00:00This is an absolutely unusual but stunning take on beef ton.
00:04Those exact words from one of my readers captures why this Gyutan Donburi
00:08might change everything about how you'll see this ingredient forever.
00:11For a printable version of this recipe, visit my website.
00:14Just google Gyutan Donburi space that you'd find me.
00:17First, grab 250g of thinly sliced beef ton.
00:21If you're nervous about working with beef ton, don't be.
00:24This recipe will break down every step to guide you through.
00:27Sprinkle it with a pinch of salt and set it aside.
00:31Next, we will finely dice about 100g of the white part of Japanese leek or regular leek.
00:39Put it into thirds.
00:43Then cut each piece along the grain in thin slices, creating a kind of tassel effect
00:48with the top still intact.
00:50Then you can finally dice it from there.
00:53You might think this video is all about the beef ton recipe, but that's kind of not true.
00:59The star of the show is the amazing homemade negishio sauce made from this fresh leek.
01:05It is simple but flavourful and it goes well with all kinds of meat.
01:10No worries, I'll fill you in on all the exciting details about my favourite meat alternatives in a bit.
01:18Next, whisk together the sauce. In a separate bowl, combine two tablespoons of toasted sesame oil,
01:24one teaspoon of lemon juice, one teaspoon of honey, one clove of grey garlic,
01:31half teaspoon of sea salt, half teaspoon of Chinese style chicken bouillon powder,
01:35half teaspoon of yellow miso paste,
01:38quarter teaspoon of Japanese soy sauce, and eighth teaspoon of ground black pepper.
01:43If you can't find naga negi, the white parts of regular leeks chopped extra finely,
01:48or even green onions will work just fine. Toasted sesame oil's nutty roasted notes are essential
01:54here, so definitely don't skip it. Look for bottles labelled toasted or roasted in the Asian
02:01fruit style. Once everything is combined, add the leek and mix until everything is covered.
02:06Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes so the flavours can blend. It's actually key for getting the flavours
02:12just right. The salt pulls moisture from the leek and the miso and garlic release their aromatics,
02:18creating a more cohesive and balanced sauce.
02:25While your sauce is chilling in the bowl, heat up the pan, preferably cast iron,
02:30on high with a piece of beef suet or a splash of high smoke point oil to grease the pan.
02:36These pans are great for getting the perfect char. If you need to use no stick, just double check
02:43that it can handle high temperatures. While we greasing the pan, I'll tell you about sourcing
02:48your beef ton outside Japan. If you're looking to save some time, you might be able to find pre-sliced
02:54ton at Asian supermarkets, or you can ask your butcher to slice a whole ton into pieces that are 5mm
03:02thick.
03:04Don't be shy about asking, your local butcher might have frozen ton in the back even if it's not on
03:10display. You might even be able to pre-order a fresh one with advance notice.
03:15Now the pan is ready, so let's lay the slices. For 5mm slices, serve for 1 to 1.5 minutes
03:24without
03:24moving them. And as soon as you see those beads of juice, gently block the surface with a paper towel.
03:35Okay, so I bought these beef ton slices from a different butcher than usual this time, and they
03:40turned out to be a bit thinner than I prefer. Look, they're shrinking right before our eyes,
03:46this is definitely a bit too thin for what I personally want for this dish. Ideally, we need them a
03:52bit
03:52thicker, so yeah, around 5mm is really the sweet spot. If your tan slices are a lot thicker than 5mm,
04:01start with medium heat to ensure even cooking throughout, then finish with high heat for the
04:06final serve. Now, flip those tan slices and cook for just 30 seconds more. Don't overcook it, otherwise
04:14the meat will be tough, which is not what we want. If you're looking for a bit more smoky flavour,
04:20you can
04:21finish with a blowtorch for a few seconds, but this is totally optional, it's more of a dramatic
04:26presentation thing. Now, what I just cooked was actually half the amount and only makes one serving.
04:33I'm using a 26cm pan here and trying to fit all the beef ton surface area at once is impossible.
04:41Before we move on to the next batch, let me wipe down the pan and re-grease it with beef
04:47suet.
04:48Now, it's time for our protein mix. My wife made it pretty clear that beef tan isn't really her thing,
04:56so I switched to pork bowl for the second batch to keep the piece at home. If you're thinking
05:02beef tan sounds scary or if you have family members who won't want to try it, this is your solution.
05:08Cook different proteins in separate batches and everyone will be happy.
05:12Here are some ideas for substitutions. Pork tan is your closest substitute, smaller
05:18and leaner than beef tan, but with similar texture and significantly lower cost.
05:24Thick sliced pork belly brings indulgent fat. Classic beef steak cut into cubes offer
05:30the beefy familiarity. And chicken thigh makes for a milder family-friendly version.
05:37Just keep in mind that cooking times and methods vary depending on the alternative you choose.
05:42Time to assemble our gluten bowls. Serve rice in individual bowls. Top with the seared beef tan.
05:52Then generously spoon the sauce over.
05:59Top with a sprinkle of green onions and some sesame seeds.
06:06And if you did use beef tan or beef steak, a small bowl of wasabi really takes this dish to
06:12another level.
06:14And there you have it, your homemade gyutandon that's ready to spark conversation at your next dinner with
06:20your Japan travel buddies. Each bite delivers the perfect balance of tender beef with the bright
06:26negishio sauce that makes this dish so special. Want even more delicious recipes?
06:32Grab my free cookbook from the link in the description.
06:36Okay, let's go over the ingredients one more time. And if you're ready to cook,
06:40grab the written instructions by clicking the full recipe box with a picture that's about to pop up on your
06:45screen.
06:47Here we go, the link to the full recipe is on the screen for you now. And if you want
06:50to watch more
06:51similar videos, don't miss my Donbrew Roundup video popping up on your screen as well.
06:55Thanks so much for watching, and I hope to see you in the next one. Bye.
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