Yakiniku means grilled meat in Japanese. But you don’t need to fly to Tokyo to enjoy this style of Japanese barbecue, it’s easily done at home. It is one of the simplest forms of Japanese cooking you could do. Yakiniku is derived from the Japanese word ‘yaki’ which means grilled and ‘niku’ which means meat which is preferably beef meat. However, Yakiniku is a broader term that often describes the cooked and grilled meat which is pre-seasoned and marinated and cooked on open-flame grill or tabletop.It is also referred to as meat cooked in a griddle, tabletop grill or a simple pan. No matter what cooking method do you use, grilled meat is served with yakiniku sauce or seasoned with this sauce before grilling.there are some people who always want to be unique even in their taste and it’s the same for our recipe we offer a sauce to them who want to martinade the meat before putting it in the iron grill
What does Yakiniku taste like?
Yakiniku is made with tender and fine cuts of beef. The lean and tender meat has umami and mild sweet in taste. However, most restaurants serve it with a thick piece of beef.
It is usually served with yakiniku sauce which has sweet and savoury flavours. Furthermore, this sauce has some sesame essence too that is mainly used to season meat for grilling in Japan.
The best cuts of meat to use at home
I tend to go with the prime cuts of meat when preparing Yakiniku at home. A selection of two cuts not only gives a little variety but is fun to compare taste and texture. If you are able and your hip pocket allows go for a piece of wagyu. The above is a piece of sirloin (striploin), which was cut into 0.5cm (0.02 inch) slices. The thick piece of fat removed but reserved.
The grilled meat is melt in your mouth tender and flavour packed. Don’t be put off by the fat marbling through the cut, a good portion of it will melt away on the grill, plus you are only having a few slices.
The other cut of meat I tend to pick is beef eye fillet (beef tenderloin). Lower in fat, but tender. As the grilling is rather quick it works very well.
You can use any cut of beef you like, but do avoid cuts that are tough and associated with long cooking. If you enjoy offal don’t overlook that as an option as well.
Some other meat suggestions. Be sure to cut against the grain and around 0.5cm in thickness.
- Boneless short rib
- Blade slices (top part of chuck steak)
- Skirt steak
- Beef tongue
- Beef liver
What do you serve with Yakiniku?
Yakiniku sauce is typically served with yakiniku. Furthermore, grilled vegetables are paired with Yakiniku that includes cabbage, mushrooms, carrot and onions. Some diners also squeeze lemon juice over the slices.Japanese style potato salad, Steamed rice,Yakiniku sauce for dipping, Salt for sprinkling, Shichi-mi togarashi (chilli pepper blend) for sprinkling.
Amazing Homemade Yakiniku !!
Ingrédients
Yakiniku Sauce for Grilled Meat Ingredients :
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground roasted white sesame seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon whole roasted white sesame seeds
Yakiniku grilled meat Ingredients:
- 1-2 pieces wagyu beef sirloin/new york/striploin sliced into 5mm (0.2 inch) thick strips
- 1-2 pieces beef fillet sliced into 5mm (0.2 inch) thick strips
- 8 shitake mushrooms
- 1 white onion sliced
- 8 lettuce leaves
- yakiniku sauce the sauce we just made
- crushed soy sauce cucumbers
- boiled salted edamame
- Japanese potato salad
Instructions
Yakiniku Sauce for Grilled Meat Instructions :
- Peel and chop garlic clove.
- In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, mirin, sugar, sesame oil, and garlic.
- Heat over medium to high heat until sugar dissolves—about 3 minutes. Stir constantly to help dissolve sugar and prevent burning. Allow sauce to cool for about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Using a strainer, pour sauce into a small bowl to separate garlic pieces. Discard garlic.
- Add ground roasted white sesame seeds and whole roasted sesame seeds to the strained sauce. Mix gently.
- The yakiniku sauce is now ready to use. Use to dip meats and vegetables, or as a sauce to pour over meat.
- How to Store : The sauce may be stored in an airtight container for 5 to 7 days. It can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for a quick weeknight meal. Tips : The sauce has a concentrated flavor, so a little bit goes a long way. If you're going to use it as a dipping sauce for yakiniku, for younger children, or for those that prefer a milder flavor, simply add a bit of hot water to the sauce to dilute it. We like to stir-fry thin shabu-shabu or sukiyaki cuts of beef in a frying or griddle pan until well done then pour some of the sauce over the cooked meat, toss, and serve.
Yakiniku grilled meat Instructions :
- Place all ingredients on plates to be placed on table. Keep meat and vegetables separate.
- Place grilling ingredients and side dishes on the dining table and fire up the grill.
- Individuals place items on the grill to cook to the way they would like. Pull the item off of the grill, dip in sauce and eat.
Notes
- Boiled/steamed edamame pods with salt
- Crushed cucumbers
- Japanese style potato salad
- Lettuce leaves (to wrap meat if you want)
- Steamed rice
- Yakiniku sauce for dipping
- Salt for sprinkling
- Shichi-mi togarashi (chilli pepper blend) for sprinkling