Your Guide to Cooking the Perfect Sukiyaki at Home
Step 1 : Heat a cast-iron or thick-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add beef fat or butter, then place in the spring onion sections. Sear until both sides are lightly browned and golden, allowing the aroma to fully release — this builds the base flavour and depth for the sukiyaki.
Step 2: Move the spring onions to the side of the pan, then add the wagyu slices. Pour in a small amount of sukiyaki sauce and gently flip them. Cook to about 80% doneness.
Step 3: Dip the cooked beef lightly in beaten egg before eating — tender, rich, and aromatic.
This is the classic Kansai-style way to enjoy sukiyaki.
Step 4: Gently place the napa cabbage, mushrooms, tofu, konjac, and other ingredients into the pan. As the vegetables release their moisture, add 45 ml of sukiyaki sauce and 70 ml of water. Adjust the richness to your taste, and simmer slowly until the ingredients absorb the flavour.
Step 5: Once the broth comes to a boil, add the remaining wagyu slices one by one and swish them briefly until about 80% cooked. Dip them in the egg sauce before eating.
This step follows the Kanto-style approach, where the beef is cooked in the broth — a contrast to the earlier Kansai-style searing — allowing you to enjoy two distinct regional flavours in one meal.
Step 6: At this stage, remove the cooked vegetables and other ingredients from the pot, place them on a plate, and enjoy the delicate balance of sweetness and savoury depth brought out by the sukiyaki broth.
Step 7: Finally, add the udon noodles to the pot and let them fully absorb the rich, concentrated sukiyaki broth. Simmer until the flavours are well infused — a perfect finale to complete the sukiyaki experience.