📝 About This Recipe
Hailing from Obihiro on the northern island of Hokkaido, Butadon is a soul-warming Japanese classic that elevates humble pork into a gourmet masterpiece. This dish features succulent, thinly sliced pork loin glazed in a thick, mahogany-colored 'tare' sauce that perfectly balances smoky soy notes with deep caramel sweetness. Served over a steaming bed of fluffy Japanese short-grain rice, it is the ultimate comfort meal that captures the essence of Japanese 'B-kyu gurume' (high-quality everyday soul food).
🥗 Ingredients
The Pork and Base
- 300 grams Pork Loin or Pork Shoulder (thinly sliced (about 3mm thick), ideally with some fat marbling)
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil (for searing)
- 2 cups Japanese Short-Grain Rice (cooked and kept hot)
- 1 pinch Salt and Black Pepper (for light seasoning)
Signature Butadon Tare (Sauce)
- 4 tablespoons Soy Sauce (use high-quality Japanese soy sauce)
- 4 tablespoons Mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
- 2 tablespoons Sake (dry Japanese rice wine)
- 2 tablespoons Granulated Sugar (for caramelization)
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Ginger (grated or juiced)
Garnish and Finishing
- 2 stalks Green Onions (finely sliced on the bias)
- 1 teaspoon Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese seven-spice blend)
- 10 pieces Green Peas (blanched, for a pop of color (traditional))
- 1 tablespoon Beni Shoga (pickled red ginger)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Prepare the sauce: In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and grated ginger. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
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2
Let the sauce reduce for about 5-7 minutes until it thickens slightly and develops a glossy, syrupy consistency. Set aside.
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3
Lightly season the pork slices with a tiny pinch of salt and black pepper. Be careful with the salt as the tare sauce is quite savory.
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4
Heat the vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until shimmering.
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5
Place the pork slices in the pan in a single layer. Work in batches if necessary to avoid crowding, which would cause the meat to steam rather than sear.
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6
Sear the pork for 1-2 minutes until beautifully browned and slightly crispy on the edges. Flip and cook for another 30-60 seconds.
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7
Once the pork is cooked through, use a paper towel to carefully wipe away any excess fat from the pan to ensure the sauce adheres perfectly.
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8
Pour the prepared tare sauce over the pork slices while the pan is still hot.
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9
Toss the pork continuously for 1 minute as the sauce bubbles and glazes the meat. The sauce should become dark, sticky, and coat every inch of the pork.
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10
Prepare your serving bowls by filling them with a generous mound of hot, fluffy rice.
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11
Drizzle a spoonful of the remaining sauce from the pan directly onto the rice.
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12
Arrange the glazed pork slices over the rice, overlapping them slightly in a circular pattern.
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13
Garnish with sliced green onions, a few green peas, a mound of beni shoga, and a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi for a gentle heat.
💡 Chef's Tips
For the best texture, use pork belly if you prefer a richer, fattier dish, or pork loin for a classic meaty bite. If you cannot find pre-sliced pork, freeze a block of pork for 30-45 minutes to make it firm enough to slice thinly by hand. Do not skip the ginger; it cuts through the richness of the pork and sugar, providing a necessary brightness. Make sure the rice is piping hot; the heat from the rice helps to further soften the pork fat and release the aroma of the sauce. If the sauce thickens too quickly in the pan, add a splash of water or sake to loosen it back to a glaze consistency.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a side of warm Miso Soup to cleanse the palate between bites. A side of Sunomono (Japanese cucumber salad) provides a crisp, vinegary contrast to the sweet glaze. Pair with a cold Japanese lager or a glass of chilled Oolong tea to balance the savory flavors. Add a soft-poached Onsen Tamago (egg) on top for an extra creamy, luxurious experience.