Eating Raw Beef with Jinyoung | Trying 육회 (YUKHOE)

Have you ever tried eating raw beef? I wouldn’t recommend slicing a raw steak into noodles, then eating it – normally – but Korean 육회 (YUK-HOE) can give you that opportunity, if you’re so inclined. It’s made with fresh (very fresh), cold beef, so it’s safe to eat. But if you have a weak stomach, or don’t like beef, then you should probably avoid it. The flavor was similar to eating a really, really rare steak, but it was also cold. As someone who often cooks and enjoys steak, I really liked it and it was better than I thought. Now I can say that I’ve tried raw beef.

Another feature of this dish is the sesame seed oil mixed into the beef. It gives the beef a deep, nutty flavor and smell that many first-time visitors to Korea can find off-putting – but only at first. Once you’re familiar with it, it won’t seem so strange anymore, and I quite like the smell and taste.

To try this dish I went together with my friend JinYoung. She’s had it before a few times, but it was my first time to try it.