Jingisukan: Hokkaido's local cuisine

Do you know Hokkaido's local dish, Jingisukan? This time, I will share with you about the charm of Jingisukan.

What is Jingisukan

Jingisukan is a Hokkaido's local cuisine of grilled mutton. Meat and vegetables are grilled together in a Jingisukan pot with a unique shape with a raised center. Jingisukan is also a Hokkaido heritage food as well as a soul food that is frequently eaten not only in shops but also at home in Hokkaido. There are various theories about the origin of Genghis Khan, but the most likely one is that a Chinese dish called "Kouyang Rou", a lamb barbecue was arranged for Japanese people. Today, there are Jingisukan specialty restaurants all over Japan and this is one of the must eat food when you visit Japan.

How to eat

1.  Place the beef tallow on a hot pan and spread evenly throughout
2. Put plenty of vegetables in the recessed area around the pot
3. Put enough meat on top of the pot (Be careful not to put too much meat on it, as it will not be manageable)
4. When the colour of the edges of the meat changes, turn it over
5. When lightly baked, it is ready to eat!

Recommended Jingisukan restaurants in Tokyo

Yukidaruma Nakanobeya

A former sumo wrestler owns this restaurant and specializes in Jingisukan. It is a famous restaurant that has been featured in a lot of the Japanese media. They offer Icelandic lamb which is only 1% of Domestic sheep imports in Japan. In Iceland, pesticides and insecticides cannot be used in feed. Therefore, the meat of lamb raised in that safe environment is very tender and does not have a peculiarity in fat. In addition, not only Jingisukan but also the tsukemen you can order at the end is also the best with plenty of meat and vegetable extracts. Please give it a try.

Jingisukan Yoichi

It is a Jingisukan specialty restaurant that uses carefully selected Australian lamb meat and offers a tender shoulder loin with good fat. The sauce has a dark soy sauce base and a blend of several kinds of fruits and vegetables, giving it a hint of sweetness. However, it is a sauce that does not insist too much and enhances the taste of the meat. The restaurant is small yet stylish, and there are counter seats where you can easily drop in alone and Hori Kotatsu table seats at the back of the restaurant. I recommend making a reservation on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and other days when it is expected to be crowded.

Conclusion

I shared Hokkaido's local cuisine Jingisukan with you and restaurants where you can try the best Jingisukan in Tokyo. If you like mutton or not, when you visit Japan, please try it out. I bet you'll like it.