Wagyu Don with Soy Sauce Cured Egg Yolk

Wagyu don is a type of steak donburi (ステーキ丼) featuring perfectly cooked slices of wagyu beef atop a fresh bowl of rice, garnished with a soy sauce-cured egg yolk. This home-cooked recipe elevates a simple meal into a gourmet experience that is both easy and approachable!

This recipe requires only a few high-quality ingredients. With our simple instructions, you will master the techniques for cooking wagyu at home and curing eggs. Continue reading to learn more!

If you love restaurant-quality meals you can make at home, try our recipes for Mala Cream Shrimp Dim Sum and Beef Nilaga with Roasted Bone Marrow!

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Table of Contents

The History and Journey of Modern Donburi

The origins of donburi can be traced back to the Muromachi period (1330-1570), with a dish called “houhan” – a temple meal of vegetables and broth served over a bowl of rice.

Fast forward 100 years later, to the Edo Period (1603-1867), and the dish “houhan” evolved further into “kendonburi-bachi,” which was then shortened to its current form “donburi.”

The donburi we recognize today is primarily modeled after unadon, or unagi don, which features grilled eel over rice.

Today, the possibilities of donburi are endless! At restaurants, you’ll find many variations like tendon (tempura), gyudon (beef), kaisendon (seafood), katsudon (pork cutlet), and so many more.

As cuisine evolves with history and time, the creativity of donburi is expanding worldwide as a popular international food, fusing Japanese methods and flavors with multiple cuisines. There are also vegan, keto-friendly, and pescatarian options to fit any diet.

High-Quality Waygu Beef Selection

To select quality wagyu, look for even marbling throughout the piece and a bright pink or red color, which indicates freshness. Avoid large fat caps and discolored pieces.

The quality of wagyu you select will depend on your budget, desired portion size, and local availability.

Imported Japanese A5 wagyu is considered top-tier, as it comes from genetically pure Wagyu cattle and adheres to the strictest certification standards. In America, the highest-grade meats are typically labeled “prime” or “prime plus.”

We sourced our meat at The Butchery in Manhattan Beach. We were particularly struck by their extensive and fairly priced meat offerings, ranging from convenient ready-to-cook marinated options to premium dry-aged cuts.

Their meats are sourced from distinguished farms, and the dry-aging process is done in the same facilities as fine-dining restaurants, bringing fine-dining quality meats into your kitchen!

For this recipe, we are using American Wagyu Zabuton from Snake River Farms, one of the pioneering farms that began raising American Wagyu cattle in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

It’s important not to confuse American Wagyu with Japanese Wagyu, as American Wagyu is a crossbreed of Japanese Wagyu cattle and American Angus cattle.

And while Japanese Wagyu is subject to strict certifications and import regulations, American Wagyu follows a different grading system. Its cuts are frequently dry-aged and often featured in fine dining establishments and gourmet restaurants across America.

TLDR; American wagyu and Japanese wagyu differ in qualities and price points. The best selection ultimately depends on finding a fresh, high-quality cut that’s within your budget.

Equipment Needed

• Our Place Titanium Always Pan Pro
• Our Place Knives and Wooden Cutting Board Set

Ingredients for Wagyu Don

For this recipe, we encourage you to bring out the best ingredients in your pantry. If there’s ever an occasion to whip out the good stuff, don’t wait and use it now! Life is short, and with such a premium cut of meat, you deserve to go all-in with a fancy meal!

• ½ lb wagyu – room temp, we used American Wagyu Zabuton
• OSMO Flakey White Sea Salt to taste
• 2-4 egg yolks
• 2 parts soy sauce – we used Imperial bourbon barrel aged soy sauce
• 1 part mirin
• rice for serving

Steak don is usually served with donburi sauce, which is typically a mixture of dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar.

We decided to omit this sauce because wagyu is more than enough on its own. If you desire, you can easily find it store-bought at Japanese markets or make it at home.

Recipe

Cure egg yolks

1. Separate the egg yolks.

2. Place the egg yolks in a shallow dish and submerge at least halfway in a mix of 2 parts soy sauce: 1 part mirin. (The actual ingredient measurement will depend on the dimensions of your dish and how much it takes to submerge it. I used a 1/2 cup of soy sauce with 1/4 cup mirin to cover ours.)

3. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours. Halfway through curing, carefully flip over the yolks.

Cook the wagyu

1. While the eggs are curing, allow the wagyu to rest on the counter and come to room temperature (about 1 hour).
2. Preheat the pan to high. Pat the wagyu dry with a paper towel. Moments before cooking, season the wagyu with salt. Sear hot and fast, less than 2 min per side.

3. Remove from heat and allow the wagyu to rest for 5 min before slicing thinly.

Donburi assembly

1. Fill the bowl with rice, and shape it into a mound. Arrange the thin slices of wagyu around the bowl, then finally top with a soy sauce-cured egg yolk.

Serving Suggestions and Accompaniments

This wagyu don can be accompanied by traditional Japanese sides such as pickles or miso soup. You might also consider serving it with a simple side salad or steamed vegetables.

For beverages, we suggest pairing this dish with Sparkling Pear Chuhai, or consider a nice glass of sake! We recommend Hakuto “Deep Faith” Tokubetsu Junmai with notes of toasted malt, baking spice, banana, and woodiness.

You can easily find any sake to match your palate and pairs well with any dish by exploring Tippsy Sake, the best online marketplace for sake! Don’t forget to use our code below for a discount!

Final Thoughts

This Wagyu Donburi recipe is a food lover’s dream come true! Experience luxury and quality in every bite of this Wagyu beef bowl, perfectly cooked and topped with a soy sauce-cured egg yolk. Try this recipe with the finest ingredients in your pantry, and you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to create such a gourmet meal at home!

For more easy recipes, explore our main course dishes like Easy Wafu Mushroom Pasta in 20 Minutes or Korean Barbeque Pork Belly (Samgyeopsal-gui)!

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References & Further Reading

https://www.tastingtable.com/1023012/what-you-should-look-for-when-buying-wagyu-beef/

https://www.tastingtable.com/690106/what-is-wagyu-where-to-buy-american-wagyu-beef/

https://www.makiramen.com/blog/2025/03/06/history-of-donburi/

https://www.japan-experience.com/plan-your-trip/to-know/japanese-food-and-drink/donburi-the-unique-japanese-dish

Posted By: Noelle Noriesta · In: Main