“So, should we start with 牛五花 or 横膈膜?”
Ideally, this is the first conversation you have when opening a menu at a 烧肉 restaurant.
“牛五花” (Short Ribs), the king of 烧肉, and “横膈膜” (横膈膜), which has gained immense popularity in recent years.
While both are excellent choices that go perfectly with rice, surprisingly few people can clearly explain the decisive difference between the two.
“Somehow, 牛五花 is fatty, and 横膈膜 is lighter?”
“I heard 横膈膜 is healthier, but is that true?”
Actually, not only are the taste and fat content different, but these two belong to completely different “genres of meat.”
In this article, we will explain the differences between “横膈膜” and “Beef Bara” (generally served as 牛五花) from a professional perspective to make your 烧肉 experience even more delicious.
[Difference #1] The True Identity of the Cuts | A Big Wall Between “Meat” and “牛内脏”
They both look like red meat. However, in the classification used by butchers and experts, they are clearly distinguished.
Beef Bara (牛五花) is “Meat”
The beef “Bara” meat generally served as “牛五花” comes from the stomach area (muscles around the ribs).
It is called “Bara” because it comes from the rib cage (Abara). Classification-wise, it is genuine “Boneless Meat” (Seiniku), just like Sir牛里脊 or Round.
Since it is a muscle that protects the body, it tends to accumulate fat, characterized by a rich, fatty umami.
横膈膜 is “牛内脏” (牛内脏)
On the other hand, 横膈膜 is the muscle of the cow’s diaphragm.
The diaphragm is the part that moves every time the cow breathes. Classification-wise, it falls under “牛内脏” (牛内脏/Variety Meat), just like 牛肝 or Intestines.
Many people are surprised, asking, “Wait, 横膈膜 is 牛内脏!?” but it is true.
Because it looks exactly like red meat and doesn’t have a strong organ-meat flavor, it is treated like “meat.” However, it is technically a muscle derived from organs.
横膈膜’s unique “texture where fibers unravel” and “deep umami” are characteristics born from the fact that it is a muscle constantly moving for respiration.
[Difference #2] Taste and Texture | “Sweetness of Fat” vs. “Umami of Meat”
Since their origins are different, naturally, their tastes differ as well.
Knowing the personality of each cut allows you to order according to your mood that day.
The Appeal of Beef Bara (牛五花): Explosive Fat
The charm of Beef Bara is, without a doubt, the “sweetness of the fat.”
Because it easily develops marbling (Sashi), the fat melts when cooked and spreads juicily in your mouth.
It pairs exceptionally well with sauce (Tare), giving you that intense satisfaction of “I’m eating 烧肉!”
It is the best partner when you want to shovel down white rice or crave a punchy flavor.
The Appeal of 横膈膜: Unraveling Texture and Meat Flavor
In contrast, the charm of 横膈膜 lies in its “depth of umami” and “great texture.”
While it has less of the heavy fat found in Beef Bara, it contains appropriate marbling, so it is never dry.
Its biggest feature is that the fibers are coarse and soft. When you chew, the fibers unravel, and the rich taste of the meat itself overflows.
横膈膜 fulfills the sophisticated desire: “I’m not in the mood for heavy grease, but I want the juiciness of meat.”
[Difference #3] The Truth About Calories | Is 横膈膜 Really Healthier?
We often hear people say, “I’m on a diet, so I’ll skip the 牛五花 and stick to 横膈膜.”
横膈膜 has a strong image of being healthy, but what is the reality?
The conclusion is that “there is no dramatic difference in calories themselves.”
Depending on whether it is imported beef or 和牛, comparing calories per 100g reveals that 横膈膜 contains a surprising amount of fat, so it is not a low-calorie ingredient like chicken breast.
However, the “quality of the fat” is slightly different.
The fat in Beef Bara (牛五花) melts easily, is rich, and plentiful. In contrast, 横膈膜’s fat is nestled between muscles and tends to drip off moderately when grilled.
Also, since 横膈膜 has a rich flavor, there is the merit that you can feel satisfied even with a smaller amount.
Rather than just looking at “numerical calories,” it is a fact that many people feel 横膈膜 is gentler on the stomach in terms of “not feeling heavy.”
Pro Tips! How to Grill Each Cut Deliciously
If the characteristics of the parts are different, the delicious way to grill them also changes.
When nurturing your meat on the grill, try to be conscious of the following points.
For Beef Bara (牛五花): “Drop the Fat and Make it Crispy”
With fatty Beef Bara, if you grill it too much, the fat drops and causes flare-ups (a “fire” state), causing soot to stick and ruining the flavor.
The point is to let the excess fat render while grilling the surface until crispy and fragrant.
The best time to eat is when the fat becomes transparent and the surface looks glossy, without overcooking the inside.
For 横膈膜: “Grill Thoroughly to Loosen Fibers”
If 横膈膜 is too rare, a unique raw texture may remain.
We recommend searing the surface firmly, then grilling it slowly to cook the inside, almost as if rolling it.
When the internal temperature of the meat rises, the collagen fibers loosen, becoming surprisingly soft.
Please grill it lovingly, turning it over many times so as not to burn it.
黑5’s Commitment | “That’s Why We Don’t Use ‘Bara’ for Our 牛五花”
So far, we have talked about general “Beef Bara (牛五花)” and “横膈膜.”
Finally, please allow us to share a little about the commitment of “烧肉 黑5.”
Generally, if you order “牛五花” at a 烧肉 restaurant, “Beef Bara” (as explained above) will be served.
However, the “牛五花” on 黑5’s menu is not Beef Bara.
Actually, at 黑5, we use “眼肉” (Ribulose) as our 牛五花.
Why 眼肉 Instead of Bara?
At the time of our founding, we thought:
“和牛 Bara meat is certainly delicious, but isn’t the fat too strong to eat many slices?”
“We want people to enjoy 烧肉 deliciously until the very end without getting a heavy stomach.”
That is why we chose the high-grade cut “眼肉,” which is more refined than Bara meat and has a perfect balance of red meat and fat.
黑5’s 牛五花 has melt-in-the-mouth fat sweetness, yet the aftertaste is surprisingly light.
It is our greatest pride that customers who said, “I graduated from 牛五花 because it’s too heavy,” smile and say, “I can eat as much as I want of this 牛五花!”
An Extraordinary Love for 横膈膜
And then, 横膈膜.
At 黑5, we also handle “Kuroge 和牛 横膈膜” (limited quantity), which is extremely difficult to procure.
Cut thickly, it is grilled to perfection right in front of the customer by our staff in a “Full Attend” style.
Grilled slowly with the far-infrared rays of 炭火 and turned over many times, the 横膈膜 releases a cascade of juicy meat juices the moment you bite into it.
It is an experience that fills your mouth with happiness, leaving no room to think about “differences from Beef Bara.”
Please come and taste it once at our 池袋 or 歌舞伎町店 locations.
和牛 烧肉 黑5
IKEBUKURO Main Restrant
1F Shima 100 building ,2-46-3, 池袋, Toshima-ku , Tokyo 171-0014
https://ch.kuro5.net/restaurant/honten
和牛 烧肉 黑5
IKEBUKURO East Exit Restrant
2F Need Building, 1-42-16 Higashi-池袋, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170-0013
https://ch.kuro5.net/restaurant/higashiguchi
和牛 烧肉 黑5
歌舞伎町店
1F Sankei Building, 2-21-4 歌舞伎町店, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
https://ch.kuro5.net/restaurant/kabukicho
Official Instagram: @黑5烧肉
