Sukiyaki: Japan’s Cosiest Winter Hotpot (and How to Make It at Home in – CRUNCH STASH

Q: What beef should I use for sukiyaki in Australia?

Use beef sliced paper-thin (1-2mm). Asian grocers and Korean butchers sell hotpot or bulgogi-cut beef that is perfect, or ask a butcher to slice scotch fillet or ribeye very thinly.

Q: What is the difference between sukiyaki and shabu-shabu?

Sukiyaki simmers ingredients in a sweet soy broth that flavours the food directly, while shabu-shabu swishes meat through a light kombu broth and relies on dipping sauces such as sesame or ponzu.

Q: Do I need to mix sukiyaki sauce myself?

Not if you use a bottled sukiyaki sauce. Straight-type bottles are poured in undiluted; concentrated bottles are diluted as directed on the label.

Q: Can sukiyaki be made without meat?

Yes. Load the pot with fresh tofu, koya (freeze-dried) tofu, mushrooms, cabbage and glass noodles. Koya tofu soaks up the broth especially well.

Q: What do I do with leftover sukiyaki broth?

Reheat it the next day with rice for a zosui-style rice soup, or simmer more udon noodles in it.

Last updated: 18 July 2026

When Melbourne turns grey and the evenings get properly cold, Japan has an answer that beats takeaway every time: sukiyaki — a bubbling pan of thinly sliced beef, tofu and vegetables simmered in a sweet-savoury soy broth, shared straight from the pot in the middle of the table. It is one of the easiest Japanese dishes to make at home, and this guide walks you through it step by step, Aussie-kitchen style.

What is sukiyaki?

Sukiyaki (すき焼き) is Japan’s classic winter hotpot: paper-thin beef, tofu, napa cabbage, spring onion, mushrooms and glass noodles cooked in warishita — a broth of soy sauce, sugar and mirin. Everything simmers together in a shallow cast-iron pan, and everyone helps themselves as it cooks.

There are two schools. In Kanto (Tokyo) style, the warishita broth goes in first and everything simmers in it. In Kansai (Osaka) style, the beef is seared in the pan first, sugar and soy are added directly, and the vegetables follow. Both end the same happy way. The traditional finishing touch: each diner beats a raw egg in their own small bowl and dips the hot beef into it, which coats every slice in a silky glaze. In Japan this is half the point of sukiyaki; at home in Australia, use the freshest eggs you can find, or simply skip the dip — the pot is delicious either way.

Why it’s perfect for a Melbourne winter

Sukiyaki is a one-pan, cook-at-the-table meal: the pot keeps everyone warm, the prep is mostly chopping, and it scales from a cosy dinner for two to a crowd of six by simply adding more vegetables. If you own a portable induction plate or camping stove, cook it right on the dining table the way it’s done in Japan.

The zero-effort method: use a ready-made sukiyaki sauce

Traditional recipes ask you to balance soy, sugar and mirin by taste. Japanese supermarkets solved this decades ago with bottled sukiyaki sauce — and the straight type bottles are used exactly as they are: no mixing, no measuring, just pour.

Slice and arrange: thinly sliced beef (see FAQ), wombok/napa cabbage, spring onions cut on the diagonal, mushrooms (shiitake or enoki), firm tofu, and glass noodles if you like.
Sear (optional, Kansai style): brown a few beef slices in a hot pan with a little oil.
Pour the sauce: add enough bottled sukiyaki sauce to cover the base by a centimetre or two, and bring to a gentle simmer.
Simmer in batches: add vegetables and tofu first, then lay beef slices on top for the last minute or two so they stay tender.
Finish with udon: when the pot is nearly done, the leftover broth is liquid gold — drop in cooked udon noodles and let them soak it up. In Japan this final course is called shime, and it might be the best part.

Your sukiyaki shopping list

Everything below is in stock in our Melbourne warehouse and shipped Australia-wide from our Melbourne warehouse:

Wadakan Sukiyaki Sauce (Honjozo Soy Base) 500ml — a classic, rounded warishita built on traditionally brewed soy sauce.
Ichibiki Sukiyaki Sauce with Shio-Koji (Straight Type) 500ml — pour-and-go, with shio-koji for extra depth of flavour.
Misuzu Shinshu Koya Tofu (freeze-dried) 135g — sponge-textured tofu cubes that drink up the broth; keeps in the pantry so you can sukiyaki on a whim.
Shikoku Sanuki Udon (5 serves) — for the shime finish.
Mizkan Goma (Sesame) Shabu Sauce 250ml — if you’d rather run a lighter shabu-shabu night, this roasted-sesame dip is the one.
Ajinomoto Nabe Cube stock (7 cubes) — one cube per bowl for quick weeknight hotpots.
Fun extra: Sukiyaki Beef Furikake — sukiyaki flavour on plain rice, for the days between hotpots.

Kikkoman and Ebara sukiyaki sauces are currently sold out — tap Notify Me on their pages and we’ll email you the moment they’re back.

FAQ

What beef should I use for sukiyaki in Australia?

You want beef sliced paper-thin (1–2mm). Asian grocers and Korean butchers sell “hotpot beef” or “bulgogi-cut” rolls that are perfect; otherwise ask your butcher to slice scotch fillet or ribeye as thinly as possible, or partially freeze a steak at home and shave it with a sharp knife.

What’s the difference between sukiyaki and shabu-shabu?

Sukiyaki simmers everything in a sweet soy broth that flavours the food directly. Shabu-shabu swishes meat through a light kombu broth, with the flavour coming from dipping sauces like sesame or ponzu afterwards. Sukiyaki is richer; shabu-shabu is lighter and more interactive.

Do I need to mix the sauce myself?

Not with a bottled sukiyaki sauce. “Straight type” bottles are used undiluted. If a bottle is labelled concentrated, dilute as directed on the label.

Can I make sukiyaki without meat?

Absolutely — load the pot with tofu (fresh and koya), mushrooms, cabbage and glass noodles. Koya tofu is especially good here because its sponge texture soaks up more broth than fresh tofu does.