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Overhead view of nikujaga, Japanese simmered beef and potatoes, in a dark ceramic bowl: glossy beef slices, golden potato chunks, carrot pieces and onion wedges in amber dashi broth, steam rising, chopsticks on the bowl edge

Nikujaga (Japanese Simmered Meat and Potatoes)

Thinly sliced beef, potatoes, onion, and carrots simmered in a savory-sweet dashi broth under a drop lid, rested so every piece drinks in the seasoning.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the stew
  • 1 lb thinly sliced beef chuck or ribeye; thinly sliced pork also works
  • 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes about 1.5 lb / 680 g, peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 1 large yellow onion cut into 8 wedges
  • 1 large carrot peeled, cut into rolling wedges
  • 7 oz shirataki noodles blanched 1-2 minutes, drained, cut shorter
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil
For the simmering broth
  • 2 cups dashi homemade or instant
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 tablespoons mirin
  • 2 tablespoons sake
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
For serving
  • Cooked short-grain rice for serving
  • Blanched snow peas optional, for color

Method
 

  1. Cut the potatoes into large chunks, shave off the sharp corners (the mentori technique), and soak in cold water for 10 minutes to rinse off surface starch; drain. Cut the onion into 8 wedges and the carrot into rolling wedges. Blanch the shirataki noodles in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes, drain, and cut into shorter lengths.
  2. Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the drained potatoes, onion, and carrot and stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes, until the edges of the potatoes turn slightly translucent.
  3. Pour in the dashi and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises.
  4. Stir in the sugar, mirin, and sake. Lay a drop lid (a parchment circle or small heatproof plate) directly on the food, lower the heat to the gentlest simmer, and cook 10 minutes.
  5. Pour the soy sauce around the edge of the pot and tuck in the shirataki noodles. Replace the drop lid and simmer 8 minutes more, until a skewer slides easily through a potato.
  6. Lay the beef slices over the top and push them gently into the broth. Simmer 5 to 8 minutes, just until the beef loses its pink color.
  7. Turn off the heat and let the pot sit, covered, 20 to 30 minutes. Serve in bowls with plenty of broth, over or beside steamed rice, with snow peas scattered on top if you like.

Notes

Note 1: Round off the sharp corners of each potato chunk (the mentori technique) and soak the chunks in cold water for 10 minutes before cooking. Sharp edges knock against each other during simmering and disintegrate into the broth.
Note 2: Sugar and mirin go in BEFORE the soy sauce. Salty seasoning added too early firms up the surface of the potatoes, and they can simmer for ages without ever softening through.
Note 3: Keep the simmer gentle — lazy bubbles, never a rolling boil — and use a drop lid (otoshibuta) sitting directly on the food. It keeps the pieces from bobbing and breaking while the broth circulates evenly.
Note 4: Add the thinly sliced beef only during the last 5 to 8 minutes. Thin slices need just minutes to cook through; added early they turn tough and gray long before the potatoes are done.
Note 5: Rest the pot off the heat for 20 to 30 minutes before serving. The potatoes keep absorbing broth as everything settles, and leftovers refrigerated overnight taste even better the next day.