Japanese Style Beef Stew Recipes

JAPANESE BEEF TENDON STEW

Steps:

• Gather all the ingredients.
• Add the rinsed beef tendon and 4 cups water (Add more to cover the tendon, if necessary) in the Instant Pot.
• Press the "Sauté" button and change to your setting to "More" by pressing the "Adjust" button.
• Once boiling, press the "Keep Warm/Cancel" button on the Instant Pot to stop cooking. Take out the inner pot and discard the water.
• Put the inner pot with the tendons back in the Instant Pot and add 4 cups water.
• Peel the ginger skin with the back of the knife or spoon and cut into thin slices. Cut the green onions in half, reserving the white bottom part.
• In the Instant Pot, add the sliced ginger and green part of the green onions.
• Cover and lock the lid. Press the "Manual" button on the Instant Pot. Set HIGH pressure for 30 minutes by pressing "+ (plus)" or "- (minus)" button to change the cooking time. Make sure the steam release handle points at "Sealing" and not "Venting". The float valve goes up when pressurized. [For stovetop cooking, bring the water to boil and lower the heat to simmer and cook for 3 hours.]

NIKUJAGA (JAPANESE BEEF STEW)

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a pan.
• Add the beef and brown on all sides.
• Add the onion, squash and carrot and saute for 5 minutes.
• Add the dashi, soy, sugar, sake and mirin, cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender.

NIKU JYAGA (JAPANESE BEEF AND POTATO STEW)

Steps:

• Peel potatoes and cut each into 4 to 6 pieces, so they are relatively uniform in size. Bevel the edges of each piece with a vegetable peeler. Soak in cold water for about 10 minutes to remove some starch.
• Cut carrots in rangiri: Hold the knife at a diagonal, and rotate carrot quarter turns to cut irregular, multifaceted chunks. Cut each onion into 6 to 8 wedges, about 3/4 inch wide. Cut beef into 2-inch pieces.
• Prepare a drop-lid for a 3- or 4-quart heavy-bottomed pot: Cut a circle of parchment paper about 1 inch smaller than the diameter of the pot, and cut a 1/2-inch hole in its center.
• Drain and rinse potatoes. Add to pot with carrots, onions and 1 1/2 cups water (it will not fully cover the vegetables). Tuck kombu (if using) into the water. Bring to a boil, then discard kombu. Add soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar. Add beef, stirring to distribute.
• Place parchment lid directly on top of vegetables and liquid, and simmer - don't boil - stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until potatoes are very tender. Turn off heat, discard parchment, and rest for at least 30 minutes (overnight is even better) to allow the potatoes to soak up the seasoning. Reheat, and serve with white rice, or a frosty beer.

JAPANESE BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Prepare beef:
• Pat beef dry. Heat oil in a 5-quart heavy pot until hot but not smoking and brown beef on all sides. Add dashi, sake, and white parts of scallions and simmer, covered, skimming froth and turning beef occasionally, until meat is very tender, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. (Check periodically and add a few tablespoons water if beef becomes less than half submerged.) Add sugar and simmer, covered, 15 minutes longer (more liquid may evaporate at this point, but that's fine).
• Prepare vegetables while beef is simmering:
• Peel potatoes, halving and trimming into ovals if large, and steam, covered, over boiling water until barely tender, about 10 minutes.
• Cut carrots crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Trim slices with a paring knife to create rounded edges and save trimmings for pickled Napa cabbage.
• Steam carrots, covered, over boiling water until barely tender, about 7 minutes.
• Finish stew:
• Add carrots and potatoes to beef and simmer, tossing occasionally, 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add soy sauce and bring to a boil. Discard white parts of scallions. Serve stew in small bowls sprinkled with scallion greens.

JAPANESE-STYLE BEEF STEW WITH WINTER SQUASH

Steps:

• In a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat, sear the meat until nicely browned; do it in 2 or 3 batches to avoid crowding. It will take only 5 minutes per batch, since it's sufficient to brown the meat well on one side. As you finish, transfer the chunks to a medium casserole.
• When the meat is all browned, add the dashi to the skillet and cook over high heat, stirring and scraping occasionally, until all the solids are integrated into the liquid. Pour into the casserole with the soy sauce, mirin, ginger, and a couple of grinds of pepper. Peel the lemon and add the peel to the mixture; juice the lemon.
• Cover and cook on top of the stove (or in a preheated 350°F oven), maintaining a steady simmer. Stir after 30 minutes and begin to check the meat at 15-minute intervals.
• When the meat is tender, or nearly so, stir in the squash and continue to cook as before, checking every 15 minutes, until the squash is tender but not mushy. Add salt if necessary, then stir in the reserved lemon juice and serve.
• Combine 1 piece dried kelp (kombu), about 3 inches long, with 2 cups of water in a small pan over medium heat. Don't allow the mixture to come to a boil; as soon as it is about to, turn off the heat and remove the kelp. Stir in 1/2 to 1 cup dried bonito flakes, let sit for a couple of minutes, then strain. Use the dashi immediately, or refrigerate for up to 2 days.