while still distributing seasonings throughout.

07:24Place the droplet back on the surface and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.

07:31And why are we adding the soy sauce this late?

07:34Soy sauce's salt component penetrates food faster than sugar does.

07:38If it goes in too early, the potato surfaces tighten up

07:43before the sweetness has had time to fully diffuse in wood.

07:48Turn off the heat.

07:49Now if time allows, and I highly recommend this, let the pot sit covered until it comes to room temperature.

07:58Seasoning keeps diffusing into each piece drawing the rest,

08:02and the potato starch firms up for a better bite on the heat.

08:06Once it gets to room temperature, store it in the fridge with the lid on.

08:11A perfect meal prep option, right?

08:14When you're ready to serve, bring the pot back to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

08:20Remove the droplet for the last time.

08:22Now, using a ladle, scoop up the simmering broth,

08:25and gently pour it over the export tops of the vegetables, basically basting them.

08:32Now, add another 1 tablespoon of soy sauce as a finishing seasoning,

08:37and rub the pot gently to distribute.

08:39Let it simmer uncovered for another 2-3 minutes, watching the liquid reduce and thicken slightly.

08:46And now, taste the broth.

08:48Trust your palate here.

08:50If it's a touch flat, a small splash of more soy sauce will sharpen everything up.

08:55If it feels too salty, a tiny pinch of sugar can soften the edge.

08:59This is your dish.

09:01Almost there.

09:03Blunt 8-10 snow peas, string removed,

09:06in boiling water for just 1 minute to keep them bright green.

09:11Chill them in cold water, then slice.

09:13Snap peas are a fine substitute if you can't find snow peas.

09:18Ladle the nikujaga into deep bowls,

09:21arranging the meat and vegetables so you can see the variety of shapes and colors.

09:26Scatter those bright green snow pea slices over the top.

09:31The pop of color against the golden brown broth is beautiful.

09:35And there you have it.

09:37My version of nikujaga.

09:38Sweet savoury shoyu backbone layered over clean dash umami.

09:43Mellow onion sweetness.

09:45Rich rendered pork fat.

09:47And potatoes that are seasoned all the way through.

09:50Want even more delicious recipes?

09:52Grab my free cookbook from the link in the description.

09:56Okay, let's go over the ingredients one more time.

09:59And if you're ready to cook, grab the written instructions by clicking the full recipe box

10:03with a picture that's about to pop up on your screen.

10:07That's a wrap.

10:08You can find a full printable version of this recipe on my website,

10:11linked right here on the screen.

10:13It has all the extra details to help you get perfect every time.

10:16If you enjoy this, check out my classic playlist.

10:19And next week, I'm making soup curry.

10:22Hit subscribe so you don't miss it.

10:24See you then.

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