East meets West in this sweet, tangy steak recipe originally created by the Imperial Hotel Tokyo.
Japanese Style Steak
I came across this recipe from a Japanese cookbook and it’s quickly become a favorite.
The origin of the dish dates back to 1936, after Japan had opened up to Western influences during the Meiji period.
A Russian actor and opera star, Feodor Chaliapin, was staying at the grand Imperial Hotel Tokyo when he requested a classic steak dinner.
Although beef is traditionally not prepared as a huge slab of meat in Japan, the chef obliged and created this unique twist:
A Western-style steak tenderized, seared and topped with onions caramelized in traditional Japanese seasonings.
The opera star was wowed and yoshoku steak became a permanent addition to the Imperial Hotel’s dinner menu.
Yoshoku Steak Recipe Video
What You’ll Need
This recipe uses 3 classic seasonings every Japanese household has on hand:
If you cook a lot of Asian food, you’re probably already familiar with these ingredients.
Onions are slow cooked until buttery soft and caramelized.
Then a pan sauce is made from equal parts soy sauce and mirin, reduced down until they form a sweet and salty glaze.
A splash of rice vinegar and steak pan drippings add a finishing touch of brightness and flavor to meld everything together.
serve with rice and a side salad
How to Make Yoshoku Steak
The first time I made this recipe, I couldn’t get enough.
I love steak and usually eat it the classic way – medium rare, seared with rosemary or thyme and basted in lots and lots of butter.
It’s always delicious but also quite heavy.
So I really like this version – still a classic steak dinner but with less butter.
Instead, the steak is accompanied by a rich onion jam sauce that gives it tons of flavor.
Slow-cooked caramelized onions and a trio of classic Japanese seasonings give the steak a umami like flavor bomb.
first slow cook the onions until caramelized, then create the sauce by combining equal parts soy sauce + mirin. reduce, and add a splash of rice vinegar
Yoshoku
In Japanese cuisine, yōshoku means Western food.
It refers to western-style cuisine cooked in Japan, sort of like fusion food.
Typically, it incorporates meat as an integral part of the dish (Japanese food is typically more vegetable forward).
While there are common yōshoku dishes in Japan, this steak recipe isn’t widely known… but I think it should be!
It’s powerfully savory, hearty and comforting without the overt-richness of an American steak dinner.
Here’s how to make yōshoku (western style) steak.
cook the steak the classic Western way, by searing in a hot pan on one side until browned. then flip, add in your garlic and aromatics, and baste in butter
Japanese Style Steak
I adapted this recipe by reducing the butter significantly.
I also opted to skip flattening the steak.
While the original calls for tenderizing the meat by gently pounding on it with the back of a knife, I like a thick cut 2″+ steak!
The sauce is packed with savory sweet, salty and sour flavor, so to me thick slices of ribeye deliver equal ratios of meat to sauce.
Yoshoku Steak
East meets West in this sweet, tangy steak recipe originally created by Tokyo Imperial Hotel.
Ingredients
Steak
Onion jam
Instructions
- Season steak with salt and set aside to rest.
- In a skillet, cook onions on low heat until translucent and soft. Add garlic. Continue to cook onions until caramelized, about 8-10 minutes.
- Once the onions are fully caramelized, increase the heat to medium. Add mirin and soy sauce and stir frequently for ~1 minute, cooking down the liquid
- Add vinegar and continue to stir for ~30 more seconds.
- Transfer the onions and sauce to a bowl, set aside.
- Cook the ribeye as you normally would, with butter, garlic and thyme. Once the steak is medium rare, transfer to a cutting board and let rest
- Add the onions back to the pan, so that the onion jam absorbs the pan's steak juices. Let the sauce cook for ~30 seconds.
- Slice your steak and top with the onion jam and garnish with parsley.
Notes
Adapted from Japanese Soul Cooking
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