Gyudon
Encyclopedia
, is a Japanese dish consisting of a bowl of rice
topped with beef
and onion
simmered in a mildly sweet sauce flavored with dashi
(fish
and seaweed
stock), soy sauce
and mirin
(sweet rice wine
). It also often includes shirataki noodles, and is sometimes topped with a raw egg
. A very popular food in Japan, it is commonly served with beni shōga
(pickled ginger), shichimi
(ground chili pepper
), and a side dish of miso soup
. Gyū means "cow" or "beef", and don is short for donburi
, the Japanese word for "bowl".
) that Japan experienced in the Meiji Era, western customs like eating beef were adopted and spread throughout Japan.
The prototype for the modern gyūdon as a dish for the general public was invented at this time from gyūmeishi.
Gyūdon is considered to have come from Sukiyaki
-don and the old dish gyūnabe, where thin slices of beef are cooked with vegetables in a pot, and at some point was put over rice and served in a bowl.
In 1862, the Kantō region
's version of gyūnabe became the first popular version of this dish.
From the Taishō era (1912~) until the early Shōwa era (1926~), the use of cheap beef and the popularity of food sold from carts outdoors (yatai) in places like Asakusa
boosted the popularity of the dish into a full blown success.
Although traces of the traditional sukiyaki can be found in some gyūdon containing ingredients such as konnyaku, grilled tofu and green onions, most major food chains serve it as beef with onion.
chains specialize exclusively in the dish. The largest gyūdon chains in Japan are Yoshinoya
and Sukiya
. Another large chain, Matsuya
, sells gyūdon under the name gyūmeshi (牛めし).
Some gyūdon chains charge for miso soup
, but many of them serve complimentary miso soup for customers who are eating in. The major gyūdon restaurant chain that offers free miso soup is Matsuya, whereas other major chains like Sukiya offer it as a part of a set or combo.
There are chains that allow customers to specify how their gyūdon is served with code phrases like tsuyudaku (extra tsuyu broth) at no extra charge. However, this service is only for people eating in confines of the restaurant.
Tsuyudaku, in regards to gyūdon, is jargon that refers to one kind of specification where the juice and tsuyu mixture is served in large amounts. Tsuyunuki is where the amount of tsuyu is specified to be less than usual. Also, the term tsuyudakudaku is code for a larger amount of tsuyu.
Sometimes, as with tsuyudakudakudaku ("dripping with soupiness"), people will request that the daku, or amount of tsuyu, be exceedingly increased.
There's a theory that says daku comes from the taku part of takusan (eng: many / a lot) which, when doubled as in daku-daku, is also the onomatopoeia (imitative word) for the sound of dripping.
The origin of tsuyudaku comes from Japanese businessmen (salaryman
) on their morning commute to work who, due to time restrictions, ask for extra soupy gyūdon (gyūdon tsuyu ome ni) so that they can eat it quickly.
This trend became so common, that the term tsuyudaku quickly spread among proprietors of popular gyūdon chains.
and a ban on imports of beef from the United States
, Yoshinoya and most competitors were forced to terminate gyūdon sales in Japan
on February 11, 2004. Yoshinoya
moved its business to a similar dish made with pork instead of beef, which it named butadon (豚丼). Sukiya
continued to serve gyūdon (using Australia
n beef) and also added a dish, tondon, equivalent to Yoshinoya's butadon, to its menu. (Buta and ton are both Japanese words for pig or pork, written with the same kanji
, 豚. See tonkatsu
, tonjiru.)
The Japanese Diet
voted to resume beef imports from the United States in early May 2005, but the ban was reinstated in January 2006 after detectable quantities of prohibited spine tissue were found in the first post-ban shipments arriving in Japan. As the issue was discussed between the United States and Japanese governments, gyūdon vendors and customers waited for a resolution. As of September 2006, the ban has been lifted.
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
topped with beef
Beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...
and onion
Onion
The onion , also known as the bulb onion, common onion and garden onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion The onion...
simmered in a mildly sweet sauce flavored with dashi
Dashi
Dashi is a class of soup and cooking stock, considered fundamental to Japanese cooking. In 1980, Shizuo Tsuji wrote: "Many substitutes for dashi are possible, but without dashi, dishes are merely à la japonaise and lack the authentic flavor." Dashi forms the base for miso soup, clear broth, noodle...
(fish
Bonito
Bonito is a name given to various species of medium-sized, predatory fish in the Scombridae family. First, bonito most commonly refers to species in the genus Sarda, including the Atlantic bonito and the Pacific bonito ; second, in Japanese cuisine, bonito refers to the skipjack tuna , which, in...
and seaweed
Kelp
Kelps are large seaweeds belonging to the brown algae in the order Laminariales. There are about 30 different genera....
stock), soy sauce
Soy sauce
Soy sauce is a condiment produced by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae molds, along with water and salt...
and mirin
Mirin
is an essential condiment used in Japanese cuisine, consisting of 40%–50% sugar. It is a kind of rice wine similar to sake, but with a lower alcohol content—14% instead of 20%. There are three general types. The first is hon mirin , which contains alcohol. The second is shio mirin, which contains...
(sweet rice wine
Rice wine
Rice wine is an alcoholic beverage made from rice. Unlike wine, which is made by fermentation of naturally sweet grapes and other fruit, rice "wine" results from the fermentation of rice starch converted to sugars...
). It also often includes shirataki noodles, and is sometimes topped with a raw egg
Egg (food)
Eggs are laid by females of many different species, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and have probably been eaten by mankind for millennia. Bird and reptile eggs consist of a protective eggshell, albumen , and vitellus , contained within various thin membranes...
. A very popular food in Japan, it is commonly served with beni shōga
Beni shoga
is a type of tsukemono . It is made from ginger cut into thin strips, colored red, and pickled in umezu , the pickling solution used to make umeboshi; the red color is derived from red perilla. It is served with many Japanese dishes, including gyūdon, okonomiyaki, and yakisoba.Beni shōga is not the...
(pickled ginger), shichimi
Shichimi
Shichimi tōgarashi , also known as , and simply shichimi, is a common Japanese spice mixture containing seven ingredients.A typical blend may contain:* coarsely ground red chili pepper...
(ground chili pepper
Chili pepper
Chili pepper is the fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The term in British English and in Australia, New Zealand, India, Malaysia and other Asian countries is just chilli without pepper.Chili peppers originated in the Americas...
), and a side dish of miso soup
Miso soup
is a traditional Japanese soup consisting of a stock called "dashi" into which is mixed softened miso paste. Many ingredients are added depending on regional and seasonal recipes, and personal preference.-Miso paste:...
. Gyū means "cow" or "beef", and don is short for donburi
Donburi
Donburi is a Japanese "rice bowl dish" consisting of fish, meat, vegetables or other ingredients simmered together and served over rice. Donburi meals are served in oversized rice bowls also called donburi...
, the Japanese word for "bowl".
History
Due to the Movement Towards Westernization (文明開化 - Meiji Restoration in JapanMeiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
) that Japan experienced in the Meiji Era, western customs like eating beef were adopted and spread throughout Japan.
The prototype for the modern gyūdon as a dish for the general public was invented at this time from gyūmeishi.
Gyūdon is considered to have come from Sukiyaki
Sukiyaki
Sukiyaki is a Japanese dish in the nabemono style.It consists of meat which is slowly cooked or simmered at the table, alongside vegetables and other ingredients, in a shallow iron pot in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin...
-don and the old dish gyūnabe, where thin slices of beef are cooked with vegetables in a pot, and at some point was put over rice and served in a bowl.
In 1862, the Kantō region
Kanto region
The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Within its boundaries, slightly more than 40 percent of the land area is the Kantō Plain....
's version of gyūnabe became the first popular version of this dish.
From the Taishō era (1912~) until the early Shōwa era (1926~), the use of cheap beef and the popularity of food sold from carts outdoors (yatai) in places like Asakusa
Asakusa
is a district in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan, most famous for the Sensō-ji, a Buddhist temple dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon. There are several other temples in Asakusa, as well as various festivals.- History :...
boosted the popularity of the dish into a full blown success.
Although traces of the traditional sukiyaki can be found in some gyūdon containing ingredients such as konnyaku, grilled tofu and green onions, most major food chains serve it as beef with onion.
Fast food
Gyūdon can be found in many Japanese restaurants and some fast foodFast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
chains specialize exclusively in the dish. The largest gyūdon chains in Japan are Yoshinoya
Yoshinoya
Yoshinoya is the largest chain of beef bowl restaurants and one of the Japanese chains of fast food, which was established in Japan in 1899. Its motto is "Tasty, low-priced, and quick"...
and Sukiya
Sukiya (restaurant chain)
' is a Japanese restaurant chain serving gyūdon, other donburi, and curry. , Sukiya has over 1000 restaurants throughout all 47 Japanese prefectures as well as six in Shanghai, China; two in Suzhou, China; and three in São Paulo, Brazil...
. Another large chain, Matsuya
Matsuya Co.
Matsuya Co., Ltd. is a Japanese department store in Tokyo. Founded in 1869, Two stores are in Ginza and Asakusa .-External links:...
, sells gyūdon under the name gyūmeshi (牛めし).
Some gyūdon chains charge for miso soup
Miso soup
is a traditional Japanese soup consisting of a stock called "dashi" into which is mixed softened miso paste. Many ingredients are added depending on regional and seasonal recipes, and personal preference.-Miso paste:...
, but many of them serve complimentary miso soup for customers who are eating in. The major gyūdon restaurant chain that offers free miso soup is Matsuya, whereas other major chains like Sukiya offer it as a part of a set or combo.
Customer specifications
There are chains that allow customers to specify how their gyūdon is served with code phrases like tsuyudaku (extra tsuyu broth) at no extra charge. However, this service is only for people eating in confines of the restaurant.
Tsuyudaku, in regards to gyūdon, is jargon that refers to one kind of specification where the juice and tsuyu mixture is served in large amounts. Tsuyunuki is where the amount of tsuyu is specified to be less than usual. Also, the term tsuyudakudaku is code for a larger amount of tsuyu.
Sometimes, as with tsuyudakudakudaku ("dripping with soupiness"), people will request that the daku, or amount of tsuyu, be exceedingly increased.
There's a theory that says daku comes from the taku part of takusan (eng: many / a lot) which, when doubled as in daku-daku, is also the onomatopoeia (imitative word) for the sound of dripping.
The origin of tsuyudaku comes from Japanese businessmen (salaryman
Salaryman
refers to someone whose income is salary based; particularly those working for corporations. Its frequent use by Japanese corporations, and its prevalence in Japanese manga and anime has gradually led to its acceptance in English-speaking countries as a noun for a Japanese white-collar...
) on their morning commute to work who, due to time restrictions, ask for extra soupy gyūdon (gyūdon tsuyu ome ni) so that they can eat it quickly.
This trend became so common, that the term tsuyudaku quickly spread among proprietors of popular gyūdon chains.
Beef ban
As a consequence of the fear of mad cow diseaseBovine spongiform encephalopathy
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy , commonly known as mad-cow disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease in cattle that causes a spongy degeneration in the brain and spinal cord. BSE has a long incubation period, about 30 months to 8 years, usually affecting adult cattle at a peak age onset of...
and a ban on imports of beef from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Yoshinoya and most competitors were forced to terminate gyūdon sales in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on February 11, 2004. Yoshinoya
Yoshinoya
Yoshinoya is the largest chain of beef bowl restaurants and one of the Japanese chains of fast food, which was established in Japan in 1899. Its motto is "Tasty, low-priced, and quick"...
moved its business to a similar dish made with pork instead of beef, which it named butadon (豚丼). Sukiya
Sukiya (restaurant chain)
' is a Japanese restaurant chain serving gyūdon, other donburi, and curry. , Sukiya has over 1000 restaurants throughout all 47 Japanese prefectures as well as six in Shanghai, China; two in Suzhou, China; and three in São Paulo, Brazil...
continued to serve gyūdon (using Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n beef) and also added a dish, tondon, equivalent to Yoshinoya's butadon, to its menu. (Buta and ton are both Japanese words for pig or pork, written with the same kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
, 豚. See tonkatsu
Tonkatsu
Tonkatsu , invented in the late 19th century, is a popular dish in Japan. It consists of a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet one to two centimeters thick and sliced into bite-sized pieces, generally served with shredded cabbage and/or miso soup...
, tonjiru.)
The Japanese Diet
Diet of Japan
The is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors. Both houses of the Diet are directly elected under a parallel voting system. In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally...
voted to resume beef imports from the United States in early May 2005, but the ban was reinstated in January 2006 after detectable quantities of prohibited spine tissue were found in the first post-ban shipments arriving in Japan. As the issue was discussed between the United States and Japanese governments, gyūdon vendors and customers waited for a resolution. As of September 2006, the ban has been lifted.