20-Minute Beef Udon
Happy New Year! After taking a 2-month hiatus to heal & recharge myself, I’m back to recipe blogging! This 20-minute beef udon recipe is my first recipe of 2022. I love beef udon and it is definitely cost effective to make this dish at home, with a better cut & more generous servings of beef. I cooked the beef separately in the pan to use it for topping the udon noodles. In this way, the beef is more flavourful than thin slices of shabu shabu beef scalded in hot water. The same cooked beef also makes a delicious topping for salad or (simplified) gyudon.
See Also:
MAIN INGREDIENTS FOR BEEF UDON RECIPE
Cut of Beef
The cut of beef is really important in this recipe. I bought this try of “gyudon beef” from Don Don Donki for S$10 (200g). This cut of beef curls beautifully when the beef is cooked, comes with a flavourful amount of fats and is less likely to overcook than other cuts of thinly sliced beef.
Aromatics – Scallions & Ginger
I am using Japanese scallion (leek). Cut the white section diagonally for frying and the green section thinly for garnish. You can also use yellow onion in place of Japanese scallion. Slice some ginger thinly for frying with the beef.
STEP-BY-STEP PHOTOS (BEEF UDON)
I am using only 100g of meat for taking the step-by-step photos. I’m saving the other half of the beef for another recipe.
1. Cook the beef
Heat some oil & fry the scallions (white part) briefly until they start to soften.
Push scallions to the side of the pan. Fry ginger briskly until aromatic.
Add beef and stir-fry briskly until 70% cooked on surface.
Drizzle soy sauce, mirin (pictured), sake & water over the beef.
Mix the contents well, cover with lid and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Season to taste and the beef is done!
2. Cook udon + soup
If you love thick and chewy udon, use frozen udon. Add frozen udon directly to a pot of boiling water and cook for about 3 minutes.
Make a 1-minute udon broth by boiling water with instant soba sauce.
3. Serve
Add cooked udon to serving bowl. Pour hot broth over the noodles and garnish with the cooked beef, green scallions, egg and Japanese 7-spice chilli powder.
Can I triple the beef and leave everything else out? LOL Those sliced beef are calling my name!!
Hello :)
For this recipe, is there anything we can substitute with the mirin/sake (anything with alcohol content) for someone who is pregnant?
Thank you!
Hi, you can omit the mirin and sake, add a bit more water (or light stock) and a pinch of sugar instead.
Happy New Year to you and your family!
I think there is no cure for my “lazy genes”. E.g. I would have blanched/scalded the beef in hot water, all in the same pot that preps the soup/broth :P
But for sure, the stir-fried beef with aromatics is going to be much more flavorful. What a comfort bowl of beef udon especially on rainy days or during winter like here, now.