EDITORIALS
Matsuo Jingisukan, the mainstay of traditional marinated Jingisukan, What is the secret of the delicious taste of the secret sauce?
Matsuo Jingisukan was established in Takikawa, Hokkaido in 1956. It is a famous restaurant that has long been loved by Hokkaido residents as a pioneer of Hokkaido's "seasoned Jingisukan," in which lamb is marinated in a sauce. This time, we visited Matsuo Jingisukan Kita 19 Jo Higashi in Kita-ku, Sapporo, to learn the secret of the restaurant's particular flavor, and to hear how the long-established restaurant is creating new menu items for the next generation while preserving its traditional taste.
- A key player in establishing Jingisukan in Hokkaido
- A recipe that has remained unchanged since the restaurant's founding. A taste of memories for Hokkaido residents
- From moist and tender lamb meat to rare lamb chops
- A wide variety of ways to enjoy lamb in an authentic recipe hot pot!
- Dedicated large pots are also available for rent! Enjoy the taste of Matsuo outside with a large group!
The man behind the establishment of Jingisukan in Hokkaido!
The Kita 19 Jo Higashi branch is located about 10 minutes by car from Sapporo Station. The store sells the well-known Jingisukan
Since the Meiji era (1868-1912), the government has focused on sheep farming for the production of wool fiber. In the past, Hokkaido had sheep stud farms in Sapporo's Tsukisamu and Takikawa areas, and it was inevitable that a lamb-eating culture would sprout. However, the meat had a strong taste, and the major challenge was how to make it tasty. The method of marinating the meat in sauce has been around for a long time, but it was Matsuo Jingisukan, which was the first to focus on the sauce process and play a role in establishing it as a part of Hokkaido's food culture.
A recipe that has remained unchanged since the company's founding. A taste of memories for Hokkaido residents.
The Matsuo way is to cook the vegetables in the sauce that they are proud of.
The secret sauce is based on soy sauce with onions and apples grown mainly in Takikawa City, Hokkaido, and is never heated. The reason for not heating the sauce is not only to preserve the flavor, but also to keep the meat fresh. The natural sweetness of the ingredients softens the smell of the meat and at the same time brings out the moist and tender meat and umami of the lamb. The sauce, which was developed without using fresh garlic, has been made using the same recipe since the restaurant's establishment, with the aim of creating "a flavor that everyone, young and old, male and female, can enjoy.
The iron pot was redesigned in January 2022 to a sixth-generation design. The rim has been widened to make it easier to cook vegetables.
From moist and tender lamb to rare lamb hut
The "4 Kinds of Meat Comparison Set" with drink is 3,400 yen (photo shows 2 servings). If you don't know how to cook lamb, the staff will help you.
The most popular menu item is the "4 Kinds Eating Comparison Set. The set includes a 240 g portion of Genghis Khan for one person, and we recommend adding udon noodles or a raw egg to finish off the meal, just like sukiyaki! The menu includes a variety of dishes, such as
A wide range of ways to enjoy lamb in a "hot pot" with authentic recipes
In addition to thickly sliced lamb rolls, lamb sausage and udon noodles are available as a set (minimum order of 2 servings / limited menu for Kita 19jo Higashi, Kotoni and Miyanomori branches)
In January 2024, the restaurant began serving a Chinese hot pot dish called "hot pot" in order to "expand the enjoyment of eating lamb. The recipe is an authentic one devised by the Chinese chefs at affiliated restaurant "Dim Sum Sapporo. Two types of soups are available: a hot-and-sour soup filled with medicinal herbs such as nutmeg, octagonal horns, and huajiao, and a white soup made from pork bones and chicken broth. To finish off the meal, we recommend adding curry spices and udon noodles to the white soup.
Dedicated large pots are also available for rent! Enjoy the taste of Matsuo outside and with a large group!
Minimum order of 10 people; most popular is the "Standard Plan" with udon for 2,900 yen per person.
Kita 19 Jo Higashi Branch also rents out large pots for 10 people for use in outdoor jingisukan. Delivery is free to parks and homes within Sapporo City, and cancellation is free even on the day of the event (up to 2 hours before the scheduled time). In addition, they will clean up after the pot. You will be able to enjoy Hokkaido's culture in a variety of settings, such as outdoor recreation and neighborhood association events.
Yuki Koizumi, manager of the restaurant, holding a 10-person Genghis Khan pot. The pot is a whopping 60 cm in diameter!
(All prices include tax)
Matsuo Jingisukan Kita 19jo Higashi Branch
Location: 8-3-2, Kita 19-jo Higashi, Higashi-ku, Sapporo
Business hours: 11:00-22:30 (L.O.22:00)
Closed: Open every day
Click here for details and map information of Matsuo Jingisukan Kita 19-jo Higashi
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Writer Profile
Magazine/Book Editor & Writer Kyohei Yamashita
While working as a program producer at a radio station, he began producing mini-comm magazines and writing for magazines. Later, he joined a publishing company as an editor and has worked on various articles, mainly for town information magazines. His favorite things are cooking, mountain climbing, river fishing, and stone monuments in Sapporo. He lives in Minami-ku, Sapporo, and loves Minami-ku very much.
