What is the difference between Japanese BBQ and Korean BBQ?

What is the main difference between Japanese BBQ and Korean BBQ? Although the two are very similar, there are still some differences, which we will explore in this article.

Japanese BBQ and Korean BBQ are two different ways of cooking meat and vegetables. However, there are many similarities between the two.

Japanese BBQ and Korean BBQ traditionally use different types of fuel, such as charcoal, gas, and electricity.

The difference between Japanese BBQ and Korean BBQ is reflected in the following aspects:

Subcategories

There are two major categories of Korean BBQ, Galbi and Bulgogi. Galbi is about beef short ribs, while Bulgogi is about beef tenderloin or beef tenderloin.

Before grilling, the beef is thinly sliced ​​and marinated. Bulgarian barbecue is the most popular Korean BBQ in the Western world.

There are two main sub-categories of Japanese yakiniku, namely Japanese teppanyaki and yakisaki. It is believed that the origin of Japanese Yaksha can be traced back to South Korea, because Japan has Yaksha which is specially used to attract Japanese diners.

Teppanyaki means food cooked on an teppanyaki grill table / hibachi table.

Service Style

Korean BBQ may include grilling meat on the table, but there are still some steps to be done before eating.

Traditionally, this meat is wrapped in lettuce with some ingredients (such as hot sauce and kimchi) and eaten like a sandwich.

On the other hand, the service style of Japanese restaurants is much simpler. After the meat is cooked, it is processed with chopsticks and then dipped in sauce to taste.

Side Dish

One thing worth noting about Korean BBQ is that compared with Japanese BBQ, Korean BBQ usually comes with many side dishes.

Korean BBQ is usually accompanied by many interesting side dishes called semi-zen dishes. Common plate dishes include kimchi, dried squid, fish cakes, pickled radish and potato salad.

(If you order Korean BBQ in a restaurant, you should want to offer half-zen beside it. You should not confuse plate dishes with appetizers, because they are small side dishes and can be used as side dishes for a dinner.)

On the other hand, Japanese yakiniku is usually only served with selected raw vegetables and yakiniku.

Condiment

Another major difference between Japanese and Korean BBQ is the taste of the meat.

Korean BBQ is seasoned with marinade, while Japanese BBQ is the original flavor, but with sauce. Japanese BBQ dipping sauces include garlic, mirin, soy sauce and other interesting ingredients.

Type Of Meat

Beef is probably the most common type of meat among these two barbecue methods, but Korean BBQ also mainly includes pork and chicken.

However, when it comes to Japanese yakiniku, beef is the most common ingredient, although chicken is used in some cases. In Japan, grilled chicken is called Yakitori and is usually placed on skewers.

Final Thoughts

From the information provided here, it is obvious that there is not much difference between Japanese BBQ and Korean BBQ.

This is mainly because of the ingredients and additional spices used in Korean BBQ. However, you are free to try one or both of these two barbecue methods at home or while dining in a restaurant.

If you plan to eat out, you need to remember the word "Japanese BBQ", which is a subcategory of Japanese BBQ and is sometimes used in the process of grilling on the teppanyaki table.