Hayashi Rice Recipe: How to Make Japanese Hashed Beef Stew
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Aug 18, 2024 • 3 min read
Learn how to make one of Japan's most popular Western-style recipes.
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What Is Hayashi Rice?
Hayashi rice, also called hashed beef, is a Japanese dish of beef stew served with rice. Hayashi rice is known as a yoshoku (Western-style dish) because it features French influences of a dark roux used as a thickener and a flavorful demi-glace sauce.
What Is a Roux?
Roux is a combination of flour and fat that is cooked and used as a base to thicken and flavor sauces. The method for making roux uses one part oil or fat to one part flour, whisked constantly over heat until it reaches an optimal shade of color—ranging from white to dark brown.
Hayashi rice is made with a dark brown roux, which adds toasty flavor but requires constant vigilance to avoid burning. Home cooks may use instant roux blocks to simplify this process. You can even buy roux blocks flavored with demi-glace sauce, similar to Japanese curry bricks.
What Is Demi-Glace?
Demi-glace is a concentrated, flavorful glaze that is used as the foundation for a number of French sauces. Its name means “half-glace,” a reference to glace de viande, or “meat glass.” Demi-glace is a very thick syrup historically used to glaze meats, now more commonly used in small amounts to add concentrated flavor and body to sauces. It is made by reducing stock down to between a quarter and half of its original volume, or by combining one part sauce espagnole with one part stock and reducing that by half for a concentrated source of umami. Since demi-glace is time-consuming to make, Japanese grocery stores often sell canned demi-glace sauce.
How to Make a Brown Roux for Hayashi Rice in 5 Steps
Follow these steps to make the nutty brown roux that gives hayashi rice its creamy texture. A basic roux starts with one part fat (usually butter) to one part flour, by weight.
- 1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- 2. Add the flour.
- 3. Using a wooden spoon, combine the butter and flour, stirring constantly.
- 4. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until roux is a deep caramel brown, being careful not to burn the roux, about 10 minutes.
- 5. Remove from the heat and add liquid of choice (typically stock or broth) and stir constantly until the roux forms a thick paste.
Japanese Hayashi Rice Recipe
makes
prep time
20 mintotal time
40 mincook time
20 minIngredients
For the roux:
For the beef:
For the hayashi sauce:
To serve:
- 1
To make the roux, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- 2
Add the flour. Using a wooden spoon, combine the butter and flour, stirring constantly.
- 3
Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until roux is a deep caramel brown, being careful not to burn the roux, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- 4
Add beef stock and stir constantly until the roux forms a thick paste.
- 5
Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
- 6
Prepare the beef. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over high heat until shimmering.
- 7
Add the beef, salt, and pepper, and sauté until beef is mostly browned but still a little pink in places, about 5 minutes. (It will continue to cook in the sauce.)
- 8
Using tongs, transfer cooked beef to a plate and set aside.
- 9
Make the hayashi sauce in the same pan. Add the butter and olive oil to the frying pan over medium heat.
- 10
Once the butter has melted, add the onion and carrot and sauté until the onion is golden and soft, about 7 minutes.
- 11
Add mushrooms and sauté until light golden in color, about 3 minutes.
- 12
Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- 13
Add the ketchup, red wine, demi-glace, beef stock, bay leaf, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce to the pan.
- 14
Bring to a simmer, covered, and continue to simmer over low heat until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- 15
Add the roux and stir to dissolve.
- 16
Add the green peas and the cooked beef and continue to cook over low heat until sauce has thickened and flavors have melded, about 2 more minutes.
- 17
Add salt and pepper to taste.
- 18
Fluff the steamed rice with butter and divide between two plates.
- 19
Serve beef stew on the other side of the plate.
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