Korean Steak Tartare

Yukhoe 육회

Yukhoe refers to a variety of hoe (raw dishes in Korean cuisine), which are usually made from raw ground beef seasoned with various spices or sauces. It is basically a Korean steak tartare. Usually the most tender part of beef will be used. The beef is thinly julienned with the fat removed, then mixed with seasoning.

For the seasoning, soy sauce, sugar, salt, sesame oil, spring onion, minced garlic, sesame seeds, black pepper and julienned bae (Korean pear) are used. A raw egg yolk is usually added, either on top of the dish or separately. Pine nuts may be added, as well.

Yukhoe can be also made with other variety meats, such as liver, kidney, heart, cheonyeop, or yang, in which case the dish is called gaphoe (Hangul: 갑회, hanja: 甲膾). The ingredients are thoroughly cleaned and salted, then rinsed and dried to remove unpleasant odors. Gaphoe is usually seasoned with sesame oil, salt and pepper, and is served with a spicy mustard sauce.

Yukhoe is assumed to have been introduced from China into Korea during the Mongol conquests in Goryeo period, and was popularized in the Joseon era. According to the 19th century cookbook Siuijeonseo (Hangul: 시의전서, hanja: 是議全書), thin slices of tender beef are soaked to remove blood before being finely shredded. The shredded beef is then marinated in a mixed sauce of chopped spring onion, minced garlic, pepper, oil, honey, pine nuts, sesame, and salt. Its dipping sauce, chogochujang (Hangul: 초고추장), chili pepper condiment mixed with vinegar and sugar) can be altered to taste, with pepper or honey.

Meat in Korean cuisine has highly detailed classifications regarding freshness, quality, and part differentiation for specific cooking methods. Sinceyukhoe uses raw beef, freshness is the most important criterion, and for this typical dish's beef it is recommended to use no more than one day after defrosting, and traditionally should not be aged more than one day after slaughtering. Regular Korean yukhoe customers often patronize trusted restaurants or butcher's shops which have well-known, high-quality beef distributors.

Since 2004, the Korean Government has run the Beef Traceability System. This system requires ID numbers with the age of the beef animal of origin, supplier, distributor, the beef's grade, and butchering date and originating butchery. Most of the good beef restaurants in Korea list their beef's information on the wall. Also, butcher shops post signs saying, "New beef coming day ( Hangul : 소 들어오는 날 )": These words have become a well-known idiom in Korea. and it means newly butchered beef supplied at the day.

Raw beef can be contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, with enterohemorrhagic E. coli (O111 or O157:H7) being of particular concern. But only by freshness of beef, the risk can be reduced.

Ingredients:

½ pound of fresh filet minon (tenderloin) or fresh beef flank steak

Korean pear

soy sauce

honey (or sugar)

sesame oil

garlic

ground black pepper

salt

sugar

roasted sesame seeds

pine nuts

Directions:

Steak Preparation:

1. Slice the beef into pieces ⅛ inch thin, and then cut it thinly again to make small match sticks. Keep it in the fridge.
2. Mix 2 cups of cold water with 1 ts sugar in a bowl. Julienne the pear into 1 cup’s worth of matchsticks. Add it to the sugar water to keep the pear from going brown.

Make sauce:

1. Mix 6 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tbs of soy sauce, 1 tbs of honey, 2 tbs of sesame oil, and ¼ ts of ground black pepper in a bowl.

Put it together:

1. Combine the beef with the seasoning sauce and 2 ts of sesame seeds.
2. Strain the pear and place it on the bottom of a serving plate and add the seasoned beef over top.
3. Sprinkle several pine nuts over top and serve as a side dish with rice or with alcohol.

Doneeeee!!~ ≧◔◡◔≦