Tour du monde du BBQ #2 - In 2020, Kokko transforms itself into a globetrotter and offers you a "tour du monde du BBQ" to discover the history of grilling, smoking and roasting through different gastronomies. For our second rendez-vous, we're off to Japan. Put on your gloves, heat up the charcoal and set up the grills: off you go!
Japan's barbecue tradition
Although the Japanese eat a lot of fish, they're also very fond of meat, especially when it's grilled on the barbecue or, more precisely, Yakiniku. This is the Japanese way of cooking meat, fish and vegetables.
The ban on eating meat
Yet eating meat wasn't always allowed in Japan. Indeed, when Buddhism became the country's official religion, its consumption became taboo for a very long time, from the Middle Ages until the 19th century! It wasn't until the Meiji era that meat was reintroduced into Japanese gastronomy, and beef consumption was legalized in 1871.
At the time, the term Yakiniku was used to describe Western-style barbecues. In his 1872 book Seiyo Ryoritsu, Kanagaki Robun describes examples of Western menus. These included a cold meat dish for breakfast, and Yakiniku for lunch and dinner.
Yakiniku: Korean or Japanese?
The origins of Japanese barbecue are disputed. On the one hand, there are those who claim that Yakiniku is first and foremost a Korean grilled meat dish. The Japanese then reinterpreted it. In the opposite camp, in 2002, a program broadcast on NHK, Japan's public service television, explained that "while some tend to think that Yakiniku comes from Korea, it was born in post-war Japan". Other enthusiasts claim that Yakiniku originated in Japan, but that it was invented by Korean Zainichi, i.e. Koreans living in Japan. Who's right, who's wrong? In the meantime, one thing is certain: Yakiniku became very popular in Japan after the Second World War.
Japanese Yakiniku today
Nowadays, the word Yakiniku refers not only to the grilled meat, fish or vegetable dish, but also to the cooking method and device.
Traditionally, the Yakiniku, i.e. the grill, is placed above the charcoal in the centre of the table so that each guest can cook their meat, brought raw and marinated, as they wish. But how do you avoid the smoke of an indoor barbecue? An ingenious Japanese company found the solution by creating barbecues with a ventilation system in 1980. In Japan, people gather around Yakiniku both at home and in restaurants.
It's a convivial way to get together around the fire, to feast and warm up. Organize a winter evening around a Yakiniku-style BBQ!
What's good about Japanese BBQ?
Traditionally, the meats of choice for Yakiniku are beef and pork, but offal and chicken are also available. Cut into thin slices, the meat is first marinated in a sauce called... Yakiniku sauce! Yakiniku sauce is made from soy sauce, mirin (a sweet rice alcohol), various peppers, vinegar, onion and garlic. Among the most popular cuts are shoulder, loin, rib steak, skirt steak and beef tongue. On the pork side, brisket or cheek are generally served.
Once grilled, meat, fish or vegetables can be garnished with a sauce called "tare". There are many different types, most often based on miso and soy sauce, but they can also be made with sesame, sake, shallots, sugar, garlic, etc. These dishes are generally served with several "banchan", or side dishes. These dishes are generally served with several "banchan", or side dishes. These include the traditional rice bowl, but also vegetables and typical Korean recipes such as "kimchi", a vegetable salad fermented to give it a tangy, spicy note!
In addition to thinly sliced meat and skewers, "yakitori", a kind of Japanese-style tapas, are also grilled on the Yakiniku.
Discover our new yakitori recipes:
Rabbit skewers with honey and prunes
Pineapple noodles with orange sauce
Since 1993, August 29 has been declared "Official Yakiniku Day" in Japan, so we hope you won't wait until the end of summer to grill your yakitori on your Kokko!
