Cooking with Hibachi Grills

Hibachi grills are generally small and portable. They use intense heat to sear-in the flavors and juices which make them ideal for cooking smaller food items such as burgers, thinner cuts of meat, seafood, kabobs, and my favorite of course, steaks. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, nothing does a better job on steak than grilling with hibachi grills.

Due to the extremely high heat hibachi grills use it is imperative that caution is taken to avoid over cooking on the outside, or under cooking on the inside. They are designed to cook smaller food items, but that does not mean that larger items cannot be cooked as well, so long as care is taken. A method I often use is to build what is known as a 2 level fire. I put more coals on one side of the grill than the other which gives me a hot side, and a not so hot side. This configuration opens many possibilities.

Big juicy steaks are definitely my favorite, and what better than a hibachi steak, but hibachi grills are also great for grilling small strips of meat (and tasty) too! Laying a few strips of beef, pork, or chicken perpendicularly on the grill and cooking for 2 or 3 minutes on each side works well and can make for a fun social event. By setting up the hibachi grill in the middle of the table the entire family can have a shot at playing grill master.

Hibachi grills also do a spectacular job on kabobs. Marinating is the trick to the perfect kabob. An easy recipe I often follow is to marinate the kabobs in a sweet and sour sauce for about 6 hours or so and then use the hibachi grill to cook each side for about 6 minutes. Cooking time can vary some depending on the size and ingredients of the kabobs. If there is no meat involved I typically cut it down to 3 – 5 minutes. Using steady heat will ensure consistent cooking which is yet another reason I prefer cast iron hibachi grills.

Whether it’s a social event for many, kabobs for a few, or steak for two, hibachi grills offer many cooking options. And when it comes to hibachi recipes, the possibilities are unlimited.