Garlic Butter Shoyu Steak Rice Bowl (Steak Don)

Steak don (ステーキ丼) is a Japanese rice bowl topped with seared, sliced steak and a punchy garlic soy sauce. It's a lunchtime favourite at Japanese steak restaurants and has become a viral favourite online.

The method is simple: crisp thinly sliced garlic in oil, sear the steak in that garlic oil, then make a quick pan sauce with butter, soy sauce and mirin.

Rest the steak before slicing so the juices stay inside, then pour any that collect over the rice.

Servings
3
Prep Time
5
mins
Cook Time
15
mins
Ingredients
10
Total Time
20
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Ingredients

  • 2 sirloin or rump steaks (about 500g total), at room temperature
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 20g butter
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tbsp sake or water
  • 3 cups steamed Japanese short-grain rice
  • Sliced spring onion, wasabi and shredded nori, to serve

Instructions

  1. Put the oil and garlic in a cold frying pan and heat over medium-low. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring, until the garlic is pale golden. Lift it out onto paper towel. It will keep crisping as it cools.
  2. Season the steaks well with salt and pepper. Turn the heat to high and sear the steaks in the garlic oil for 2-3 minutes each side for medium-rare. Rest on a board for 5 minutes.
  3. Turn the heat to medium. Add the butter, soy sauce, mirin and sake to the pan and bubble for 30-60 seconds until slightly thickened.
  4. Slice the steak thinly against the grain.
  5. Fill bowls with rice, spoon over a little sauce, fan the steak on top and drizzle with the rest of the sauce and resting juices.
  6. Top with crispy garlic, spring onion, nori and a little wasabi on the side.

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