Make this delicious yakiniku recipe just like the ones from popular Japanese yakiniku restaurants in the comfort of your own kitchen. Charcoal grilled slices of beef served along side a sweet, savory, umami filled dipping sauce and a side of veggies!
If you like grilled meat, this recipe is for you! It’s very simple and easy to make plus you can also grill other types of meats and veggies. It’s fully customizable to your diet and dietary needs.
What is Japanese Grilled Beef Yakiniku?
Yaki means to “cook over heat” and niku means meat. So yakiniku basically means grilled meat. In Japanese culture, yakiniku and is a very popular dish with lots of restaurants specializing in serving Japanese BBQ.
Traditional, Japanese yakiniku consists of a small grill filled with charcoal place in the center of the table while different cuts of meats and vegetables are cooked on top of it. This communual style of eating is meant to be enjoyed with leisure and good company.
Most commonly, yakiniku is usually enjoyed in restaurants however, this recipe will show you how you can have that same great taste right in the comfort of your own kitchen.
What ingredients do I need and how do you make Japanese beef yakiniku?
Beef
- Beef – ribeye, chuck, or flank cut into 1/2 inch strips.
- Salt – table salt or sea salt.
- Black Pepper – fresh or pre-ground pepper.
Dipping Sauce
- Japanese Sake – use Japanese cooking sake which is fairly inexpensive and can be found in most Asian supermarkets.
- Soy Sauce – low sodium is preferred. For gluten free you can use tamari or coconut aminos.
- Sweetener – use your preferred sweetener.
- Bonito Flakes – made from shaved dried bonito fish. Commonly used to make broth and responsible for giving Japanese cuisine that signature umami flavor.
- Garlic – grated using a hand grater or fine cheese grater.
- Apple – grated using a hand grater.
- Sesame Oil – use toasted sesame oil (dark and rich in color). Check to make sure it is not a sesame oil blend.
- Sesame Seed – toasted sesame seeds found in most Asian supermarkets.
- Rice Vinegar – made from fermented rice and not interchangeable with white vinegar. Rice vinegar is a little sweet and tangy while white vinegar is very strong and sour. For this recipe, you can sub with white vinegar.
Combine Japanese sake, soy sauce, sweetener, and bonito flakes or hondashi into a stovetop pot. Bring the sauce to a soft boil and remove from heat. Strain the sauce and place into a mixing bowl.
Add grated garlic, grated apple, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar and toasted sesame seeds. Mix well and place in the fridge until ready to use. Pro tip, the sauce will taste the best if leftover in the fridge overnight.
Prepare your choice of meat and vegetables seasoned with salt and black pepper. Grill on BBQ to preferred doneness and serve with dipping sauce.
What is the traditional yakiniku dipping sauce recipe?
Traditional yakiniku dipping sauce is sweet, savory with a unique umami flavor from the bonito flakes.
It has a soy sauce base with grated fruits for sweetness and vinegar for a little tart.
What kind of meat do you use for yakiniku?
You can use any cut of meat you prefer. Some ideas include: ribeye, flank, and chuck sliced about 1/2 inch pieces.
What kind of side vegetables goes well with yakiniku?
- Shishito
- Onions
- Bell Pepper
- Mushrooms
- Carrots
- Squash
What is the nutrition information for this beef yakiniku recipe?
- 545 Calories
- 3g Carbohydrates
- 1g Fiber
- 33g Protein
- 42g Fat
- 121mg Cholesterol
- 1769mg Sodium
- 520mg Potassium
- 36mg Calcium
- 4mg Iron
- 0ui Vitamin A
- 1mg Vitamin C
Looking for other grilled Japanese recipes?
- Japanese Beef Skewers Kushiyaki
- Japanese Chicken Skewers Yakitori Negima
- Bacon Wrapped Quail Eggs Yakitori
- BBQ Lobster Tails with Miso Mayo Garlic
- Japanese Grilled Squid
Now, let’s get making this Japanese Grilled Beef Yakiniku recipe!
- Prepping Time 5M
- Cooking Time 10M
- Total Time 15M
- Net Carb/Serv ~3g
- Servings 2
Ingredients
Beef
- 3/4 lb Ribeye, Chuck, or Flank in 1/2″ Strips
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1/8 tsp Black Pepper
Yakiniku Dipping Sauce
- 2 tbsp Japanese Sake
- 3 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1/2 tbsp Sweetener (sugar alternative, sugar or preferred sweetener)
- 1 tbsp Bonito Flakes (can sub with 1/8 tsp of hondashi)
- 1 Garlic Clove
- 1 1/2 tbsp Grated Apple (about 1/4 Medium Apple)
- 1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
- 1 tsp Toasted Sesame Seed
- 1/2 tsp Rice Vinegar (can sub with White Vinegar)
- 1/8 tsp Black Pepper
Directions
1) Gather all the ingredients.
2) Use a paper towel to pat down any excess moisture from slices of beef. Sprinkle on salt and black pepper and set aside at room temperature.
3) In a stove top pot, add Japanese sake, sweetener , Soy Sauce and Bonito Flakes (or hondashi and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer and let it simmer for 1 minute. After 1 minute has passed, strain Bonito Flakes with a strainer and use a spoon to push out any excess juices from the Bonito Flakes. Transfer sauce to a mixing bowl and set aside to cool down. Note – if using hondashi, no need to strain.
4) In the meantime, peel skin off of the apple and use a grater to grate apple and garlic cloves. Place inside the mixing bowl along with Sesame Oil, Toasted Sesame Seeds, Black Pepper and Rice Vinegar. Give the sauce a nice mix and place in fridge until ready to use. Note – the yakiniku dipping sauce will taste best after sitting in the fridge overnight but not required.
5) Preheat grill on high until temp reaches ~350F. Once the grill is up to temp, place slices of beef on the grill. Close lid and cook for ~1 minute until browned. Flip beef and cook for ~1 minute or until preferred liking. Transfer to a serving plate and serve with yakiniku dipping sauce!
Hope you enjoy your Japanese Grilled Beef Yakiniku!
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Japanese Grilled Beef Yakiniku
Ingredients
Beef
- 3/4 lb Beef Ribeye, Chuck, or Flank in 1/2" Strips
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1/8 tsp Black Pepper
Dipping Sauce
- 2 tbsp Japanese Sake
- 3 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1/2 tbsp Sweetener sugar alternative, sugar or preferred sweetener
- 1 tbsp Bonito Flakes can sub with 1/8 tsp of hondashi
- 1 Clove Garlic
- 1 1/2 tbsp Grated Apple about 1/8 Medium Apple
- 1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
- 1 tsp Toasted Sesame Seed
- 1/2 tsp Rice Vinegar can sub with White Vinegar
- 1/8 tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Use a paper towel to pat down any excess moisture from slices of beef. Sprinkle on salt and black pepper and set aside at room temperature.
- In a stove top pot, add Japanese sake, sweetener, Soy Sauce and Bonito Flakes and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer and let it simmer for 1 minute. After 1 minute has passed, strain Bonito Flakes with a strainer and use a spoon to push out any excess juices from the Bonito Flakes. Transfer sauce to a mixing bowl and set aside to cool down.
- In the meantime, peel skin off of the apple and use a grater to grate apple and garlic cloves. Place inside the mixing bowl along with Sesame Oil, Toasted Sesame Seeds, Black Pepper and Rice Vinegar. Give the sauce a nice mix and place in fridge until ready to use. Note - the yakiniku dipping sauce will taste best after sitting in the fridge overnight but not necessary.
- Preheat grill on high until temp reaches ~350. Once the grill is up to temp, place slices of beef on the grill. Close lid and cook for ~1 minute until browned. Flip beef and cook for ~1 minute or until preferred liking. Transfer to a serving plate and serve with yakiniku dipping sauce!
Video
Nutrition
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