Easy Guide to Yakiniku at Home (Japanese BBQ) (2024)

Just like hot pot, you want to ask your local butcher or scout out your supermarket for nice and thin slices of meat where possible. Here’s some of our top picks:

– Hot Pot Meat – Usually found in the freezer or fridge section of your local Asian supermarket, you’ll find a huge range of thinly sliced beef or pork that will cook nice and fast on the hibachi.
– Sandwich Steak, Sizzle Steak or Minute Steak – In Australia, this is one of our favourite options. It’s a little thicker than hot pot meat, but more widely available in most supermarkets. Simply slice up the steak into strips and you’re good to go! It’s usually available in both beef and pork options.
– Pork Rashers or Pork Belly Slices – These are the BBQ Ultimates (in our mind anyway!). As they’re high on the fat ratio, you’ll find it can really crisp up and soak up that charcoal flavour. They can be found in most supermarkets or Asian grocers.
– Stir Fry Meat – If you can’t find thinly sliced, then stir fry sliced meat is your second best bet. Whether it’s beef, pork or chicken, the small strips should still cook fairly quickly on your hibachi.
– Hambagu (Japanese Hamburger Steaks) – Make smaller style hamburger patties and throw them on the grill too.
– Tofu Steaks! – If you’re veggo or vegan, don’t miss out, and slice up a big slab of firm tofu into thin steaks. Marinate your tofu beforehand for an even more epic flavour combo.

What You’ll Need

• Beef and/or Pork – Thin slices of well marbled beef are extra juicy and flavourful on the grill. You can also use short ribs (bone removed) or pork belly diced into small bite sized pieces.
• Vegetables – Today we’re using thin slices of Japanese pumpkin (also known as kabocha or kent pumpkin), chunky onion wedges, green peppers and green cabbage leaves diced into chunks. You can also add thin slices of oyster mushroom or small bunches of enoki or shimeji mushroom.
• Yakiniku Sauce – Find store bought yakiniku sauce from well stocked supermarkets or Asian grocers. It’s also super easy (and even tastier) to make homemade yakiniku sauce!

Other Ingredients and Marinade Ideas

• Beef Yakiniku – Plain or marinated in Korean bulgogi sauce or even the yakiniku sauce
• Chicken – Plain or marinated in teriyaki sauce
• Tsukune meatballs – Individually or on skewers
• Yakitori chicken – as pieces or on skewers
• Pork (or marinated with shogayaki ginger sauce
• Ribs – Usually served off the bone so it’s easier to cook and eat
• Seafood – Firm fish fillets (so they don’t fall apart), calamari or octopus
• Vegetables – Japanese pumpkin (also known as Kent), green cabbage, onion wedges
• Mushroom – Large oyster mushrooms sliced in half

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.

• ▢ 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

• 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.

• 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 Facts

Easy Guide to Yakiniku at Home (Japanese BBQ)

Amount per Serving

% Daily Value*

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.