Tsukemono steak is a local dish from the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. It is a local B-class gourmet dish that is enjoyed not only in households but also on the menus of local restaurants and izakayas.

From the name, you might imagine it's just grilled pickles, but that's not the case. Pickled vegetable steak is a unique dish that is beyond what you would imagine from its name.

Let's explore the characteristics and history of pickled steak.

Characteristics of Tsukemono Steak

Pickled cabbage steak is a simple dish made by grilling pickled Chinese cabbage, seasoning it, and binding it with egg. Because it is bound with egg, it is filling and goes well with rice.

Pickled steak is easy to make at home, so I'll show you how. First, prepare the ingredients. Wash the Chinese cabbage pickles with water to remove some of the salt, squeeze out the water, and cut them into 2-3 cm pieces. Next, put two eggs in a bowl and beat them until they are loose.

Once the preparations are complete, add sesame oil or butter to a frying pan and fry the Chinese cabbage pickles slowly over medium heat. Once lightly browned, reduce the heat to low and season with dashi and soy sauce. Next, move the Chinese cabbage pickles to the center and pour in the beaten eggs. When the eggs are half-cooked, place on a plate and top with bonito flakes, chopped green onions, pickled ginger, etc. to finish.

Some people enjoy adding onions, carrots, or canned tuna to their liking. Some people also use miso instead of soy sauce as seasoning. Pickled steak is delicious when you make it yourself, but we also recommend enjoying it at a restaurant with local sake.

The History of Pickled Steak

The Hida region in the northern part of Gifu Prefecture is surrounded by mountains. It has a cool climate throughout the year, but the winters are very cold. To ensure that people could eat vegetables even in the winter, the locals kept pickled Chinese cabbage on hand. Pickles were a valuable food in the frigid winters, but they would freeze in the cold. So they would lay magnolia leaves on the hearth and eat the pickles while they warmed them up.

However, a simple meal of just rice, miso soup, and pickles can be boring to eat and make. So housewives mixed fried pickled Chinese cabbage with eggs, seasoned it with dashi and soy sauce, and made it as a side dish. It is said that pickled steak was born from the creative cooking of housewives in this way.

Browned pickled Chinese cabbage is seasoned with dashi and soy sauce, and topped with a light egg. Pickled steak, topped with bonito flakes, chopped green onions, and pickled ginger, is a perfect dish to go with not only rice but also alcohol. Pickled steak is also a great way to cook pickles that have fermented and become sour.

The story behind pickled steak

Pickled steak is made with pickled Chinese cabbage, but it is said that pickled red turnips were used in the past. Pickles are made from a variety of vegetables, including Chinese cabbage, radishes, and cucumbers, but among them, pickled red turnips are the most resistant to snow and frost.

"Red turnip pickles" are made from "Hida red turnips," which were created when a red mutant strain of the Hachiga turnip was discovered in 1918 (Taisho 7). The soft and large Hida red turnips have a unique flavor with a slight sourness.

It is said to be a traditional method that was created in the Hida region, surrounded by mountains, to conserve precious salt since the Edo period. Pickled turnips, which have a vivid red color, make pickled steaks look gorgeous.

Although it is rarely seen nowadays, in the Hida region, in November, in preparation for the long winter, people would wash large amounts of vegetables such as Chinese cabbage and turnips in the river to make pickles, which are an indispensable part of the diet. The sight of "naarai" being performed was said to be a "seasonal feature of early winter" that heralded the arrival of winter in the Hida region.

Hida red turnips, harvested from October to early December, are pickled during this time as well, ripening in the cold and becoming an indispensable winter dish.

Tourist information for Hida City, Gifu Prefecture

Hida City in Gifu Prefecture, where you can eat pickled steak, has many tourist attractions. We will introduce two popular tourist spots: "Seto River and White-Walled Storehouse District" and "Oku-Hida Yamanomura Farm: A Farm in the Sky."

Seto River and the White-Walled Storehouse District

The Seto River and White-Walled Storehouse District is an old town full of historical atmosphere, known as the inner sanctum of Takayama. The Seto River, where over 1,000 colorful carp swim against the backdrop of white-walled storehouses and stone walls of temples, is a popular walking spot. There are also shops selling Hida beef croquettes and other delicacies, so you can enjoy eating as you walk.

Farm in the Sky Okuhida Yamanomura Farm

"Okuhida Yamanomura Farm in the Sky" is located in the middle of nature at an altitude of 1,000m. Not only can you interact with the animals, but you can also enjoy pony riding and milking cows. This popular farm also offers a variety of experiences, including ice cream, butter, and bread making. The rich soft serve ice cream made from freshly squeezed Jersey milk, available at the restaurant, is exquisite.

How to get to Hida City, Gifu Prefecture

Hida City in Gifu Prefecture is an attractive place for both gourmet food and sightseeing. It is close to Japan's three largest cities and has a variety of ways to get there.

If you take the train from Tokyo Station to Hida-Furukawa Station, it will take about 4 hours. From Osaka Station, it will take about 3 hours and 30 minutes. From Nagoya Station, it will take about 2 hours and 30 minutes. The travel time will vary depending on the time of day and the weather.

We also recommend taking a leisurely drive there by car. Try finding the best way to get there.

Location of Hida City, Gifu Prefecture

summary

"Tsukemono steak" is said to have been born from a housewife's original cooking. Instead of eating pickles as is, it is a unique dish in which pickles are grilled, seasoned, and then bound with egg.

It is a simple dish made from pickles, but it goes well with both rice and alcohol and is popular among locals.

If you visit Gifu, be sure to try the pickled vegetable steak.

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