🎧 A story about being unable to resist the smell of charcoal grilling

I'm talking about "smells" again 😔
This time it's not the smell of the seasons, but the smell of something delicious 😋

On my way to the local supermarket, there's a shop that I'm not quite sure is a yakiniku place or a yakitori place.

I've never been inside, but when I pass by at certain times, the smell of charcoal smoke drifts out!

Honestly, it's a nuisance to smell that when you're hungry.
That's a compliment, of course.

I find myself stopping in my tracks, thinking, "Should I drop by today?"
Usually, I can't, though 😢

But my brain keeps telling me, "I want to eat that."

Why does charcoal grilling smell so good?

I suddenly wondered about that, so I did a little research.

What's the difference between meat grilled on a gas stove?

That "savory aroma" of charcoal grilling is something else, isn't it?

Yakitori grilled over charcoal at an izakaya.
Kalbi grilled over charcoal at a yakiniku restaurant.

What is that "special feeling," I wonder?

When I looked it up, it seems charcoal fire imparts a different kind of aroma than gas fire.

When you grill over charcoal, fat drips from the meat.

The moment that fat and umami hit the hot charcoal, it sizzles into smoke. It's not just smoke; it's smoke containing savory components that whet the appetite.

That smoke rides the updraft and wraps around the meat once more.

In other words,

"The fat that dripped from the meat turns into savory smoke and clings to the meat again."
(I just said the same thing twice.)


With gas flames or home grills, this "aroma return" mechanism is weaker. That's why it's hard to get that charcoal-grilled aroma.

The secret to crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside

Another amazing thing about charcoal is its "grilling power."

It's said that charcoal grills with strong radiant heat containing a lot of infrared rays. While it varies depending on conditions, it's easier to sear the surface all at once with stronger heat than gas flames.

• Surface: Crispy and savory

• Inside: Tends to finish juicy

The combination of "strong heat" and "aromatic smoke" creates that unique finish.

I wonder if everyone else likes that smell too?

At the very least, when I smell it, my excitement goes up unconditionally and my ability to think goes down.

That feeling on a summer evening when the smell of barbecue smoke drifts by.
That feeling at a festival stall when you smell yakitori or grilled squid.

It really feels like a "special day" or a "feast," doesn't it?

Actually, there seems to be a reason for this sensation too.
It's said that the human sense of smell is easily linked to memories and emotions.

The smell of food being grilled over a fire.
The smell of fat burning.
The savoriness of smoke.

When you smell things like that, past memories and "delicious experiences" are automatically evoked.

Your brain is automatically judging it as a "signal for a feast."

No wonder you can't resist it.

When I encounter this smell while out and about, it feels like a no-fault accident, and I feel like I "have no choice."

Charcoal grilling is hard to replicate at home. Because of hurdles like smoke, cleanup, and consideration for neighbors, that one bite you have when eating out once in a while might be what makes it "special."

If you pass by a yakitori shop next time, try stopping for a moment and savoring the smell of that smoke.

You'll definitely get some strange looks from the people around you.