Prepared Raw Beef, known as Yuk Hoe, by an Experienced Cook

Prepared Raw Beef, known as Yuk Hoe, by an Experienced Cook

Steak Tartare, Korean Style: Yukhoe

Craving for something raw? Try this Korean steak tartare, also known as Yukhoe! It's an adventure in your mouth with its unique blend of flavors. Warning: this dish requires a strong stomach as it's served raw.

• Yields: 4 servings
• Difficulty: Medium
• Total: 20 minutes * Active: 20 minutes

Ingredients (15)

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 pound tender beef (Your favorite cut)
• 1 Bae (Nashi or Asian) pear
• 4 egg yolks, preferably quail
• 3 tablespoon pine nuts, finely chopped
• 3 green or spring onions, finely chopped (white and green parts)

Pear Wash

• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon salt

Seasoning Mixture

• 4 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Beef Partial freezing helps in cutting. Slice the beef in roughly 1/8 inch thick slices. Cut each slice into about 1/8 inch thick by 1 1/2 inch long strips. Set aside.
2. Pear Wash Peel and quarter the pear. Rinse the pear slices in the pear wash and drain. Set aside.
3. Green Onion Trim root and rinse in cold water. Slice the green stalks and finely chop the white portion. Set aside.
4. Pine Nuts Finely chop the pine nuts and set aside.
5. Garlic Mince or press the garlic and set aside.
6. Final Mix Mix the seasoning ingredients together in a bowl. Add beef and half of the chopped green onions and mix well. Divide into 4 portions and place in a mound on serving plates. Make a small depression in the center of each beef mound and place one egg yolk.
7. Place slices of pear on each serving plate next to the beef. Serve with white rice and ban chan.
8. Food Safety Warning: Consumption of raw or undercooked meat, poultry, and/or seafood may increase the risk of foodborne illness.

A Brief History

Raw meat dishes have been popular in various parts of the world for centuries. Yukhoe, or Korean steak tartare, has roots in nomadic cuisines from Europe and Asia. Initially, the dish might have been made not just with beef, but with ox or horse meat. Historically, raw meat dishes were appreciated for their freshness and nutritional value. In Korea, yukhoe predominantly features beef.

Modern recipes have a standard flavor profile: raw meat mixed with spices, seasonings like soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic, and accompaniments like Asian pear, quail egg yolk, and toasted pine nuts. This dish is a celebrated part of Korean cuisine, often enjoyed with drinks like soju or makgeolli.

• The unique blend of flavors in the Korean steak tartare, Yukhoe, includes a pear that has been washed and quartered, as well as a seasoning mixture containing soy sauce, sugar, minced garlic, toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil, and freshly-ground black pepper.
• The recipe yields 4 servings of this raw beef dish, which is served with quail egg yolks and finely chopped green onions.
• In addition to the beef, pear, and various seasonings, the instructions for the Korean steak tartare also call for pine nuts to be finely chopped and added to the dish.

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