Yukhoe (육회)

Yukhoe is Korea's refined answer to steak tartare — a dish of hand-cut raw beef dressed with sesame oil, soy, garlic, and pear, served with a raw egg yolk nestled on top like a jewel. Its lineage stretches back centuries in Korean royal court cuisine (gungjung yori), where it was considered a dish of special refinement. The pear is not garnish but medicine: Korean culinary tradition holds that pear tenderises meat and aids digestion, a fact supported by the enzyme actinidin. Modern yukhoe is most associated with the Majang Meat Market in Seoul, where it is eaten fresh beside the butcher stalls.

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 300 g (10.5 oz) beef eye of round or tenderloin, trimmed of all fat and sinew
• 1/2 Asian pear (nashi pear), peeled — half grated, half cut into matchsticks
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp (15 g) sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, very finely minced
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 fresh egg yolks
• Thinly sliced spring onions and toasted pine nuts, to garnish

Instructions

1. Freeze the beef for 30–45 minutes until very firm but not solid. This makes precise cutting much easier and is a food safety best practice.
2. Using a very sharp knife, cut the beef first into 3 mm (1/8 inch) slices, then into thin matchsticks. Work quickly to keep the meat cold.
3. In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, garlic, black pepper, and the grated pear until the sugar dissolves.
4. Toss the beef matchsticks and pear matchsticks together with the dressing until evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5. Mound the yukhoe in two chilled bowls or plates. Make a small well in the centre of each portion.
6. Slip a raw egg yolk into each well. Scatter with spring onions, pine nuts, and sesame seeds.
7. Serve immediately and very cold. Diners break the yolk and mix it through before eating.

Cook's Notes: Use the freshest, highest-quality beef from a trusted butcher — sashimi-grade or dry-aged cuts both work well. Chill all equipment, including the knife and cutting board, beforehand. The dish must be assembled and eaten immediately; it does not keep. Traditional versions sometimes add thin strips of cucumber alongside the pear.