Tare (タレ) vs. Shio (塩) in Yakitori & Yakiniku

The contrast between Tare (タレ) and Shio (塩) reminds many of us Japanese of the Yakiniku (焼肉) grill or the Yakitori skewers.

While the latter, Shio (塩), is the Japanese word for salt, Tare (タレ) usually refers to a dipping sauce or a seasoning sauce used during cooking, as I wrote in this article.

Tare vs. Shio

For those unfamiliar with Japanese food culture, what Tare and Shio mean differs in Yakiniku and Yakitori.

Tare and Shio are the flavor options that are choosable when ordering Yakiniku meats or Yakitori skewers, but the ways served differ.

In Yakitori

In the latter dish, the chicken skewers are pre-seasoned with salt or a sweet soy sauce-based sauce by the chef while cooking according to your order. 

So after serving, you can eat them as they are. By the way, based on the Line research, the popularity proportion of Tare and Shio in Yakitori is almost 50/50.

In Yakiniku

On the other hand, in Yakiniku, you eat the meat you ordered, after grilling for yourself, with salt or a salt-based sauce (often Negi Shio) when choosing the Shio option.

Or if that is Tare, you eat the meat, after grilling for yourself, with a savory soy sauce-based dipping sauce typically pre-set on the table.

By the way, based on this survey by Mynavi News, more people (74.4%) prefer Tare when it comes to Yakiniku.