Beef Yakiniku (Japanese BBQ)

Beef yakiniku is a Japanese BBQ usually grilled over an iron plate or charcoal. The word yaki or yaku in Japanese means to grill, and niku translates meat. This recipe is easy yakiniku done at home with a pan (or wok). It’s super easy to make with a few ingredients and perfect for days when you are craving melt-in-your-mouth beef with a sweet-savory sauce. This sauce is versatile and can be used as a marinade or dipping sauce.

Beef Yakiniku Ingredients

• Bowl of rice – this is optional, but yakiniku is usually eaten with rice. I like short grain Japanese rice.  
• Beef – Cut beef into bite-size pieces (about 1/4in thickness). I like to use fattier cuts of meat. I am using the Prime Short Rib cut of beef. You can use whatever cut of meat you like, such as flank, ribeye, filet, etc. You can also substitute with any other choice of protein. 

Sauce ingredients

• Green onion chopped
• Grated ginger
• Grated garlic (about 3 cloves)
• Pepper
• Sesame oil– I like using sesame oil because it adds more flavor to the sauce. You may substitute with your choice of oil
• Soy sauce – I use Japanese soy sauce like kikkoman.
• Mirin – Mirin is a sweet cooking wine used in many Japanese dishes. If you do not have it, you can omit it, but the flavor will not be the same.
• Sugar – You can substitute it with your choice of sweetener, such as honey. 

Can I use a grill for this recipe?

Absolutely! I love a nice grill on my meat, and if you have the time or energy, that would be great. If you have a grill, you can marinate the meat first or use the sauce as a dipping sauce. Yakiniku is usually made on the grill. However, this recipe is simplified for those who want yakiniku with minimal effort and time. In the following paragraphs, I will explain how to use the sauce as a marinade or as a dipping sauce. 

Beef yakiniku sauce

Since this recipe is beef yakiniku, I use beef as the main protein. However, I love using this sauce for anything! Just like any BBQ, yakiniku is not limited to beef. Here are some beef alternatives you can use this sauce with: 

• Chicken
• Pork
• Fish
• Other seafood
• Vegetables
• Rice

Can I use this sauce as a marinade?

This sauce is excellent as a marinade for any protein you like. All you need to do is combine the ingredients and marinade for a few hours, depending on the thickness of the protein. If you use thin cuts of meat, it will be done in 1-2 hours. If you want to marinade overnight, you can use thicker cuts of beef or dilute the sauce with water. You want to dilute the sauce because the meat may get too salty, especially if you marinate for a long time. 

Can I use this sauce as a dipping sauce?

You can use yakiniku sauce for many things! I love it on other proteins such as fish or chicken, on vegetables such as cabbage or broccoli, and simply over rice. Yakiniku sauce is so addicting that if you make some ahead of time, I promise you will be reaching for it for everything!

To make the sauce, combine all the sauce ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Let the sauce come to a boil and stir, making sure the bottom does not burn. It has a high sugar content, so you don’t want it to burn. Once it comes to a boil, stir for 2-3 minutes and remove from heat. The cooking process will cook the garlic and ginger, and the sauce will slightly thicken with a nice shine, similar to teriyaki sauce. Store it in a glass container with a seal and let it cool before putting it in the refrigerator. The sauce will hold up in the fridge for 1 week. 

Beef yakiniku in Japan

You can find yakiniku restaurants all over Japan. It is known not only for its good food but also for being a fun place to go with friends and family to hang out and bond with other good food and drinks. There are so many options available in Japan. I went to Yazawa on my recent trip to Japan in 2024 and loved it. They are a very popular chain in Japan and are known for good quality meat.

If you are in Los Angeles and want to experience Japanese yakiniku, there is also a Yazawa in Beverly Hills. They import meats directly from Japan. Here are my pictures from my experience in Yazawa in Tokyo, Japan.