What is the Difference Between Shabu Shabu and Sukiyaki

Shabu shabu and Sukiyaki are two popular traditional Japanese hot pot dishes. Both involve thinly sliced meat and fresh vegetables cooked at the table. They look similar at first but are quite different in taste, cooking style, and experience.

What is the difference between Shabu Shabu and Sukiyaki? Shabu-shabu is cooked in plain hot water or light broth and dipped in sauces, while Sukiyaki is simmered in a sweet and savory sauce made of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Shabu Shabu  
     – Definition, Features
2. What is Sukiyaki
     – Definition, Features
3. Similarities Between Shabu Shabu and Sukiyaki
     – Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Shabu Shabu and Sukiyaki
     – Comparison of Key Differences
5. FAQ: Shabu Shabu and Sukiyaki
     – Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Key Terms

Hot Pot, Shabu Shabu, Sukiyaki

What is Shabu Shabu

Shabu-shabu is a Japanese hot pot dish where thin slices of meat and vegetables are boiled and served with dipping sauces. The name “shabu-shabu” comes from the sound of swishing the meat and vegetables in hot water or broth. Unlike sukiyaki, which is sweeter, shabu-shabu has a more savory flavor.

Shabu Shabu is usually made with thinly sliced beef. But other meats like pork, chicken, lamb, duck, crab, or lobster can also be used. Ribeye steak is a common choice, but some people also use other cuts like sirloin. High-quality beef, like Wagyu, is also popular for shabu-shabu. Along with the meat, ingredients like tofu, Chinese cabbage, mushrooms (shiitake and enoki), carrots, onions, and edible seaweed (nori) are commonly added. Some meals may also include noodles like udon, mochi, or harusame.

To eat shabu-shabu, you have to take a slice of raw meat or a piece of vegetable, dip it into the boiling water or kelp broth, and swish it around until it’s cooked. Since the meat is very thin, it only takes a few seconds to cook. After cooking, the food is generally dipped into a flavorful sauce like ponzu (citrus soy sauce) or goma (sesame sauce) and eaten with steamed rice.

What is Sukiyaki

Sukiyaki is a Japanese hot pot dish where thinly sliced beef is cooked at the table along with vegetables, tofu, and noodles. The ingredients are simmered in a broth made of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. After cooking, the food is often dipped into a small bowl of raw, beaten egg before eating.

Sukiyaki is generally eaten in winter. Although beef is most often used, in some areas like Hokkaidō and Niigata, pork may also be used. Other ingredients include firm tofu, scallions (negi), Chinese cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, and glass noodles made from konnyaku. Udon noodles or mochi are also sometimes added at the end to absorb the broth.

There are two main styles of sukiyaki. In Kanto-style (eastern Japan), the broth is prepared first, and then the meat and vegetables are simmered together. However, in Kansai-style (western Japan), the meat is cooked first, then seasoned with sugar, sake, and soy sauce before adding the vegetables. Generally, in both styles, raw egg is commonly used as a dipping sauce, and the meal is often served with steamed rice topped with black sesame seeds.

Similarities Between Shabu Shabu and Sukiyaki

1. Shabu-shabu and Sukiyaki are traditional Japanese hot pot (nabemono) dishes cooked at the table.
2. Both dishes use thinly sliced meat (usually beef) and a variety of vegetables.
3. Both commonly include ingredients like tofu, mushrooms, and leafy vegetables.
4. These dishes are popular in winter.

Difference Between Shabu Shabu and Sukiyaki

Definition

• Shabu-shabu is a Japanese hot pot where thin meat and vegetables are quickly swished in hot water or broth and dipped in sauces, whereas Sukiyaki is a Japanese hot pot where meat and vegetables are slowly simmered in a sweet and savory soy-based sauce.

Cooking Style

• In Shabu-shabu, diners cook thin slices of meat and vegetables by swishing them in boiling water or light broth at the table. Meanwhile, in Sukiyaki, the ingredients are simmered together slowly in a sweet and savory sauce made of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin.

Common Broth

• Shabu-shabu uses plain boiling water or a light kelp-based broth (konbu dashi), whereas Sukiyaki uses a richer broth made with soy sauce, sugar, mirin, and sometimes sake.

Flavor

• Shabu-shabu has a more savory and lighter flavor, whereas Sukiyaki has a sweeter and richer taste due to the flavorful sauce it is cooked in.

Dipping Sauces

• In Shabu-shabu, the cooked food is dipped into sauces like ponzu (citrus soy sauce) or goma (sesame sauce) before eating. But in Sukiyaki, the cooked food is usually dipped into a raw, beaten egg before eating.

Eating Style

• In Shabu-shabu, diners cook and eat one piece of food at a time, while in Sukiyaki, the meat and vegetables are cooked all together and then served.

FAQ: Shabu Shabu and Sukiyaki

1. Is sukiyaki or shabu shabu healthier?

Shabu-shabu is generally considered healthier because it uses plain water or light broth for cooking and has less sugar and fat compared to sukiyaki, which is cooked in a sweet, rich sauce.

2. What is the difference between shabu shabu and hotpot?

Shabu-shabu is one of many different types of hot pots. It is a Japanese style where thin slices of meat and vegetables are quickly swished in hot water or light broth and then dipped in sauces before eating.

3. Can I use shabu shabu meat for sukiyaki?

Yes, you can use shabu-shabu meat for sukiyaki. Both dishes use very thinly sliced meat, so the meat for shabu-shabu works well for sukiyaki, too.

4. What is the difference between shabu cut and sukiyaki?

The difference between shabu cut and sukiyaki cut is mainly the thickness of the meat slices. Shabu cut meat is sliced very thin, almost paper-thin, so it cooks quickly when swished in hot broth. Sukiyaki cut meat is slightly thicker.

5. Why is it called shabu shabu?

It is called shabu-shabu because of the “swish swish” sound made when stirring the meat in the hot water or broth.

Reference:

1. “Sukiyaki.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.
2. “Shabu-shabu.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Sukiyaki123” By MDRX – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Shabu-shabu”  By cyclonebill from Copenhagen, Denmark – Shabu-shabuUploaded by FAEP (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia