All You Need to Know! The Ultimate Yakiniku Guide

Best Ways to Use Sauces and Condiments

Dipping sauce (tare) for yakiniku is mainly divided into: tare, shio dare (salt-based sauce), and miso dare (miso-based sauce). Other common and simpler condiments include salt and soy sauce. This section covers the world of yakiniku condiments, talking about topics such as how to best make use of the lemon wedges that almost accompany beef tongue or the jar of gochujang that normally sits on the table.

Tare

Japanese barbeque sauces are mostly soy sauce-based and restaurants have their own recipes for their special mixture, which commonly consists of sugar, sake, garlic, and other ingredients. The quality of the sauce will greatly impact the flavor of the beef; as such, there are infinite variations of the sauce. Some yakiniku houses will have a regular sweet sauce (amakuchi dare) and a separate, spicier version (karakuchi dare), while most others will prepare just one simple tare, which is usually sweet.

Yakiniku sauces pair wonderfully with fattier cuts, because they help alleviate the intensity of the fattiness to make the meat easier to eat.

Shio Dare

The main ingredients for shio dare are salt and sesame oil. In some cases, other ingredients, such as lemon juice and/or sesame are added.

Despite the sesame oil, the sauce is surprisingly mild in flavor. When combined with a lean cut of meat, the flavor of the meat intensifies and becomes richer. A salt-based sauce can help refresh your palate after eating several kinds of meat and offal with a stronger, richer flavor. A tip is to switch back and forth between tare and shio dare!

Miso Dare

This has a deep, creamy flavor thanks to the miso that it's based off of, and is frequently used to season cuts that are relatively bland on their own or offal with a distinct odor.

It is often used as a marinade for offal cuts. When grilled, the aroma of the miso intensifies, adding a mouthwatering flavor. However, it can burn easily, so it will require some care when cooking.

Shio

Shio, or salt, is the simplest and most primary type of seasoning. It brings out the inherent flavor of the beef. Most often, it will go hand in hand with pepper. Some restaurants will season with rock salt instead.

Salt works best with beef cuts that have a strong umami. Rock salt is suggested for richer, beefier meats. This seasoning is also a great match with cuts that have a high fat content.

Soy Sauce / Soy Sauce with Wasabi

As with salt, soy sauce is a simple condiment that in no way covers up any of the unfavorable qualities the meat may have. It is great just on its own, but it also goes well with wasabi, red pepper, ginger, and other things. Keep in mind that not all yakiniku places have soy sauce ready at your disposal. 

Soy sauce is great with any meat cut, but it may not pair well with some offals. A bit of wasabi with the soy sauce will add zest to the robust flavor of the meat, while at the same time refreshing the palate.

Gochujang

You may have seen this reddish condiment contained in a small jar. It is a common paste used in Korean cuisine that's characterized by a sweet and spicy taste. 

If you find the tare too sweet, a dab of gochujang will add a little pop to its flavor. Gochujang with some juicy ribs is a match made in heaven!

Lemon

Beef tongue will almost always be served with a side of lemon.

Squeeze the lemon over the cooked meat and enjoy the refreshing tang! It's no good to sprinkle the lemon juice before grilling, as it'll lose all of its flavor. The best method is to dress the meat with lemon juice just before eating.

Breeds of Wagyu

Wagyu can be separated into 4 main breeds.

Crossbreeding the indigenous cattle of Japan with non-Japanese breeds results in improved breeds of beef cattle, which are collectively called "Wagyu" in Japan. It pertains only to the 4 breeds mentioned below.

On the other hand, domestic beef cattle (kokusan-gyu) refers to any cattle raised in Japan for a certain period of time, regardless of breed. In other words, as long as the cattle are raised in Japan for a given period, they can be labeled as domestic beef cattle. These cattle should not be confused with dairy cattle breeds, which are sometimes also labeled as domestic cattle.

・Japanese Black

The majority of Wagyu raised in Japan are of this strain, Kuroge Wa (Japanese Black). It is known for its delicious fat, as well as its intense marbling, which can even be seen in the red meat.

・Japanese Brown

Akage Wa (Japanese Brown) are raised in the Tohoku region, Hokkaido, Kyushu's Kumamoto Prefecture, and Shikoku's Kochi Prefecture. It is lean and not so fatty.

・Japanese Shorthorn

Nihon Tankaku (Japanese Shorthorn) are mainly raised in Iwate Prefecture, Aomori Prefecture, and Akita Prefecture in the Tohoku region, as well as in Hokkaido. It is lean and tender.

・Japanese Polled

Only a small number of Mukaku Wa (Japanese Polled) exist. They are an improved breed of the cattle native to Abu of Yamaguchi Prefecture in the Chugoku region. It is extremely lean.

Grades of Beef

What does "A5" mean in the grading system?

The grading system of meat originally began as one part of several efforts to revamp the distribution of beef. The yield grade refers to the volume of the meat after removing the excess and is ranked from A to C. Furthermore, the quality of the meat is graded under 4 categories for: (1) the level of marbling, (2) the color and brightness, (3) the firmness and texture, and (4) the color, luster, and quality of fat. The quality grade is classified from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest. Hence, the most superior grade is A5.

As a side note, the points allotted within the same rank will vary, and how fatty one prefers the meat is different for each individual. Therefore, you should consider this grading system as one of the many criteria for selection.

Another point to add is the fact that all cattle raised in Japan are given individual identification numbers to ensure the traceability of the beef, right down to its origin. This is effective in preventing the mislabeling of meat products and in providing safe and high-quality beef to consumers.

Top Beef Brands

There are over 250 brands of beef in Japan!

There are currently over 250 brands of beef in Japan. In order for beef to qualify as a brand, it must be in accordance with the descriptions defined by the relevant promotion associations. However, there are no specific rules for each criterion, so it would be wiser to consider this knowledge as one of the many gauges for judging the quality of the beef, instead of implicitly believing that all branded beef are delicious.

・Matsuzaka Beef [Mie]

One of the most acclaimed Wagyu brands in Japan, Matsuzaka beef is the first beef to be trademarked. It is sometimes incorrectly referred to as "Matsuzaka-gyu", but the proper title is "Matsuzaka-ushi".

・Kobe Beef [Hyogo]

Generally referred to as "Kobe-gyu". This title is only given to meat of Tajima cattle, which is a Japanese Black breed raised in Hyogo Prefecture. In addition, the meat must be up to par with the specified standards.

・Omi Beef [Shiga]

Omi beef is known for its rich fragrance, as well as for its tenderness. It has a long history as one of the oldest brands of beef in Japan.

・Yonezawa Beef [Yamagata]

This title is only given to the meat of Japanese Black cattle raised in and around Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture, that have met the specified criteria. Raised in an environment with extreme temperature swings, the meat is extremely firm, yet at the same time tender with melt-in-the-mouth marbling.

・Maesawa Beef [Iwate]

There are strict criterion for being titled as Maesawa beef. For example, the cattle must have been raised in Maesawa City of Iwate Prefecture in the Tohoku region, and it must have a quality grade of 4 or above. The meat is characterized by its vivid, impressive marbling.

 

There are many more brands to mention such as Sendai beef (Sendai-gyu) from Miyagi, Miyazaki beef (Miyazaki-gyu) from Miyazaki, and Hidaka beef (Hidaka-gyu) from Gifu just to name a few. It'll be fun to explore the different brands and discover the beef that suits your taste buds. 

Tips on Eating Yakiniku

At most yakiniku restaurants, the patrons will grill their own meat at the table. That is why it's perfectly okay to grill the meat to your preferred degree of doneness and eat them in any way you like. However, it might be good to have some prior knowledge about the best sequence in which to grill the meat to enjoy the experience from beginning to end.

Would You Like That With Sauce or Salt?

Upon ordering the meat of your choice, you'll usually be asked, "Tare ni shimasu ka? Shio ni shimasu ka?" This means that the restaurant can serve the meat marinated in either a regular sauce or in a salt-based marinade (or sometimes seasoned with salt and some other condiment), so they want to know which one you'd prefer.

You are free to choose as you feel fit. Please do refer to the aforementioned sections for advice on what condiments go well with each of the beef cuts. 

In addition, some of the offal cuts will be marinated in miso dare. Grill these with great care as not to char the dressing too much.

The Order of Grilling Meat

It is advised to begin with grilling the cuts that have not been seasoned with sauce, like beef tongue. If you grill marinated and juicy cuts like galbi first, the grill grate will be contaminated with the burnt sauce and drained fat. You don't want to ruin a good beef tongue by cooking it on a sticky grill!

It's better to cook the leaner cuts prior to going for the fatty cuts for the same reason. 

To conclude, the recommended sequence in which to grill the meat is:

・Grill the sauce-less cuts first

・Grill the leaner cuts first

Types of Grill Grates and How to Change Them

There are mainly two types of grills available at yakiniku restaurants:

・Teppanyaki (ingredients grilled on an iron griddle)

・Sumiyaki (ingredients grilled on a grate over charcoal)

Generally speaking, teppanyaki is suited for cuts like galbi and charcoal-grilling is suggested for offal, but either style works just fine.

If your grill has accumulated burnt sauces and fat, you may ask the server to replace the grill grate with a fresh one. However, note that some restaurants charge for the grill grate and they may not welcome your requests to change the grill if asked too frequently. In many occasions, the server will offer to change the grill grate, so don't hesitate to take up the offer.

My Grill is Up in Flames! What Do I Do?

When you're grilling cuts with lots of fat, such as galbi and small intestines, the drained fat will catch fire and the grill will occasionally go up in flames. In such cases, keep calm and take the meat off or move it to the side of the grill and wait for the flame to subside or call the nearest server for help. If the server comes to you with ice cubes, place them on the grill to put out the flames. Some offal specialty restaurants will offer a side of ice cubes, so use them when necessary.

Note that once the grill goes ablaze, the meat will likely burn and all the flavor will be lost. Never leave the meat sitting over a fire!

 

Well, that's a wrap! Out of all the dishes in Japanese cuisine, yakiniku ranks as one of the top. Once you have experienced the deliciousness of Wagyu, you'll be asking for more! Explore the wonders of yakiniku and discover your favorite restaurant, beef cuts, and cooking and eating methods!