Easy Guide to Yakiniku at Home (Japanese BBQ)

A thin slice of beef with grill marks being picked up by chopsticks.

Easy Guide to Yakiniku at Home (Japanese BBQ)

If you love Korean BBQ, you’ll love cooking Japanese yakiniku at home! It’s such a fun and social way to cook, with so much flavour from simple ingredients freshly cooked on the grill and dipped in yakiniku sauce.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Japanese

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Servings servings

Calories 356kcal

Author Wandercooks

Cost $20

Ingredients

400 g beef steak 14.1 oz, thinly sliced
400 g pork 14.1 oz, thinly sliced
200 g pumpkin 7 oz, Japanese / Kent is best.
4 green peppers large, medium heat, sub capsicum for no heat
1 onion
¼ cabbage
¼ cup yakiniku sauce homemade or store bought

Instructions

Prepare all the ingredients you’ll be cooking with such as beef, pork, pumpkin, green peppers and onion. Layer them out on plates, so it’s easy for everyone to pick up their own slices to cook.
400 g beef steak, 400 g pork, 200 g pumpkin, 1 onion, ¼ cabbage, 4 green peppers
Prepare your dipping sauces (such as yakiniku sauce) near your hibachi ready to dip after grilling.
¼ cup yakiniku sauce
Heat up your cooker - whether you’re using electric, gas or a traditional charcoal based yakiniku hibachi grill.
You'll want a pair of eating chopsticks for everyone joining in the yakiniku party, then a pair of cooking chopsticks and / or skinny long tongs. Note: Never use the eating chopsticks to cook with, as this can damage them and it's not healthy or hygienic to touch raw meat then eat with the same utensil.
Cooking times: Thinly sliced meat will usually take around 30 seconds per side, but it heavily depends on how thick the slices are. Once there's no more pink, you're good to go! Vegetables will vary in cooking time and personal preference. Some people like their veggies charred on the hibachi, while others like a light sear on both sides. It's up to you!
Use the cooking chopsticks or tongs to place your selected meat or vegetables on your plate once you're ready to eat. You can then eat it plain, or dip it in your favourite sauce using your eating chopsticks.

Notes

Protect Your Cooking Area - Line your cooking area with newspaper to soak up any splashes and keep your surface clean.
Take Your Time - Only cook a few pieces of meat or vegetables at a time. That way you have plenty of time to savour each piece and won’t risk burning anything if you can’t eat them quick enough. Allow plenty of space between each piece so they can cook evenly.
Cooking Utensils - Mini tongs are great for cooking yakiniku, otherwise you can also use chopsticks (set aside a dedicated pair just for cooking - always use separate chopsticks for eating).
Mini Alfoil Trays - You can fold aluminium foil into small trays to simmer extra fine ingredients in a liquid based sauce (like shredded onion, daikon, or garlic in sesame oil.)
Assign a "Head Chef" - If there's too many cooks in the kitchen, and it's getting a bit messy, assign a "head chef" to cook everything for everyone, and have each person point to the pieces of meat or vegetable they'd like once it's cooked to their preference.

Nutrition