If you’re getting tired of summers filled with just burgers and hot dogs, you may want to try putting something else on the grill this year. Whether you are new to eating Japanese food or one of its biggest fans, you may find delight in sampling Yakiniku, or Japanese Barbeque.

What is It?

Yakiniku means ‘grilled meat’ in Japanese, but the term commonly refers to the practice of cooking certain selections of meat, alongside vegetables, on a griddle over flame. Beef is generally the meat of choice, and the two most common types that are served include rousu, which are thin slices of marinated beef, and karubi, a short rib of beef slices. Other ingredients, such as tan (cow tongue), hatsu (heart), and rebaa (liver) can also be served, depending upon the wishes of the individual enjoying the meal.

What Makes Japanese Barbeque so Special?

In yakiniku restaurants, diners get to choose the type of ingredients, either individually or as a set, that they would like to have in their barbeque. These prepared ingredients are then brought to the table raw, and the diners get to cook the meal themselves, on a grill which is built into the center of their table. Since meat is generally cooked only a few pieces at a time, it generally doesn’t take very long until it is ready to eat. Waiting provides opportunity to socialize with friends, but for those who are impatient, there are often other side dishes served that can be eaten while waiting on the meat to grill. Rice, soup, and even Korean dishes such as kimchi, bibimbap, and namul are often served alongside.

Once the ingredients have been cooked, they are first dunked in tare, a Japanese dipping sauce, before being eaten. Though several sauces can be used, the most common one consists of Japanese soy sauce mixed with apple, sake, mirin, sugar, garlic, and sesame. Garlic and shallot-based dips, as well as miso-based sauces, are also sometimes used.

Where Can I Get It?

If you are interested in sampling Japanese barbeque, you don’t have to take a trip to Japan to try it out; there are many different yakiniku restaurants located throughout the United States. If you want to feel even more culturally aware, then try Japanese barbeque on August 29, the official “Yakiniku Day,” as proclaimed by the All Japan Yakiniku Association.

Yakiniku Recipe

For those of you who may be interested in trying to make your own Japanese barbeque, on your own grill in your own backyard, be sure to read next week’s article, which will feature a yakiniku recipe, complete with a special marinade and dipping sauce.