When summer rolls around in Japan, ice cold beer and umami-rich meats are a must. A fun and social spread known as yakiniku (
Unlike its Korean cousin, the tableside grilling at yakiniku restaurants is usually quick and easy. Most places offer a variety of wagyu beef, chicken and pork choices.
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The word “yakiniku” literally translates to grilled meat, and it’s a Japanese culinary tradition that’s fun for large groups or a cozy romantic evening. Diners plate raw ingredients that are then brought to a grill embedded in the center of their table, such as skewers of thinly sliced beef or pork, grilled vegetables like onions, eggplant, and kabocha squash, and marinated meats. The ingredients are then dipped in tare, a versatile sauce made of sake, mirin, soy sauce, and various seasonings.
While yakiniku restaurants aren’t exactly as glamorous as the ones that serve Kobe beef, they’re an enjoyable way to explore Japan’s unique cooking culture and cuisine. The food itself is also surprisingly good, especially when the meat cooks lickety-split and the onions, cabbage, and other veggies are a bit more forgiving to take on the heat. Just grab a slice or two off the grill, dip it in your chosen sauce, and dig in!
Ingredients
When dining in a Japanese restaurant, you may find yourself looking for something different than the lean tuna sashimi and crisp cucumber sushi that are the staples of many cuisines. Japanese BBQ (yakiniku) is a communal meal in which diners cook bite-sized meat and vegetable cuts on a grill embedded right in the middle of the table. Then, they eat them with a delicious yakiniku sauce that provides an irresistible balance of sweet, savory and umami flavors.
In a yakiniku restaurant, the grill is usually either a sunken griddle or a flat teppanyaki grill. Regardless of the type of grill, you will typically be provided with chopsticks and cutlery, oshibori, napkins and a variety of dipping sauces and condiments.
A popular choice for the dipping sauce is a mixture of soy sauce, sake, sugar, mirin rice wine, grated ginger, shichimi and gochujang (Korean chili paste). This versatile condiment elevates any grilled food into an exquisite culinary experience.
Preparation
Yakiniku is a Japanese style of barbecue that combines fun and interactive cooking at the table with savoury umami-rich meat dishes. While it owes its roots to Korean barbecue, it has developed into its own unique and culturally rich cuisine.
Unlike satay or other types of grilled meat, which are often marinated and then cooked over an open flame, Japanese yakiniku involves grilling meat and vegetables in bite-sized pieces. This makes it easier to do at home using your outdoor grill.
To make Japanese BBQ sauce, combine mirin, soy sauce, brown sugar, shichimi, grated garlic and grated ginger with chopped green onions. The sweetness of the brown sugar adds depth and balance to the savory and salty flavours of the sauce. The nutty essence of sesame oil brings another dimension to the dish, and the chopped green onion gives it freshness and a bright allure. This is a tangy, sweet and savoury BBQ sauce that you can serve with grilled beef or chicken.
Cooking
Though not as common as barbecue in the West, Japanese table-side grilling (yakiniku) is a popular way to enjoy high-quality beef. It is usually cooked to order, allowing guests to try a variety of cuts, including the boneless short ribs called karubi and lean roast or ribs known as rosu, along with beef tongue and tan.
The cooking process is accompanied by a wide range of ingredients and condiments to complement the meat, from fresh vegetables to various sauces. The dipping sauces vary among restaurants, and many use traditional soy sauce as well as variations on the classic goma dressing. There are also more inventive dipping sauces, such as the sweet-and-sour goma sauce made with sesame oil and grated apple. The menus are often rounded out with seafood, chicken, and pork options.
