Steak Donburi (ステーキ丼) is a hearty rice bowl dish topped with grilled and sliced beef steak. The steak is typically served with a savory sauce made from soy sauce and butter that pair beautifully with steamed white rice. While the dish itself is simple, it’s rich, satisfying, and makes for a substantial meal you can easily recreate at home.
What’s Steak Donburi
Donburi is a style of Japanese dish consisting of steamed rice served in a bowl with various toppings. These toppings are usually paired with a sauce that seeps into the rice, adding extra flavor to every bite. Steak Donburi is no exception.
In this dish, beef steak is grilled to flavorful perfection—browned nicely and cooked to medium or even medium-rare—then sliced into bite-sized pieces for easy handling with chopsticks. The steak is coated in a rich, savory sauce made with soy sauce, sake, mirin, and butter, which is simmered down until thick enough to cling to the meat and season the plain steamed rice below.
Beef Steak isn’t new to Japanese cuisine, but Steak Donburi is a more recent development. Traditional donburi dishes that Japanese people are more familiar with include Oyakodon (chicken and egg bowl), Katsudon (pork cutlet and egg bowl), and Gyudon (beef bowl). But as Western influences have increasingly merged with Japanese cooking, fusion rice bowls like Steak Donburi have grown in popularity, offering a creative blend of Western-style dishes and Japanese sensibilities.
The structure of Steak Donburi is very straightforward: grilled steak, cut into bite-sized pieces, placed on a bed of rice, and drizzled with sauce. It’s often accompanied by vegetables like lettuce or shredded cabbage, and garnished with chopped green onions. Condiments such as grated ginger, garlic, or even a dab of Wasabi can be added for an extra kick.
Tips and substitutions for Steak Donburi
- Adjust for doneness: Cook the steak slightly less than your desired doneness in step 2 before adding the sauce ingredients in step 3. Since the meat will continue to cook as it simmers in the sauce, this helps prevent it from becoming overcooked.
- Try other meats: If you prefer a different protein, pork steak is a great alternative. Just be sure to cook it thoroughly for food safety, especially when using pork.
- Sweeter sauce variation: If you enjoy a sweeter flavor, similar to teriyaki sauce, feel free to add extra mirin or even a bit of sugar to the sauce. You can also skip the butter in this case for a cleaner, more traditional sweetness.
- Butter timing matters: When making the sauce, be sure to add the butter at the end of the cooking process. This helps preserve its rich aroma and prevents it from burning off during reduction.
- Vegetable swaps: Customize your donburi with your favorite vegetables. Shredded cabbage is a classic choice, but steamed vegetables like broccoli or green beans work well too—adding both vibrant color and extra nutrients.
More recipes like Steak Donburi
Steak Donburi
Ingredients
- 2 New York Strip or sir loin steaks
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp sake
- 3 Tbsp mirin
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 Tbsp butter
- steamed rice
- lettuce
- thinly sliced green onion
Instructions
- Sprinkle salt all over the steaks and let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Mix the soy sauce, sake, and mirin in a bowl and set aside.
- Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat with oil. Cook the steaks for 2–3 minutes until nicely browned, then turn them over and cook for another 2 minutes, or until they reach your desired doneness.
- Pour the soy sauce mixture over the steaks and cook for about a minute, coating them well. Remove the meat from the pan and let it rest. Meanwhile, reduce the sauce slightly in the pan. Add the butter, stir to combine, and remove from the heat.
- Cut the steak into bite-sized pieces. Put steamed rice in a bowl, layer lettuce over the rice, and place the meat on top. Spoon the sauce over the meat and garnish with thinly sliced green onion.
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