FOOD NEWS
Japanese-Style Grilling Reminds Us To Enjoy Simplicity
BY PEGGY AOKI
Meat is grilled in different ways around the world, and the Japanese grilled dishes called yakiniku are particularly elegant, relying on simplicity and impeccable technique.
Rather than using complex marinades and sauces, yakiniku dishes such as yakitori (grilled chicken) use either just salt and pepper or a soy sauce-based marinade called tare.
The specialty binchotan charcoal used in yakiniku is also meant to prevent flavors from being added to the meat, contrasting with intensely smokey American-style mesquite charcoal.
Premium cuts like ribeye, sirloin, and chicken thigh with exceptional marbling and tenderness are used at most eateries. The high-quality meat doesn't need any disguising.
All cuts of meat, as well as seafood and vegetables, are given special, individual attention by the grill masters. The salty, sweet, and umami tare also enhances the experience.
Commonly a blend of soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and garlic or sesame oil, the tare complements the grilled items, enhancing their natural flavors without overwhelming them.