Looking for Robatayaki ( Robata ) grill rcommendations and tips

[Paul Bacino]

Thought I might like to try fireside cooking..in house.  

 

Any tips or recommendations would be helpful.

 

 

[Eatmywords]

Safe to assume you're looking to go gas or electric? (less you have some amazing ventilation : )  Kosei's are supposed to be pretty good https://www.koseigrill.com/ 

 

[Paul Bacino]

More Home style cooking.

 

Had looked at these

 

https://www.korin.com/Charcoal-Barbecue-Konro-Lg_3

[Yiannos]

16 minutes ago, Paul Bacino said:

More Home style cooking.

 

Had looked at these

 

https://www.korin.com/Charcoal-Barbecue-Konro-Lg_3

 

I don't know about the rest of the cooking competition world, but these things have been ubiquitous on Masterchef Australia for years. The only knowledge I have is from watching contestants use them, but they seem super versatile. It feels like I have seen EVERYTHING cooked on them, from small pieces of veggies to getting a nice char on huge bone-in steaks. Like you I am sort of interested in picking one up to use in the kitchen, they are relatively inexpensive as far as some of these toys go and seem like a fun way to mix it up. The only thing holding me back is the ventilation issue as @Eatmywords mentioned, charcoal is usually a big no-no indoors because of the carbon monoxide it can give off, and they can get extremely hot apparently. I have a nice range hood which I think would be fine, but would also love to hear from others with any experience.

[Eatmywords]

Nice, if you're going coal, you have lots of options.  I w think you can go even smaller.  This one gets nice reviews and at a price that allows for any regrets should you never use it again or very often https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Sense-Large-Yakatori-Charcoal/dp/B003601SRA/ref=pd_sbs_60_2/144-9086235-4791742?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B003601SRA&pd_rd_r=d353a46c-e646-4ced-abd7-997c42a84445&pd_rd_w=aIxF6&pd_rd_wg=Axjkg&pf_rd_p=b65ee94e-1282-43fc-a8b1-8bf931f6dfab&pf_rd_r=3SXQZB4PBMARK9KQVM22&psc=1&refRID=3SXQZB4PBMARK9KQVM22

 

 

[Yiannos]

@Eatmywords do you have any idea where that one is made? It seems so cheap compared to almost every other one I've looked at, but I have only looked at Japanese made models. This one says "Japanese style" all over the place but at that price I wonder what it's really like. Seems nice and overall has good reviews, but at the same time I am so skeptical about star ratings online, they are manipulated so easily, it would be nice to hear from someone outside of the Amazon bubble that has used one for a bit. Like you said though, for $55 maybe worth a try.

[Eatmywords]

12 minutes ago, Yiannos said:

 

I don't know about the rest of the cooking competition world, but these things have been ubiquitous on Masterchef Australia for years. The only knowledge I have is from watching contestants use them, but they seem super versatile. It feels like I have seen EVERYTHING cooked on them, from small pieces of veggies to getting a nice char on huge bone-in steaks. Like you I am sort of interested in picking one up to use in the kitchen, they are relatively inexpensive as far as some of these toys go and seem like a fun way to mix it up. The only thing holding me back is the ventilation issue as @Eatmywords mentioned, charcoal is usually a big no-no indoors because of the carbon monoxide it can give off, and they can get extremely hot apparently. I have a nice range hood which I think would be fine, but would also love to hear from others with any experience.

 

Yea, I mean you're basically bringing a bbq in to the house right?  You'd prob want at least 350CFM range hood exhaust.  🔥😲🔥 

[Eatmywords]

12 minutes ago, Yiannos said:

@Eatmywords do you have any idea where that one is made? It seems so cheap compared to almost every other one I've looked at, but I have only looked at Japanese made models. This one says "Japanese style" all over the place but at that price I wonder what it's really like. Seems nice and overall has good reviews, but at the same time I am so skeptical about star ratings online, they are manipulated so easily, it would be nice to hear from someone outside of the Amazon bubble that has used one for a bit. Like you said though, for $55 maybe worth a try.

 

Uuuhm, I'd bet at this price point it's China.  The Home Depot reviews btw are pretty good too.  I would be hesitant to bring it indoors esp if not using japanese charcoal w burns cleaner.  

[Paul Bacino]

1 hour ago, Yiannos said:

 

I don't know about the rest of the cooking competition world, but these things have been ubiquitous on Masterchef Australia for years. The only knowledge I have is from watching contestants use them, but they seem super versatile. It feels like I have seen EVERYTHING cooked on them, from small pieces of veggies to getting a nice char on huge bone-in steaks. Like you I am sort of interested in picking one up to use in the kitchen, they are relatively inexpensive as far as some of these toys go and seem like a fun way to mix it up. The only thing holding me back is the ventilation issue as @Eatmywords mentioned, charcoal is usually a big no-no indoors because of the carbon monoxide it can give off, and they can get extremely hot apparently. I have a nice range hood which I think would be fine, but would also love to hear from others with any experience.

 

 

I actually have a high efficient  side vent draw,  that will  probably remove most problems associated with cooking.  Then I can cook directly on my static cook top..Thanks for enlighten me on this issue

 

Edited September 3, 2020 by Paul Bacino (log)

[btbyrd]

I have one of the medium konros from Korin. I never use it inside for two reasons. The first is ventilation, which may not be an issue for some. In addition to the carbon monoxide risk, certain foods (like fatty steak or chicken with skin) produce a significant amount of smoke when cooking. The other reason is that binchotan can pop and spark, especially when you're lighting it or it's burning really hot. I worry about little bits popping off and scarring the floor (or worse). This isn't much of an issue in a commercial kitchen, but in a home setting it presents a problem.

 

One thing to note about konros is that they function differently from most other grills, in large part because the heat source is so close to the surface of the food being grilled. This makes it ideal for relatively thin pieces of food and less good for, say, a thick steak (that hasn't been cooked sous vide first). Fatty/drippy foods pose grease-fire flare-up problems; I'd never attempt to grill a hamburger on one, for example. Because of the thick ceramic construction, most of the heat goes straight up instead of radiating out the sides, so it is efficient. Getting used to grilling this way takes some time and experimentation, but it's a fun way to cook. It does lend itself toward particular foods, so I wouldn't say that a konro is a great general purpose grill.

 

If you do decide to get one, pick up a few extra grilling "nets" along with a fan to blow air at the charcoal. I thought the fan was just a superfluous and somewhat precious accessory until I used it; it's extremely useful when you need to crank up the heat. I also take mine camping to work as a campfire bellows. Aramaru charcoal from Korin strikes the right balance between price and performance. It's made in Vietnam from hard wood, and is not extruded like sumi charcoal or Thaan. It burns hotter, longer, and cleaner than those. As mentioned, it can spark during lighting, so don't hover your face over the chimney.

[Paul Bacino]

  Thanks      @btbyrd    What coal are u using and where are u getting it?

Edited September 4, 2020 by Paul Bacino (log)

[palo]

7 minutes ago, Paul Bacino said:

  Thanks      @btbyrd    What coal are u using and where are u getting it?

 

He might have meant charcoal

 

p

[btbyrd]

Aramaru Vietnamese binchotan from Korin. It's not "as good" as the Japanese white binchotan, but it's sooo much cheaper. I can't see myself paying $300+ for a box of charcoal.

[Eatmywords]

Good stuff bt!  Gotta love EG.  Always someone with a wealth of knowledge on the obscure (at least for us gaijin) 🗾. 

[Paul Bacino]

Any good books on use and cooking ?

[btbyrd]

Yakitori is the type of cuisine best suited toward konro cooking, and Matt Abergel's "Chicken and Charcoal" is the best English language reference on the topic. It's professional in that it doesn't dumb down its contents for a home cook audience, but the ingredients and techniques are all very accessible. It does focus quite a bit on yakitori butchery, but breaking down birds for skewers is a big part of what konro cooking is about -- at least in my opinion.

 

There are other books that target home cooks (such as Tadashi Ono's "The Japanese Grill" and Silla Bjerrum's "Robata") but they are quite elementary if you're already kinda-sorta familiar with Japanese cooking. If you did want to pick one of those up though, Robata is the superior book and is probably the most accessible reference on Japanese charcoal grilling. But at its heart, konro / robata cooking is somewhat basic : high quality ingredients prepared simply and cooked over quality charcoal. It can also be a nice finishing step for sous vide protein or blanched vegetables. None of this is to suggest that there's no technique or finesse involved in cooking this way -- far from it. But it's mostly the sort of thing you learn from experience rather than reading about.

 

ChefSteps also did a turkey yakitori class recently for Thanksgiving. Again, a lot of it focused on how to break down the bird for skewers... but that's a big draw of cooking with konros.