Best Japanese Beef Rolls Recipes

ASPARAGUS NEGIMAKI (JAPANESE BEEF ROLLS)

Steps:

• Preheat grill pan until hot; bring salted water to a boil over medium high heat in a saucepan.
• Blanch asparagus spears for 1 minute; drain and plunge in an ice water bath to stop cooking.
• In a small saucepan combine soy sauce, sugar, mirin (or dry sherry), ginger, and garlic; heat over medium heat until reduced and slightly thickened; set aside to cool.
• Cut green onions in fourths, lengthwise, so you have long strips.
• Slice beef in 1/4 inch slices, then pound to tenderize and thin out.
• Dip beef slice in soy sauce mixture and place on a clean work surface; season with pepper.
• Place an asparagus spear and a piece of green onion on the beef slice and roll up.
• Do the same with the remaining asparagus and beef.
• Grill beef rolls about 2 minutes until slightly charred and medium rare. Turn several times and brush with soy sauce mixture.
• Remove to a serving platter and drizzle generously with soy sauce mixture.

JAPANESE BEEF AND SCALLION ROLLS

Steps:

• Prepare scallions:
• Blanch scallions in a pot ofboiling salted water 45 seconds, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Transfer scallions to paper towels to drain and pat dry.
• Prepare beef:
• Cut flank steak with the grain holding a large knife at a 30-degree angle to cutting board into 12 (1/8-inch-thick) slices (1 1/2 to 2 inches wide). Arrange slices 1 inch apart on a very lightly oiled sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap, then cover with another very lightly oiled sheet of parchment or plastic wrap (oiled side down) and pound slices with flat side of meat pounder until about 1/16 inch thick.
• Assemble rolls:
• Arrange 3 beef slices side by side on a fresh sheet of plastic wrap, overlapping slices slightly to form a 6-inch square with short ends of slices nearest you. Sprinkle square lightly with a pinch of salt, then lay 3 scallions (with some white parts at both ends) across slices at end closest to you and tightly roll up meat around scallions to form a log, using plastic wrap as an aid. Tie log with kitchen string at ends and where meat slices overlap. Make 3 more negimaki rolls in same manner.
• Marinate rolls:
• Stir together sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved.
• Put rolls in a small baking dish and pour marinade over them, turning to coat. Marinate, loosely covered with plastic wrap, turning occasionally, 15 minutes.
• Cook rolls:
• Heat a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. While skillet is heating, lift rolls out of marinade, letting excess drip off, and pat dry. (Save marinade.) Add oil to skillet, swirling to coat bottom, then cook rolls, turning with tongs, until well browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes total for medium-rare. Transfer rolls to cutting board. Add marinade to skillet and boil until slightly syrupy, 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
• Cut off and discard strings, then cut each roll crosswise into 6 slices. Pour sauce into a shallow serving dish and arrange negimaki in sauce.
• *Available at Asian markets, some supermarkets, and Uwajimaya (800-889-1928)

JAPANESE BEEF ROLLS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, cover and allow them to sweat over low heat until soft. Do not let them brown. Meanwhile, bring a large pot or skillet of water to a boil. Blanch asparagus by lowering it in a strainer into boiling water; cook just until bright green, about 30 seconds, and then transfer asparagus into ice water to stop the cooking. Set aside.
• Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler. Grease a broiling pan.
• To construct the rolls, lay the steaks out flat. If your steaks are thick, pound them to about 1/4 inch thickness. Brush soy sauce onto the surface, then place a few mushrooms, a couple of green onions and 3 asparagus spears at one end of each steak. Roll up towards the other end to enclose, and secure each bundle with a toothpick. Place the rolls seam side down on the broiling pan.
• Roast under the preheated broiler until browned on top, about 3 minutes. Turn the rolls over and brown on the other side, 2 to 3 more minutes. Be careful not to overcook; this could burn the steaks or make the meat tough.

NEGIMA (JAPANESE BEEF SCALLION ROLLS)

Steps:

• Preheat a grill or broiler; fire should be quite hot.
• Place the meat between two layers of wax paper or plastic wrap and pound it gently so that it is about 1/8-inch thick.
• Brush one side of each piece of meat with a little soy sauce.
• Cut the scallions into length about the same width as the meat and place a small bundle of them at one of the narrow ends of each slice.
• Roll the long way, securing the roll with a toothpick or two.
• (You can prepare the rolls in advance up to this point; cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours before proceeding) Brush the exterior of the roll with a little more sauce.
• Grill until brown on all sides, a total of about 6 minutes for chicken, 4-5 minutes for pork or veal, 4 minutes or less for beef.
• Optional fillers: Scallions work very well; so do chives.
• You could also use small amounts of lightly cooked, chopped spinach or chard; cooked, chopped shiitake (or other) mushrooms; julienned and lightly cooked carrots; parboiled asparagus spears.
• As alternatives to soy sauce, you can use asian fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc mam), chinese hoisin sauce, or premade teriyaki sauce.

JAPANESE BEEF AND VEGETABLES ROLLS

Steps:

• Using a vegetable peeler slice carrot into thin strips, lengthways. Cut strips to fit beef slices.
• Lay beef slices flat sift about 1 tablespoon of cornflour over the top. Lay 2 pieces each of carrot and onion and top with an asparagus spear, roll up beef and secure with kitchen string or toothpicks. Dust rolls with remaining cornflour.
• Heat the oil in a pan, add rolls, cook until browned all over. Remove rolls from pan, wipe oil from pan with absorbent paper.
• Return rolls to pan, add combined mirin, sake, soy sauce and sugar, bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer rolls, stirring occasionally, until cooked through. If you prefer a thicker sauce remove rolls from pan and bring mixture to the boil to thicken or add just a small amount of cornflour mixed with water to thicken the sauce. Return rolls to pan to coat with sauce.
• Remove rolls from pan, cool 2 minutes. Remove and discard toothpicks, cut rolls in half, arrange on a serving plate and pour remaining sauce over.

JAPANESE BEEF ROLLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚F (205˚C). Oil a baking tray. Prepare the basting sauce. Mix the soy and mirin. Set aside. Lay the beef sliced, place the asparagus, scallions and mushrooms. Roll them tightly, and secure with toothpicks. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes and baste the beef rolls with the sauce. Repeat the basting every 5 minutes until the beef rolls are cooked. Boil the remaining sauce lightly and brush the beef rolls again. To serve, remove the toothpicks. Top it with some chopped scallions.