Japanese Sukiyaki Recipe — The Winter Hot Pot with Raw Egg

Sukiyaki is one of Japan's two great hot pot traditions (the other being shabu-shabu). The warishita — the sweet soy sauce mixture — is what separates sukiyaki from any other hot pot. It's sweet enough to be surprising. First-time eaters often expect the broth to be savory like ramen or miso soup. Instead it's rich, slightly caramelized, and closer to a teriyaki sauce.

The raw egg dip divides opinion internationally. In Japan it's non-negotiable — you crack a fresh egg into a small bowl, beat it, and dip each piece of cooked beef directly into it before eating. The egg coats the hot beef and creates a silky, rich coating. It's the defining action of sukiyaki.

The Warishita Sauce

Make this first. The sauce cooks down during the meal and becomes more concentrated.

• 100ml soy sauce
• 100ml mirin
• 100ml sake
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 50ml water

Combine all ingredients in a small pot. Bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Set aside.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Essential:

• 600g beef (sukiyaki-cut — very thin slices of marbled ribeye or chuck; wagyu is traditional)
• 1 block firm tofu (400g), cubed
• 200g shirataki noodles (konnyaku noodles), blanched
• 4 scallions, cut into 5cm lengths
• 1 onion, roughly wedged
• 4 fresh eggs, for dipping

Optional vegetables:

• 1 cup shungiku (chrysanthemum greens) — traditional and excellent
• Napa cabbage, roughly chopped
• Shiitake mushrooms
• Enoki mushrooms

For the pan:

• 1 tbsp beef fat or lard (the traditional greasing fat for sukiyaki)

How to Make It

Sukiyaki is cooked tableside in Japan — the host controls the pot while guests eat directly from it. A portable gas burner at the table is ideal.

Season the pan: Heat a cast iron sukiyaki pot or heavy shallow pan over medium heat. Rub with beef fat or a small piece of the beef fat cap. This creates the traditional flavor foundation.

The first beef round: This is the sukiyaki ritual. Lay several beef slices flat in the pan. Sprinkle with a little sugar (not warishita yet) and a splash of soy sauce. These first slices — eaten before anything else is added — are the best thing in the meal. Eat them now, dipped in egg.

Add the sauce: Pour warishita sauce over the remaining ingredients as you add them to the pot. Not all at once — add enough to cover the bottom and sides, and top up as it reduces.

Add the vegetables and tofu: Place in sections around the pan. Simmer over medium heat.

As you eat: Remove cooked pieces with chopsticks. Dip each piece in beaten raw egg in your individual bowl. Eat. Add more ingredients and more warishita as needed throughout the meal.

The egg: Crack one egg per person into individual small bowls. Beat lightly. The egg should be at room temperature — cold egg doesn't coat the beef properly. Dip each piece of beef, tofu, and vegetable directly into the egg before eating.

The Egg Question

Using raw eggs requires fresh eggs from a trusted source. In Japan, food-safe eggs certified for raw consumption (生食用, namashokyou) are sold specifically for sukiyaki and other raw egg applications. If you're concerned about raw eggs, you can skip the dip — the sukiyaki is still excellent — or use pasteurized eggs.

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Sukiyaki is a winter ritual. The combination of rich, sweet broth; high-quality beef; and the unusual raw egg dip creates a meal that's more ceremony than cooking. Make it for people you want to eat slowly with on a cold night.