Types and specificity
of European beef

BEEF TONGUES – GYUTAN DON

Thinly sliced ​​boiled or grilled tongues, served on rice with a sauce based on mirin and soy sauce.

Ingredients (2 servings):

Tongue:

• 250-300 g beef tongue (thinly sliced, preferably about 2-3 mm thick)
• 1 tablespoon sesame or vegetable oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• lemon juice (optional)

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1 tablespoon sake (or water with a bit of sugar as a substitute)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic (grated or finely chopped – optional)

Method:

1. Tongue:

• If the tongue is not already sliced, freeze it lightly (about 30 minutes) to make it easier to slice thinly.
• Wash the tongue slices under cold water to remove any dirt and pat dry with a paper towel.
• Season the meat with salt and pepper. You can add a few drops of lemon juice for a delicate aroma.

2. Sauce:

• In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake (or sugar water), sugar, ginger and garlic.
• Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the sauce thickens slightly. Set aside.

3. Grilling or frying the tongue:

• Heat a grill, grill pan or regular frying pan over medium heat.
• Brush the surface with sesame oil.
• Grill or fry the tongue slices for 1-2 minutes on each side, until lightly browned and soft. Do not overcook, as the meat will become rubbery.

NECK – NIKUJAGA

Neck meat stewed with potatoes, onions and carrots in a sweet and salty broth.

Ingredients (4 servings):

• 200 g thinly sliced ​​beef (e.g. sirloin, entrecote or shoulder)
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces
• 1 medium carrot, thickly sliced
• 1 large onion, julienned
• 100 g konnyaku or shirataki (optional, available in Asian stores)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (e.g. sesame or rapeseed oil)

Sauce:

• 300 ml dashi (Japanese broth; instant dashi can be used)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon sake (optional)

Method:

1. Preparing the ingredients:

• Prepare potatoes, carrots and onions according to the instructions. If using shirataki, scald them with boiling water to remove the characteristic smell and cut into smaller pieces.
• Prepare thinly sliced ​​beef into smaller pieces so that it is easy to eat with chopsticks.

2. Frying the ingredients:

• Heat the oil in a large pot or deep frying pan over medium heat.
• Sauté the onion for about 1 minute, until it begins to soften.
• Add the beef and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until the meat is no longer raw.

3. Adding vegetables and sauce:

• Add potatoes, carrots and konnyaku (or shirataki, if using).
• Pour in dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar. Mix gently.

4. Simmering:

• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
• Cover the pot loosely with a lid (or use an “otoshibuta” – a paper or wooden lid that rests directly on the food).
• Cook for about 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes and carrots are soft and the sauce has reduced and absorbed into the ingredients.

5. Serving:

• Serve warm in bowls, preferably with rice. You can garnish with freshly chopped chives or spring onions if you wish.

SHORT LOIN – SHABU-SHABU

Thin slices of short loin cooked in hot broth with vegetables and tofu, served with ponzu sauce.

Ingredients (4 servings):

Broth:

• 1.5 litres water
• 1 piece kombu (kelp), about 10 cm
• 1/2 teaspoon instant dashi (optional, for a more intense flavour)

Meat:

• 400-500 g thinly sliced ​​beef (e.g. sirloin, tenderloin or entrecote; in Asian stores you will find meat cut especially for shabu-shabu)
• alternative: pork, chicken or tofu for a vegetarian version

Vegetables and additives:

• 1/2 head of Chinese cabbage, chopped into pieces
• leek, sliced
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced ​​or cut into florets
• 200 g mushrooms (e.g. shiitake, shimeji, enoki or button mushrooms)
• 1 block of tofu (firm or silken), diced
• 200 g udon, shirataki or rice noodles (cooked or soaked according to instructions)
• spinach or watercress (optional)

Dipping sauces:

1. Ponzu sauce:

1. • 4 tablespoons soy sauce
   • 2 tablespoons lemon juice or yuzu
   • 2 tablespoons mirin
   • 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
   • chopped chives and radish as garnish

2. Sesame sauce:

1. • 4 tablespoons sesame paste (tahini) or Japanese goma paste
   • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
   • 1 tablespoon mirin
   • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
   • a little water to thin

Method:

1. Broth:

• Heat water with a piece of kombu in a pot. Do not bring to a boil – remove the kombu just before it boils (so the broth does not become bitter).
• If you wish, add instant dashi for a deeper flavour.

2. Preparing the ingredients:

• Cut all vegetables, meat and tofu into pieces.
• Arrange the ingredients on a large plate or tray so that everyone can reach for what they want.

3. Heating the broth:

• Place the pot of broth in the middle of the table on a warmer or portable stove. Keep the broth hot but not boiling.

4. Cooking:

• Each participant places thin slices of meat or vegetables into the broth and cooks them for a few seconds (the beef should be slightly pink).
• The cooked ingredients are taken out with chopsticks or a strainer and dipped in the chosen sauce before eating.

5. Finishing up:

• Once most of the ingredients are eaten, you can add cooked udon noodles to the remaining broth to create a delicious soup.

BRISKET – BEEF RAMEN

Brisket cooked for a long time in ramen broth, served with noodles, egg and vegetables.

Ingredients (4 servings):

Broth:

• 1.5 litres beef stock (homemade or from a good quality stock cube)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 piece fresh ginger (approx. 4 cm), sliced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon miso paste (optional, for extra depth of flavour)
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional, to balance the flavour)

Beef:

• 300 g beef (e.g. roast beef, entrecote or tenderloin)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Noodles:

• 400 g fresh or dried ramen noodles

Extras:

• 4 medium-boiled eggs (about 6-7 minutes of cooking)
• chopped spring onion or chives
• pickled bamboo shoots (menma)
• spinach leaves or bok choy
• toasted sesame seeds
• dried nori (seaweed sheets)
• pickled ginger (optional)

Method:

1. Broth:

• Heat sesame oil in a large pot. Add minced garlic and ginger, fry briefly until fragrant.
• Pour in beef stock, soy sauce, mirin, miso paste (if using) and sugar. Stir and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes to combine flavours.

2. Beef:

• Season the meat with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a pan and fry the beef (whole or in thick slices) for 2-3 minutes on each side, so that it is juicy inside.
• After frying, set aside for a few minutes, then cut into thin slices.

3. Noodles:

• Cook ramen noodles according to the instructions on the package. Drain and set aside.

4. Extras:

• Boil the eggs until medium soft, cool in ice water and peel.
• Blanch the spinach or bok choy in salted water for 1-2 minutes.

5. Serving the ramen:

• Place cooked noodles in bowls.
• Pour in hot broth.
• Top with beef slices, egg halves, blanched vegetables, pickled bamboo shoots and other ingredients.
• Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped spring onion. Add a piece of nori to the side of the bowl.

FRONT AND REAR SHIN – ODEN

Pieces of shin cooked in a delicate dashi broth, served with vegetables and extras such as tofu.

Ingredients (4 servings):

Meat:

• 500 g beef shin (cut into 3-4 cm pieces)
• 1 tablespoon sake (optional, for cooking meat)

Dashi broth:

• 1.5 litres water
• 1 piece of kombu (about 10 cm)
• 1/2 teaspoon instant dashi (or make dashi with bonito and kombu if you prefer the natural version)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• a pinch of salt to taste

Vegetables and extras:

• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 carrot, thickly sliced
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 150 g shiitake or button mushrooms (whole or halved)
• 1 block tofu (firm), diced
• 2 sprigs spring onion or chives, finely chopped (for garnish)
• a few leaves of spinach or bok choy (optional)

Method:

1. Meat:

• Pour cold water over the shin pieces in a pot, bring to a boil, then drain the water and rinse the meat.
• Put the shin pieces back in the pot, cover with fresh water (about 1 litre), add sake and simmer for about 1 hour, until the meat is tender. In the meantime, skim off the foam from the surface.

2. Dashi broth:

• Place the kombu water in a separate pot. Heat over medium heat, but do not bring to a boil – remove the kombu just before it boils.
• If using instant dashi, add it now. Stir.
• Add the soy sauce, mirin, sugar and salt. Cook for 5 minutes.

3. Adding the ingredients:

• Add the previously cooked meat and its broth to the dashi broth (optionally, you can strain the broth and add only the clear liquid).
• Add the potatoes, carrots and onion. Cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
• Add the mushrooms and tofu for the last 5 minutes to heat through.

4. Serving:

• Transfer the cooked meat, vegetables and tofu to deep bowls.
• Pour in the dashi broth.
• Garnish with chopped spring onion or chives. You can add a few spinach leaves or bok choy for colour and freshness.

BEEF TENDONS – MOTSUNABE

A Japanese one-pot dish with tendons, vegetables and miso in an aromatic broth.

Ingredients (4 servings):

Meat:

• 500 g beef tendons (motsu), preferably from the neck or belly, cut into pieces
• 1 tablespoon sake (for cooking the meat)

Broth:

• 1.5 litres water
• 2 pieces kombu (kelp), about 10 cm
• 1/2 teaspoon instant dashi (optional, if you want to enhance the flavour of the broth)
• 3 tablespoons miso paste (white or red)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional, to balance the flavour)

Vegetables and extras:

• 1/2 head of Chinese cabbage, cut into small pieces
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 200 g shiitake or other Japanese mushrooms (or button mushrooms if you don’t have access to Japanese mushrooms)
• 2 sprigs of spring onion or chives, finely chopped
• 1 tofu (optional, firm or silky, diced)
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced ​​or cut into florets (optional)
• 1-2 chili peppers (optional, for spiciness)

Additionally:

• 200 g udon or shirataki noodles (if you want to add the noodles at the end of cooking)
• toasted sesame seeds for sprinkling (optional)

Method:

1. Meat:

• Wash the beef tendons thoroughly, preferably by rinsing them in cold water. If they are too fatty, you can scrape some of the fat off.
• Transfer the meat to a pot, cover with water, add a spoonful of sake and cook for about 5 minutes to remove unwanted odours and foam.
• Drain the meat and transfer to a clean pot.

2. Broth:

• Place water in a large pot, add kombu and heat over medium heat, but do not bring to a boil (remove kombu just before it boils).
• Add miso paste, dashi, soy sauce, mirin and sugar, stirring well until miso paste is dissolved in the liquid.
• Bring the stock to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cook for about 10 minutes to allow the flavours to blend.

3. Adding the ingredients:

• Add the prepared beef tendons to the broth and simmer for 40-60 minutes, until the meat is tender. If necessary, add a little water to maintain the right amount of liquid in the pot.
• After about 20 minutes of cooking, add the vegetables: cabbage, onion, carrot, mushrooms, spring onions and chili peppers (if using).
• If adding tofu, add it to the pot about 10 minutes before the end of cooking, so it has time to warm up.

4. Serving:

• Finally, add the udon or shirataki noodles to the pot (if using) and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.
• Transfer to bowls, garnish with fresh spring onions and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, if you wish.

SIRLOIN – BEEF KAKUNI

Sirloin simmered in a mixture of sake, soy sauce and sugar until soft.

Ingredients (4 servings):

Meat:

• 800 g beef sirloin (cut into 4-5 cm cubes)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for frying the meat)

Marinade and cooking:

• 2 tablespoons sake
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (preferably Japanese, e.g. shoyu)
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons sugar (white or brown)
• 1/2 cup water (optional, to control the consistency of the sauce)
• 2 cloves garlic (optional, minced)
• 1 piece ginger (about 3 cm), sliced
• 1-2 spring onions (optional, for garnish)

Method:

1. Preparing the meat:

• Wash and dry the sirloin with paper towels. Cut into 4-5 cm pieces.
• Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large pot or deep frying pan. Add the pieces of meat and fry over medium heat for a few minutes, until the meat is lightly browned on all sides.
• After frying, transfer the meat to a plate and set aside.

2. Broth:

• Add the sake, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar to the same pot or pan you used to fry the meat. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
• Add 1/2 cup water (or more if you want a thinner sauce), the garlic and ginger pieces. Bring to a boil.

3. Cooking the meat:

• Place the pieces of meat back in the stock pot and mix well.
• Reduce the heat to very low and simmer for 2-3 hours, until the meat is tender and has absorbed the flavours of the sauce. You can check the liquid level from time to time during cooking – add a little water if necessary to prevent it from drying out.
• As the meat cooks, it will become increasingly tender and juicy, and the sauce will thicken into a flavourful glaze.

4. Serving:

• Once the meat is soft, remove the pot from the heat.
• Transfer the pieces of meat to a plate. You can slightly reduce the sauce that remains in the pot to make it thicker or use it directly to pour over the dish.
• Garnish with pieces of fresh spring onions or chives (optional).

HANGER – GYUDON

Hanger sliced thinly, stewed with onion in a sweet and salty sauce and served on rice.

Ingredients (4 servings):

Meat and sauce:

• 500 g beef (preferably sirloin, entrecote or tenderloin), sliced ​​very thinly
• 1 medium onion, sliced ​​thinly
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for frying)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon sake (optional, for a deeper flavour)
• 1/2 cup beef stock or water
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger (optional, for a fresher flavour)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper (optional)

For serving:

• 4 servings of Japanese rice (short, sticky)
• spring onion or chives, chopped (for garnish)
• pickled ginger (optional, for serving)

Method:

1. Rice:

• Cook the Japanese rice according to the instructions on the package. You can prepare the rice in the traditional way or in a rice cooker (sushi rice cooker).

2. Preparing the meat and sauce:

• In a large frying pan or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the sliced ​​onion and cook until soft and lightly golden (about 5 minutes).
• Add the thinly sliced ​​beef to the onion. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until the meat is lightly browned.
• In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, sake (if using), grated ginger, salt and pepper. Pour this mixture over the meat and onion.
• Add the beef stock (or water), stir and cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly and the meat is tender.
• If the sauce is too thick, add a little more water or stock.

3. Serving:

• Place servings of cooked rice on plates.
• Top each plate with a portion of cooked meat with the onion and sauce.
• Garnish with chopped spring onion or chives.
• Serve with pickled ginger on the side if you wish.

TOP ROUND – KUSHIYAKI

Pieces of top round skewered on sticks, grilled and served with sesame dip.

Ingredients (for 4 servings):

Meat:

• 500 g beef (sirloin, ribeye, or tenderloin), cut into thin strips
• 8-12 bamboo skewers (soaked in water for 30 minutes)

Marinade:

• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp sake (optional)
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Sesame Dipping Sauce:

• 2 tbsp sesame paste (tahini or Japanese nerigoma)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1-2 tbsp water (to adjust consistency)

For Serving:

• Cooked Japanese rice
• Chopped scallions or chives
• Toasted sesame seeds

Method:

1. Marinating the Meat:

1. In a bowl, mix all marinade ingredients.
2. Add the sliced beef, mix well, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (ideally 1-2 hours).

2. Preparing the Sesame Dipping Sauce:

1. Mix all sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
2. If the sauce is too thick, add 1-2 tbsp of water to achieve the desired consistency.

3. Skewering and Grilling:

1. Remove the beef from the marinade and thread it onto the skewers in a wavy pattern.
2. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.
3. Grill the skewers for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned and slightly caramelized.
4. If needed, brush the skewers with the remaining marinade while grilling.

4. Serving:

1. Arrange the kushiyaki on plates.
2. Sprinkle with chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
3. Serve with cooked Japanese rice and the sesame dipping sauce.

TOP ROUND – BEEF GYOZA

Top round minced and mixed with cabbage, ginger and garlic, then fried in the form of dumplings.

Ingredients (4 servings):

Ingredients (for about 30 dumplings):

Filling:

• 300 g ground beef
• 200 g Napa cabbage, finely chopped
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp mirin
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• A pinch of salt and pepper

Gyoza Dough (or store-bought gyoza wrappers from an Asian store):

• 200 g all-purpose flour
• 100 ml hot water
• A pinch of salt

Dipping Sauce:

• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp chili oil (optional)
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tsp finely chopped scallions

Method:

1. Preparing the Dough (if not using store-bought):

• In a bowl, mix flour with salt.
• Gradually add hot water, stirring with a spoon.
• Once the dough starts to come together, knead it by hand for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
• Cover with a cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes.

2. Preparing the Filling:

• Sprinkle salt over the chopped cabbage and let it sit for 10 minutes to soften. Then, squeeze out excess water.
• In a large bowl, combine ground beef, cabbage, scallions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, sugar, salt, and pepper.
• Mix thoroughly until well combined.

3. Shaping the Gyoza:

• If using store-bought wrappers, proceed directly to filling.
• If making your own dough, roll it out thinly and cut out circles about 8 cm in diameter.
• Place about 1 teaspoon of filling onto each dough circle.
• Moisten the edge with water, fold the dumpling in half, and pinch the edges together, creating pleats.

4. Cooking the Gyoza:

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan over medium heat.
• Arrange the dumplings in the pan without touching each other. Fry for about 2 minutes until the bottoms turn golden brown.
• Pour 1/4 cup of water into the pan and immediately cover with a lid.
• Steam for about 5 minutes until the water evaporates.
• Uncover and cook for another 1-2 minutes to crisp up the bottoms.

5. Preparing the Dipping Sauce:

• Mix all sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

6. Serving:

• Serve the hot gyoza with the dipping sauce. Optionally, sprinkle with extra sesame seeds and scallions.