The Secrets behind Yummy Yakiniku

Let’s agree on this – grilled meat definitely tastes better than pan-seared, braised, stewed, pan-fried or roasted meat – and this is definitely the case where fresh, quality and premium cuts are concerned. Grilling at high temperature speeds up what is called the “Maillard Reaction”, a chemical reaction between amino acids and sugars that contributes to browning and caramalized richness that results in delicious, flavourful and tasty meat. The high heat cooks the meat quickly, locking in the juices keeping the meat fresh, moist and succulent. Yum!

When fat from the meat drips into the fire, smoke arises coating the grilled meat with a distinctive flavour that is pleasure. Double Yum!

Binchotan - Charcoal that offers Yakiniku that Distinctive Edge

We lovingly choose the best quality charcoal for grilling because we want every mouthful of grill to give you that unforgettable, delightful taste that makes your toes curl up with bliss.

Yes, the second secret to our yummy yakiniku is in the type of charcoal used in grilling.

Charcoal is pure carbon, made by removing moisture, gases and impurities from wood through heating. According to European cave paintings, charcoal was used way back some 30,000 years ago. However, no one knows if this charcoal was produced deliberately or it was through an accidental fluke.

The way regular charcoal is produced is by heating and smouldering wood slowly at temperatures between 400 and 700 degree Celsius. This kind of black charcoal is easy to ignite but does not retain heat long enough which is why sometimes the meat is not cooked through or meat goes cold very quickly after it is cooked.

We are very selective in the choice of charcoal – we only use superior white charcoal or binchotan. Why it took some time for Gyutaro to be set up in Kuala Lumpur was because we wanted to make sure we have a consistent and reliable supplier of first-rate binchotan. Definitely, no ‘off-the-shelf’ binchotan is good enough for us.

Some really good reasons why quality binchotan is THE perfect choice for yakiniku:-

Burns at high temperature and retains the heat of the required temperature for grilling, enabling meat to be cooked quickly, sealing in the juicy sweetness of meat and keeping the meat moist and tasty;
Emits far-infrared rays that retains the tasty juices of the meat for a longer time, allowing time to truly savour the meat;
Produces a little white smoke that creates a delightful smoky taste that satisfies the palate;
Odourless and cleaner with less ash residue, making the meal healthier;
Less processed than wood or black charcoal which usually contains chemicals to make them easier to start. In fact, firing up binchotan is an elaborate process that requires a lot of skills.

Those who avoid eating grilled or BBQ food because they believe that eating charred food makes the body ‘heaty’ will be glad to know that when using binchotan, the meat cooks quickly without charring, hence our yakiniku is definitely a healthy choice!

This premium quality binchotan is our secret ingredient that makes Gyutaro’s yakiniku flavourful, tender and juicy, in short, amazingly delectable!