Barbecued lamb shoulder Jingisukan

Name: Barbecued Lamb Shoulder Jingisukan
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: ¼ Kent pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into thin wedges; ¼ head green cabbage, cut into wedges; 2 green capsicums, sliced; 125 g beansprouts, washed; 1 brown onion, cut into rings; 60 ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil; 1.5 kg boneless lamb shoulder roast; 2 tbsp sake; 2 tbsp rice vinegar; 2 tbsp honey; 125 ml (½ cup) soy sauce; 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped; ½ brown onion, roughly chopped; 1 cm piece ginger, peeled2 tbsp sugar; 2 garlic cloves; 1 tsp chilli powder; salt and ground black pepper, to season

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Jingisukan is a Hokkaido grilled lamb and vegetable barbecue finished with a tangy-sweet soy-based sauce infused with apple and ginger. The defining trait is its complex, slightly sour sauce that balances rich lamb with vegetables cooked directly on the hotplate.

17 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
For the Genghis Khan sauce, put all the ingredients into a blender and blend into a puree. Refrigerate overnight.
2
Preheat the barbecue hotplate until very hot. Brush the vegetables with the oil and place on the grill. Cook until done to your liking, removing each vegetable as they are done and putting them onto a warmed serving plate.
3
Untie the lamb and cut into ½ cm thick slices. Grill the lamb until cooked to your liking and place on top of the vegetables, allowing the resting juices of the meat to drip onto the vegetables. Serve with the sauce.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Slice the lamb shoulder against the grain into ½ cm thick pieces; thinner slices cook faster on the hotplate and absorb sauce better.
Oil vegetables lightly and grill each type separately, removing when just cooked—they continue to soften after plating.
Blend the sauce until completely smooth and refrigerate overnight; the flavors meld and sharpen as it sits.
Don't overcrowd the hotplate; cook lamb and vegetables in batches so they sear rather than steam.

Substitutions

Mutton → lamb shoulder (as per recipe; both are traditional, lamb is milder)
Granny Smith apple → other tart apples or ½ tbsp extra vinegar (maintains sour note)
Sake → mirin or water (sake adds depth but is optional)
Kent pumpkin → butternut squash or kabocha (same texture and sweetness)

Storage & make-ahead

Refrigerate the Genghis Khan sauce in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Grill lamb and vegetables fresh to order; leftovers can be chilled and reheated gently on a skillet, though texture is best when freshly cooked.

Equipment

barbecue hotplate · blender

Common Questions

What cut of lamb works best for Jingisukan?

Boneless lamb shoulder roast is traditional, sliced ½ cm thick. It has enough marbling to stay tender when grilled quickly over high heat.

Can I make the Genghis Khan sauce ahead?

Yes. The recipe calls for refrigerating overnight, which actually improves flavor by allowing ingredients to meld. Make it 1–2 days in advance.

How hot should the barbecue hotplate be?

Preheat until very hot so vegetables and thin lamb slices cook quickly without drying out. High heat is essential for proper char and doneness control.

Can I substitute vegetables in Jingisukan?

Yes. The recipe uses pumpkin, cabbage, capsicum, beansprouts, and onion. Mushrooms, zucchini, or eggplant work well; avoid soft vegetables that collapse quickly.