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 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, which is that they come with dipping sauce.
Cooking
Sukiyaki (すき焼き)
Although Sukiyaki and Shabu Shabu are both nabemono, the cooking methods are quite different.
Sukiyaki
In Sukiyaki, meat, vegetables, and other ingredients are simmered together in a mixture of soy sauce, mirin (sweet cooking rice wine), sugar, and water in a shallow iron pot.
Shabu Shabu
In Shabu Shabu, while the meat is instantly cooked in a pot of kombu dashi broth by stirring, vegetables and other ingredients are boiled in the stock.
Yakiniku
In Yakiniku, meat and vegetables are grilled on a gridiron by eaters indoors.
Meat
Yakiniku (焼肉)
The main ingredient in Sukiyaki, Shabu Shabu, and Yakiniku is thinly sliced beef. In Shabu Shabu and Yakiniku, pork slices are also commonly eaten.
Unlike Sukiyaki and Shabu Shabu, Yakiniku uses even beef/pork innards 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, after cooking ingredients, you eat them dipping in a sauce.
- Sukiyaki ingredients are dipped in a bowl of beaten raw egg.
- Shabu Shabu ingredients typically come with ponzu or sesame sauce or the two.
- Yakiniku ingredients are dipped in “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 )
