"The Ultimate Beef Tendon Curry" Made with Just Beef Tendon and Onions: Ryuji on Prep Work and Secret Ingredients

At the start, Ryuji says that things have been so busy lately that it has become hard to get the whole staff together. This time's guest is Eko, who Ryuji says is the easiest to ask.

The ingredient is 430 g of domestic beef tendon, all of which gets used. The beef tendon was bought on a shopping trip ahead of this episode. Ryuji initially said it came from Hanamasa, but near the end an "Oniku no Ozeki" sticker was spotted, revealing that it had actually been bought at Ozeki. Ryuji recommends stocking up and freezing beef tendon whenever you find it, since it doesn't always appear in stores.

Normally it's better to cut the vegetables first, but since softening beef tendon takes time, Ryuji starts with the beef tendon. One option is to boil it before cutting, but this time Ryuji tried to cut it raw first. Raw beef tendon, however, is tough and hard to cut even with scissors. Ryuji changed course: "I'll parboil and drain it once."

Since Eko didn't know the term yudekoboshi, Ryuji explained what it means. It doesn't mean spilling hot water; it refers to bringing the ingredient to a boil once to cook it through, then discarding the cooking water. Beef tendon tends to be handled carelessly and can retain odors, and parboiling and draining removes that smell. Ryuji explains that the other purpose is to firm up the surface so it's easier to cut.

The beef tendon this time is a high-quality domestic product, so there's said to be almost no odor. Ryuji says that if it's ultimately going into curry, you don't need to worry that much about removing odors. If you end up with poor-quality beef tendon, it's good to simmer it with aromatic vegetables, but that's unnecessary this time. As for why, Ryuji says, "Curry is delicious no matter what you do."

After a while in the pot, a large amount of scum rose to the surface. Beef produces the most scum, Ryuji says. Once the water is discarded, the tendon is rinsed with water. This also lowers the temperature, making it easier to cut. After parboiling and draining, the beef tendon became "bouncy" and was far easier to cut than when raw. The size can be rough, and since it shrinks when simmered, it's better not to cut it too small. The part close to the Achilles tendon stays tough even after boiling. Partway through, Ryuji realized that the difficulty cutting was due to the knife's dullness.

Since the water came to a boil quickly, Ryuji talked about pots. The fastest combination for boiling water is an aluminum pot on an induction cooktop. Aluminum has high thermal conductivity and pairs well with induction. Ryuji recommended an aluminum yukihira pan for anyone who wants to save time.

On the other hand, Ryuji also complained that induction heat control is hard to read. The heat can suddenly spike, and Ryuji says, "Gas is definitely better." There were moments while sautéing the curry base and during simmering when the heat level wasn't what Ryuji expected, causing some confusion.

The cut beef tendon is simmered in 1 liter of water with the lid on. Ryuji laid out the approach: the curry isn't made in this pot. This pot is for making tender beef tendon and soup. Adding these later to a separately made curry base completes the dish. The curry base is cooked at the same time as this simmering.

The heat is set to 5 on the induction, around medium, and the simmering should take at least 80 minutes. When Eko asked whether a timer was needed, Ryuji laughed and replied, "This isn't the kind of thing you use a timer for." The beef tendon soup is delicious, and Eko remarked that it seemed like it could be used to make ramen.

Some people say you should use a pressure cooker for beef tendon. But Ryuji says that, personally, it's better not to. Inside a pressure cooker, temperatures reach 110–120°C, so the meat softens quickly. In exchange, Ryuji explains, the gelatin leaches out and the meat becomes dry and stringy, losing its tenderness and juiciness. Ryuji also said, "Try it and you'll see."

While the beef tendon simmers, the curry base is made. About 20 g each of garlic and ginger are used. The ginger was a leftover whose skin had dried and hardened, so the skin was removed. Two onions are used; since they were small, that's about 400–450 g. These were minced in an electric chopper (Bunbun Chopper), which Ryuji calls "the power of civilization."

The only main ingredients are beef tendon and onions. Ryuji believes it's better not to add anything extra to beef tendon curry, because the beef tendon is so good that you want to eat just the beef tendon. Adding other ingredients turns it into home-style curry, Ryuji says. Eko agreed, noting that beef tendon curry at restaurants doesn't leave an impression of other ingredients. On onions, Ryuji says, "The more onions, the better the curry."

The fat is one piece of beef suet and 10 g of butter. Since it's a beef curry, Ryuji prefers to use beef suet to match the same beef "attribute." Lately Ryuji has been cutting back on fat for health reasons, so the suet was reduced to one piece and supplemented with butter. Ryuji said another pat of butter might be added depending on the taste. First, the garlic and ginger are sautéed until crisp to release their aroma, then the onions are added.

When Eko asked, "Until they're caramelized?", Ryuji answered, "Whatever." Since the beef tendon is delicious, there's no need to worry about the details. Cook them well and you get a cooked flavor; don't cook them much and you get an uncooked flavor. That's all there is to it, Ryuji says.

According to Ryuji, using roasted onions gives a European-style curry character. Not cooking them much brings it closer to Indian curry, since Indian curries sometimes use onions in a nearly raw state. Ryuji's explanation is that you can go either way depending on your mood that day. This time, since both beef and butter are included, the onions were cooked a bit more to lean European.

From here, Ryuji broadened the discussion to an approach to cooking. Viewers get anxious if you don't say "do it this way." Ryuji understands that. Even so, wanting viewers to get better at cooking, Ryuji sometimes says tough things. It's important to think for yourself when cooking, and Ryuji hopes viewers will use the recipes as a reference and go as far as thinking, "Wouldn't it be even better if I arranged it this way?" That's more fun, in Ryuji's view.

On the same day around noon, Ryuji says, they filmed an old carbonara recipe whose proportions Ryuji had independently researched and settled on. Ryuji said they hope that video takes off. Eko mentioned that verification-style videos where Ryuji cooks in earnest are popular with viewers, with reactions on X like "That was fun."

The onions were cooked until the moisture evaporated, their sweetness and aroma came out, and they turned a moist brown. Properly caramelized onions would be cooked further, but this is fine for this time. Ryuji's own explanation is that the onions were cooked this much because there was time before the beef tendon finished simmering.

To the sautéed onions, 100 g of canned whole tomatoes (about a quarter of a can) is added and sautéed. One medium tomato would also work, but canned is cheaper, Ryuji says. Eko associated tomatoes with Indian curry. Ryuji explains that tomatoes go into European-style curry too, and that beef tendon pairs well with the acidity of tomatoes.

Add too much, though, and the tomato dominates the flavor. Around 100 g won't make it a tomato curry; instead it works as a tangy secret ingredient. It's similar to adding ketchup to European-style curry, but since ketchup makes it sweet, Ryuji says they don't like putting it in curry. Once you've gotten this far, there's almost nothing left to do.

After 80 minutes of simmering, the beef tendon had become quite tender. Another 30 minutes would make it meltingly soft, but Ryuji says they like it at about this firmness. The cooking liquid is like oxtail soup, and Ryuji added it to the curry base while saying, "This is insane."

Ryuji initially planned to use about 700 cc of soup, but ended up adding all of it. The amount was about 650 cc. Ryuji estimates that simmering 1 liter of water with the lid on reduces it to around 700 cc. If it has reduced and there's less, Ryuji recommends adding water until it reaches 650 cc. Since changes in the amount of liquid throw off the flavor, Ryuji wants viewers to remember: "Just add 650 cc of liquid, no matter what."

The roux is Java Curry, because it's the most reliable and Ryuji is used to it. Other roux such as Kokumaro are also fine, Ryuji said. The amount is about half a package—according to the video description, 4 cubes (about 90 g). Once the roux dissolves, it's nearly done. Tasting it, Ryuji said it was already quite delicious at this point.

From here, the final adjustments begin. Ryuji added the secret ingredients one by one.

• Curry powder, 1½ teaspoons: To boost the aroma. Java Curry is spicy enough on its own, but adding more makes it delicious, Ryuji says. A little black pepper is added as well.
• Instant coffee, about ½ teaspoon: For depth. Too much makes it bitter, so only a very small amount is used.
• Salt: Since there are many ingredients, a little salt helps bring out the flavor. Some is added first, then another pinch after tasting, for a total of about ½ teaspoon. However, Ryuji notes that this is a personal preference. Ryuji likes beef tendon curry a little on the salty side, so everyone should adjust to taste.
• Honey, 1 teaspoon: For a touch of sweetness. Sugar works too, but honey gives it more of a curry character, Ryuji says.

Ryuji says the result is in a different league from the Java Curry you usually eat. In Ryuji's own assessment, the beef stock really comes through. The rice is 400 g for two servings. Given the amount of beef tendon, Ryuji said it looked like it could make 4–5 plates.

After tasting, Eko said, "This is way too good," and remarked that it's a completely different type from the curry Eko usually makes. The small amount of tomato really comes through, and the spiciness is just right. Ryuji adds that the only heat comes from the Java Curry and the curry powder.

What Ryuji focused on was texture. The beef tendon isn't too meltingly soft and keeps a chunky bite. About an hour and a half of simmering lets the beef tendon shine as an ingredient in its own right. Simmer it too long and it becomes "like scrap meat," Ryuji says. If you're going to the trouble of simmering beef tendon from raw, this is the right level, in Ryuji's view. Those who prefer it softer can simmer it another 20–30 minutes. If there's a lot of the Achilles tendon part, simmering about 2 hours will make it a bit more tender. Still, Ryuji says they personally like that crunchy texture. Eko also said the occasional crunchy bite is nice.

On the depth of flavor, the two pointed to the role of the beef soup. Because the stock and fat from the beef tendon have dissolved into the soup, it's rich without being heavy, Ryuji explains. Eko said that making it with plain water wouldn't produce this richness. Ryuji says the garlic and ginger sautéed at the start also make a big difference, and that the secret ingredient of coffee gives it a restaurant-like flavor.

To change up the flavor, Tabasco is used. Ryuji said the new bottle of Majisco, the Tabasco-style sauce Ryuji sells, is a better match, and ate with a little of it on top. The acidity is great and it adds more heat, Ryuji says.

Partway through, Eko considered toppings, but felt that natto or cheese wouldn't suit this curry. Ryuji agreed that since this is a curry where beef tendon is the star, it's not that kind of dish.

Eko asked how much the beef tendon cost. Checking the price tag, it was 678 yen for 430 g (732 yen including tax). Eko had thought it would be around 3,000 yen. Ryuji was also surprised, having assumed it would be over 1,000 yen. According to Ryuji, beef tendon used to be quite cheap, but it has gotten more expensive lately since restaurants use it too. Even so, at this price anyone can make it, and for a beef curry it's very cheap, the two said. Ryuji praised the quality of Ozeki's meat.

Ryuji summed up the curry's key points in three: using the beef tendon soup; adding freshness with a small amount of tomato plus garlic and ginger; and sautéing a large amount of onions for richness.

As they kept eating, Ryuji said, "I might never have eaten a curry better than this." Ryuji also said the recipes in recent videos are incredibly good. Videos went viral more often in the past, but the cooking now is definitely better—Ryuji's view is that this is probably their peak. Eko responded that it must be the result of eating all kinds of things in various places and recreating them.

Finally, Ryuji rated the curry a "waza-ari." Calling the beef tendon curry a great success, Ryuji encouraged viewers to give it a try and wrapped up the episode.