Beef Sukiyaki with Authentic Japanese Sauce

i. Boil mirin and sake in a saucepan over medium until bubbling and the alcohol smell softens, 1-2 minutes (alcohol evaporation).

During this simmer, the raw alcohol evaporates, leaving behind a rounded sweetness instead of a harsh boozy bite.

ii. Reduce the heat to low, then add the soy sauce, light brown sugar, and water to the pot. Stir gently with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, dragging it along the bottom until you feel no more gritty resistance. That’s your signal that every sugar crystal has melted.

Keeping the heat low here prevents the soy sauce from losing its fragrant complexity and stops the sugars from scorching onto the pan.

iii. Transfer the mixture into a container, drop a piece of kombu (dried kelp, roughly palm-sized) into the warm warishita and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or until the kombu feels soft and pliable.

i. Prepare all your ingredients on a large platter or wooden board before anyone sits down to eat. This isn’t just about looking impressive (though it certainly does) it’s about controlling the flow of cooking so every element hits the pot at the right moment.

ii. If you can find pre-sliced sukiyaki beef at an Asian grocery, you’re ahead of the game. If not, place your block of well-marbled beef in the freezer for about 30-45 minutes until it’s firm but not frozen solid. Using your sharpest knife, slice across the grain into paper-thin (2mm) sheets.

iii. The vegetables and tofu should also be cut with presentation in mind. Here is a breakdown of how I cut my vegetables, but this is just a suggestion and you can cut them however you like:

• Shiitake mushrooms: Stems removed and a star pattern cut on top.
• Napa cabbage: Roughly cut into squares/rectangles.
• Leek: Diagonally sliced.
• Tofu: Cut into squares or rectangles.
• Enoki mushrooms: In a bunch with roots removed.
• Carrots: Sliced or cut with a shaped cutter.
• Chrysanthemum greens (shungiku): Stems trimmed.

i. Heat your pot over medium-high and add a chunk of beef fat (suet) or a tablespoon of neutral oil/lard if you don’t have fat trimmings. Swirl it around as it melts, coating the bottom of the pan in a thin, shimmering layer.

A properly hot pot triggers Maillard browning later so the sauce tastes roasted, not just sweet-soy. If it smokes too hard, lower heat.

i. Lay your diagonal-cut leek pieces into the hot fat. Resist the urge to move them for at least 60 seconds. You want golden-brown char marks to develop. Listen for a steady, gentle sizzle.

As the negi caramelize, their natural sugars deepen into something almost sweet and smoky, flavoring the fat itself with that roasted allium essence that will permeate everything cooked afterward.

i. Push negi aside, add warishita sauce, vegetables, and tofu (hold shungiku just yet), bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer.

ii. Add beef so it hits the sauce; once it’s just no longer pink, pull it out to avoid toughening.

iii. Turn the tofu over and add the shungiku.

i. Give each diner a small bowl with one raw egg, lightly beaten with chopsticks until the white and yolk are just combined. It coats each hot bite in a silky layer that tempers the sauce’s sweetness and adds an almost custard-like richness.

ii. Sukiyaki is meant to be eaten continuously as ingredients finish cooking, not served in one big bowl at the end.

iii. As beef and vegetables reach perfection, fish them out with chopsticks, dip them in your egg, and eat immediately with cooked Japanese rice.

iv. As cooked items disappear, add fresh ingredients to the pot (more beef slices, another handful of mushrooms, more negi). The sauce remaining from the first round is now deeply flavored with caramelized umami from previous cooking as well as natural water from vegetables, making each subsequent batch even more delicious.

i. Once the meat and vegetables are finished, toss pre-cooked udon noodles into the remaining concentrated sauce to soak up the final flavors.

This “shime” (closing dish) utilizes the leftover beef fat and dissolved gelatin to glaze the noodles, creating a rich, savory finale that ensures zero waste. Simmer until the noodles turn a deep amber color.