Hokkaido Lamb Barbecue (Jingisukan)
ジンギスカン JingisukanSay it: jin-GHEE-soo-kahn
Jingisukan is Hokkaidō’s beloved lamb barbecue, named after Genghis Khan and cooked on a domed metal skillet. Thin slices of lamb are grilled with onions, cabbage, bean sprouts and peppers, then dipped in a sweet-savory soy tare. As the meat cooks, its juices slide down the dome and season the vegetables. It is a lively, communal dish for cold evenings, often eaten with rice and cold drinks. The result is tender lamb, crisp-edged vegetables and a deep sesame-garlic sauce.
Hokkaido Lamb Barbecue (Jingisukan)
ジンギスカン, Jingisukan
Pronounced jin-GHEE-soo-kahn
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, soy, sesame. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Tare
For the skillet
Method
Whisk the soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, sesame oil, garlic and ginger in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves; stir in the sesame seeds. Measure out half the tare and set it aside for serving.
Pat the lamb dry and cut into bite-size pieces. Toss with the other half of the tare and leave at room temperature for 10 minutes while you prepare the vegetables.
Arrange the onion, bean sprouts, cabbage, carrot and bell pepper on a large platter, keeping them separate.
Heat a dome-shaped jingisukan skillet or a large heavy cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and brush with the oil.
Place the vegetables around the rim of the dome, or around the edge of the skillet. Put the lamb on the top or center in a single layer and grill for 2-3 minutes, until the underside is browned and the edges crisp.
Turn the lamb and cook for 1-2 minutes more, until browned but still juicy; push the cooked pieces to the edge and cook the remaining lamb in batches.
Turn the vegetables in the meat juices and cook for 4-6 minutes, until tender-crisp and lightly charred, moving them to cooler parts of the skillet if they brown too quickly.
Serve immediately, dipping the lamb and vegetables in the reserved tare; cook more batches as you eat.
Regional variants
Some Hokkaido cooks add grated apple or pear to the tare for extra sweetness, and many finish the meal by cooking udon noodles in the remaining sauce and juices.
Cook's notes
- Partially freeze the lamb for 30 minutes before slicing; thin slices cook quickly and stay tender.
- Do not crowd the skillet; cook in batches so the lamb browns instead of steaming.
- If you do not have a domed jingisukan skillet, a large cast-iron skillet or flat griddle works well—keep the vegetables around the edge and the lamb in the center.
Serve with
Steamed rice, cold beer or sake, and extra tare for dipping.
Make ahead and storage
The tare can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated; marinate the lamb just before cooking.
