Gyujiru Okinawan Beef Soup

Quick answer

Total time: 50 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Gyujiru is a clear Okinawan soup that sautés generously cut beef and carrot in lard, then simmers them with kombu in bonito stock and finishes with grated ginger.

In winter it traditionally used chidekuni, a long vivid-yellow island carrot, and the soup was valued as restorative food and served at regional observances. More substantial versions may include beef offal, but this household formula uses a block of lean beef round for straightforward handling. The beef is browned first in melted lard, followed by the carrot so its sweetness develops. Soaked kombu cut into three-centimeter squares and katsuo dashi then form the broth. Twenty minutes of low simmering tenderizes the components while careful skimming keeps the liquid clear. Salt and soy sauce are restrained to a light clear-soup seasoning, and ginger is stirred in only at the end so its fresh aroma remains distinct.

Ingredients (4 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
beef round block	200	g
carrot	120	g
dried kombu	15	g
lard	15	g
bonito dashi	1200	ml
salt	5	g
soy sauce	10	ml
grated ginger	5	g

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Prep

Slice 200g beef round across the grain into generous bite-size pieces 5mm thick.

Peel 120g carrot and cut it diagonally into pieces similar in size to the beef.
2

Prep

Wipe 15g kombu with a damp cloth and soak it in cold water for 15 minutes.

Once flexible, pat dry and cut into 3cm squares.
3

Control

Melt 15g lard in a deep pot over medium heat.

Add the beef without crowding and sauté 2 minutes; once its surface browns, add the carrot and cook 2 minutes more.
4

Control

Pour in 1.2L bonito dashi and add the cut kombu.

Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer 20 minutes while skimming foam and excess fat from the surface.
5

Season

Confirm the beef reaches at least 74°C and a chopstick enters the carrot.

Add 10ml soy sauce and season in two additions with up to 5g salt for a light clear-soup taste.
6

Step

Turn off the heat, stir in 5g grated ginger, and rest 30 seconds.

Divide the hot soup among four bowls with an even share of beef, carrot, and kombu.