Sukiyaki vs Shabu Shabu vs Yakiniku: Japanese Meat Dishes
Sukiyaki (すき焼き), Shabu Shabu (しゃぶしゃぶ), and Yakiniku (焼肉) are all Japanese dishes where meat is in the spotlight.
Sukiyaki vs. Shabu Shabu vs. Yakiniku
While Sukiyaki and Shabu Shabu are hot pots or nabemono, Yakiniku is a grill. But there is one thing in common; they come with dipping sauce.
Cooking
Sukiyaki (すき焼き)
Even though Sukiyaki and Shabu Shabu are both nabemono, their cooking methods are quite different.
Sukiyaki
In Sukiyaki, meat, vegetables, and other ingredients are simmered together in a shallow iron pot of a mixture of soy sauce, mirin (sweet cooking rice wine), sugar, and water.
Shabu Shabu
In Shabu Shabu, while we instantly cook the meat in a pot of kombu dashi broth by stirring, vegetables and other ingredients are boiled in the stock.
Yakiniku
In Yakiniku, we grill meat and vegetables on a gridiron for ourselves indoors.
Meat
Yakiniku (焼肉)
The main ingredient in Sukiyaki, Shabu Shabu, and Yakiniku is thinly sliced beef. In Shabu Shabu and Yakiniku, we also commonly prepare pork slices.
Unlike Sukiyaki and Shabu Shabu, Yakiniku even uses beef/pork offals called Horumon (ホルモン) or Motsu (モツ).
Other Typical Ingredients
| Sukiyaki | Negi (green onion), Hakusai (Chinese cabbage), Shungiku (crown daisy), Shiitake (mushroom), Enoki (mushroom), Yaki tofu, Shirataki (noodles), Fu (wheat gluten bread) |
|---|---|
| Shabu Shabu | Seafood (crab meat, thinly sliced octopus or yellowtail or seabream), Hakusai, Mizuna (potherb mustard), Shungiku, Negi, Shiitake, Enoki, Tofu |
| Yakiniku | Onion, Cabbage, Green pepper, Bean sprout, Carrot, Pumpkin, Eggplant, Shiitake, Korean lettuce |
Dipping Sauce
Shabu Shabu (しゃぶしゃぶ)
As mentioned above, in Sukiyaki, Shabu Shabu, and Yakiniku, we usually dip the cooked ingredients in a sauce before eating.
- We prepare a bowl of a beaten raw egg for Sukiyaki.
- Shabu Shabu typically comes with ponzu or sesame sauce.
- For Yakiniku, we prepare Yakiniku no Tare (焼肉のたれ) made with soy sauce, sugar, sake, sesame oil, grated garlic/ginger, and sesame seeds.
(Reference Pages: Wikipedia すき焼き, しゃぶしゃぶ, 焼肉 )
