Yukhoe (육회)

Yukhoe is Korea's beef tartare. It is cool, garlicky, nutty, faintly sweet, and intensely meaty, and it is one of those dishes that makes you understand why raw beef preparations exist in food cultures around the world. The beef is sliced into thin matchsticks, seasoned with soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, sesame seeds, garlic, and black pepper, and served on a bed of Asian pear matchsticks with pine nuts and an egg yolk on top.

The quality of the beef is everything. Use the freshest tenderloin or filet mignon you can find, from a butcher you trust. Partially freeze the beef for one to two hours before slicing, which firms it enough to cut into clean, thin julienne strips. Keep everything cold throughout preparation. Warm hands on raw beef is the enemy.

The Asian pear serves as both a bed and a textural contrast. Its crisp, juicy sweetness against the soft, rich beef is one of the great pairings in Korean cuisine. The pear matchsticks are soaked briefly in sugar water to prevent browning. Pine nuts add a creamy, resinous richness. The egg yolk, placed whole on top or served on the side, is mixed in by the diner, binding the beef with a rich, velvety coating.

Yukhoe is a specialty of Gwangjang Market in Seoul, one of the oldest traditional markets in Korea, where vendors have served it for decades. It is typically eaten as an anju, a drinking snack to accompany soju, or as an appetizer. This is not a dish for young children, elderly, pregnant women, or immunocompromised individuals.