Yakiniku

Yakiniku (Japanese Tabletop Grilled Beef)

Thinly sliced beef grilled at the table and dipped in a savory garlic-soy tare sauce. A fun, interactive meal that brings Japanese barbecue home.

Prep

20 min

Cook

15 min

Total

35 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •120 ml (½ cup) soy sauce
• •60 ml (¼ cup) mirin, sweet rice wine; substitute with 60 ml dry sherry + 1 tbsp sugar if unavailable
• •60 ml (¼ cup) sake, Japanese rice wine; substitute with dry white wine
• •30 g (2 tbsp) granulated sugar
• •2 cloves garlic, minced
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) toasted sesame oil
• •1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, for garnish, optional
• •400 g (14 oz) beef sirloin or ribeye, very thinly sliced, about 3 mm / ⅛ inch thick; ask butcher to slice or freeze 30 min and slice across the grain
• •1 tsp salt, for seasoning beef
• •1 tsp black pepper, for seasoning beef
• •4 servings cooked short-grain rice, for serving

Steps

1. 1 Make the tare sauce: In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, garlic, and sesame oil. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Set aside at room temperature.
2. 2 Prepare the beef: If the beef is not pre-sliced, place it in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up, then slice it as thinly as possible across the grain. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
3. 3 Set up a tabletop grill or a cast-iron skillet over high heat. If using a skillet, lightly oil the surface with a neutral oil (e.g., vegetable).
4. 4 Grill the beef slices in batches, cooking each side for 30–60 seconds for medium-rare, or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of at least 145°F (63°C) for safe consumption. Do not overcrowd the grill.
5. 5 Transfer the grilled beef to a serving plate and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, if using. Serve immediately with the tare sauce for dipping, along with steamed rice and optional lettuce leaves or grilled vegetables (e.g., bell peppers, mushrooms) if desired.