The product we used:
Why buy?
If you want to try eating yakiniku at home or out camping, you'll want some special tools not usually seen in your local kitchen supply store. One of those tools is a yakiniku tong. You probably have a set of tongs already, so why buy special yakiniku tongs?
Big Meat? Big Tongs.
In the US, we like things that are big. We really like big steaks or hamburgers. Tongs sold in stores are designed for handling the larger and heavier pieces of meat Americans love.
However, you will probably be frustrated if you try to handle the thinner and smaller cuts of yakiniku meat with the tongs in your kitchen drawer. Their thick and sturdy teeth are good for grabbing steak on a large barbecue or frying pan, but they aren't well-suited to picking up and flipping small pieces of meat in a confined area.
That is especially true since yakiniku is a social style of cooking. Imagine three people together trying to quickly flip small slices of beef on a yakiniku grill using regular barbecue tongs.
For yakiniku, tongs with a smaller footprint and more delicate touch are the way to go for an enjoyable time with family and friends.
Tiny meat? Clever Tongs.
These are the Clever Chopstick Tongs by Todai. These tongs are designed to make yakiniku a simple and enjoyable experience.
Like chopsticks, they are thin and long, designed for precision manipulation of food. Chopsticks can be used as a substitute for tongs when cooking yakiniku, but unlike chopsticks, you don't need to learn how to use these tongs. They have several other important features:
Ridged Tip for a Confident Grip
Unlike chopsticks, the tips of the Clever Tongs are ridged so that you never drop food. The grip is so secure you can even pick up ice cubes without worry.
Wide Grip and Feet
The wide finger grip also doubles as feet, keeping the gripping end off the table.
Flexible
Todai's tongs are made of flexible steel, letting you get an extra secure grip when you need it.
Trade-offs
Like all tools, the Todai Clever Tongs are good at some things and bad at others. The flexibility, for example, is perfect for getting a good grip on small, light pieces of food. However, if you try to pick up larger pieces of food, they will tend to give in or wobble up and down.
You also need to use a light touch when handling more delicate foods. The thin gripping end can easily smash soft foods (think pumpkin or potatoes) if you pinch them too hard.
At 240mm or 9.45 inches long, the Clever Tongs are good for small cooking surfaces, but you'll find your hands will tend to get too hot if you handle food on a larger, hot surface (like a typical grill). We recommend sticking to smaller hotplates and grills when using the Todai Clever Tongs.
The Right Tool for the Job
Specialty jobs require specialty tools. For the Japanese food enthusiast, the Clever Chopstick Tongs by Todai will make yakiniku an enjoyable experience. Even if you're just beginning your journey into Japanese food, with these tongs you won't need to learn how to use chopsticks to get started with yakiniku.
With the Clever Tongs, you and your family and friends will be able to sit around a hotplate and enjoy cooking and eating yakiniku
