Beef negimaki are tender leek quarters tightly wrapped in thinly sliced beef, then pan-seared and braised in a rich sukiyaki-style sauce until glossy. This elegant Japanese dish works as an appetizer or bento box component.
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Take a small bowl and add 1 ½ tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), 2 tbsp mirin, 2 tbsp sake, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp rice vinegar, 1 clove grated garlic and 1 tsp grated ginger root. Mix and set by the stove for later.
Start boiling a pot of water. While you wait, wash 1 Japanese leek (naganegi), cut off the green part and make a shallow incision lengthways to peel off the outer skin.
Cut the leek into quarters (approx 10cm/4-inches). Once the water is boiling, prepare a bowl of ice water and place it next to the stove. Place the leek pieces in the pot and blanch for 60 seconds (see note if using regular leek/green onions).
Once blanched, transfer to the bowl of ice water and cool for a minute or so. Don't leave them in the water for too long, take them out and dry the surface with kitchen paper.
Take 150 g thinly sliced beef and use it to tightly wrap the leeks. Place them in a bowl or container.
Sprinkle the rolls with 1 tsp potato starch (katakuriko) and cover with a thin, even coating.
Heat a frying pan on medium-high and add 1 tsp cooking oil. Once thoroughly preheated, place the wrapped leeks in the pan with the seam-side facing down to prevent unravelling.
Turn every 30 to 60 seconds (depending on the thickness of the meat) until browned all over.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour the sauce from earlier into the pan. Turn the rolls continuously and baste with the sauce occasionally until it becomes glossy and slightly thickened.
Transfer them to a cutting board and rest for 1-2 minutes before serving. Cut into halves or thirds (optional) and top with ½ tsp toasted sesame oil, toasted white sesame seeds, Japanese chili powder (shichimi togarashi) or ground black pepper to taste. Decorate with perilla leaves (shiso) and enjoy!
Refrigerate cooked rolls in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently in the sauce over low heat or serve cold as a bento component.
Yes, but adjust blanching time: regular leeks need longer (2–3 minutes) to soften, and green onions need just 30 seconds to stay tender. Cut into similar 4-inch lengths.
Ribeye or chuck eye roll are preferred because they're tender and slice thinly without tearing. Look for beef already sliced to ~2mm thickness at Asian markets.
Potato starch (katakuriko) helps the beef brown evenly and also thickens the sauce as it cooks, creating that signature glossy finish.
Place them seam-side down when first adding to the hot pan, and turn gently every 30–60 seconds. The starch coating and quick browning help seal the beef.
Yes. Wrap and refrigerate uncooked rolls up to 8 hours ahead. Cook from cold, adding 1–2 minutes to browning time. Store cooked rolls in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently in the sauce over low heat.
