In Japan, “yakitori” is probably the most inexpensive, tasty, and quick meal. In Japan, yakitori is so popular that there are restaurants specializing in it. Although it is the same “grilled chicken,” it is not the chicken served on Caesar salad, but the chicken on a skewer that will make your taste buds happy and delighted. Anyone can enjoy yakitori to the fullest if they know a few tips. So, in this article, I will introduce how to cook it, how to order it, and how to make it.
This dish is made from chicken thigh meat and is popular with everyone. Three or four pieces of chicken meat full of juices are skewered. When you put it in your mouth, you will realize, “This is Yakitori! Most people prefer to eat it with tare (sauce), but momo is also excellent with salt.
Negima” is very easy to eat. This is a popular dish with green onions stuck between the chicken thighs, and is widely recognized as yakitori even overseas. The fragrant and juicy taste is irresistible.
It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t like tsukune. Ground chicken meat is often grilled with sauce and sometimes served with fresh egg yolk. It has a perfect balance of texture and flavor, and you will feel like you want to savor it forever.
Tebasaki is known as chicken wings in other countries. A sprinkle of salt and lemon is a perfect match. With its attractive texture and appetizing smell, it is a dish that everyone will enjoy. You will be amazed at the perfect contrast between the crispy skin and the juicy chicken meat underneath when you take a bite.
Not only chicken, but also vegetable skewers such as shishito peppers and tomatoes are available on the yakitori menu. Among them, grilled asparagus is a must-try as it brings out the sweetness of the ingredients.
Condiments such as shichimi pepper and sansho (Japanese pepper) are always available at the table. There is no specific condiment for each skewer, so you can try different amounts on different skewers to see what you like. Depending on the skewer, wasabi or yuzu pepper may also be used.
Yakitori is a food that is easy to get. You can find freshly grilled yakitori in many places, such as yakitori specialty stores, izakaya pubs, festival stalls, and yakitori chains.
You can also find it in the prepared food section of supermarkets. It can be easily eaten by simply heating it up in the microwave. There are also frozen or canned yakitori sold in supermarkets and convenience stores.
You can also eat yakitori at the following restaurants.
You can order yakitori from one stick. Even if you don’t understand Japanese, it’s easy to point to the menu and tell them how many you want. The only question you may be asked is whether you want your yakitori with tare (soy sauce based sauce) or salt. Everyone has different favorites, so you may want to try one type at a time and decide which flavor you prefer. Some restaurants will give you recommendations for salt or sauce for each part, so try to ask the staff.
The first step to grilling delicious yakitori is to prepare the meat. It is important to cut the meat well with a sharp knife. Cut the meat into pieces of the same size so that it is evenly thick when it is skewered.
Soaking the skewers in water before skewering the meat will prevent the skewers from burning. Start with small pieces of meat at the beginning of the skewer, then larger pieces as you move to the tip. The tip of the skewer will cook first, so smaller pieces of meat will be easy to burn. Skewer the meat at a 45-degree angle with no gaps.
Boil down the necessary amount of mirin and soy sauce in equal amounts over low heat until reduced by half. This is the basic sauce for yakitori. Store in a jar for later use.
Preheat the electric griddle to 180℃.If the griddle burns easily, add a small amount of oil. Grill one side for about 2 minutes, and after checking the level of cooking, grill the other side for another 2 minutes. When you can hear the oil starting to come out of the meat, it’s just done. If it is not brown enough, the flavor of the meat has not been fully locked in. On the other hand, if the temperature is too high and the meat is overcooked, it will become dry, so pay attention to the browning. Make sure the meat is delicious so that its flavor does not come out.
In this article, I have introduced the charm of Japanese yakitori and how to enjoy it. By knowing a few tips, anyone can enjoy yakitori. Why don’t you visit a restaurant or try making yakitori at home?
Contents
A delicious way to eat yakitori
Yakitori is a Japanese dish in which chicken and other ingredients are cut into small pieces, skewered and grilled. Several pieces are skewered, grilled over an open flame, and seasoned.The flavor type is classified mainly into “Tare(sauce)” and “Shio(salt)”. Salt has a simple flavor, while “Tare” is a sweet and spicy soy sauce based flavor. It depends on your preference, but if you want to simply taste the flavor of the ingredients, “salt” is recommended. However, depending on the type of meat, some go better with tare (sauce) and some with salt, so it is best to ask the staff at the restaurant for their recommendation.1.Eat lighter flavored foods first
2.Directly bite down meat on the skewer
3.Manners for eating yakitori
Types of yakitori
Depending on the restaurant, there are usually 5 to 15 different kinds of yakitori on the menu. If you compare them, you will be amazed at how completely different the texture and taste are depending on the part of the chicken. Here are some of the most popular yakitori menus.Momo
This dish is made from chicken thigh meat and is popular with everyone. Three or four pieces of chicken meat full of juices are skewered. When you put it in your mouth, you will realize, “This is Yakitori! Most people prefer to eat it with tare (sauce), but momo is also excellent with salt.
Negima
Negima” is very easy to eat. This is a popular dish with green onions stuck between the chicken thighs, and is widely recognized as yakitori even overseas. The fragrant and juicy taste is irresistible.
Tsukune
It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t like tsukune. Ground chicken meat is often grilled with sauce and sometimes served with fresh egg yolk. It has a perfect balance of texture and flavor, and you will feel like you want to savor it forever.
Tebasaki
Tebasaki is known as chicken wings in other countries. A sprinkle of salt and lemon is a perfect match. With its attractive texture and appetizing smell, it is a dish that everyone will enjoy. You will be amazed at the perfect contrast between the crispy skin and the juicy chicken meat underneath when you take a bite.
Vegetables
Not only chicken, but also vegetable skewers such as shishito peppers and tomatoes are available on the yakitori menu. Among them, grilled asparagus is a must-try as it brings out the sweetness of the ingredients.
Condiments
Condiments such as shichimi pepper and sansho (Japanese pepper) are always available at the table. There is no specific condiment for each skewer, so you can try different amounts on different skewers to see what you like. Depending on the skewer, wasabi or yuzu pepper may also be used.
Places where you can eat yakitori
Yakitori is a food that is easy to get. You can find freshly grilled yakitori in many places, such as yakitori specialty stores, izakaya pubs, festival stalls, and yakitori chains.
You can also find it in the prepared food section of supermarkets. It can be easily eaten by simply heating it up in the microwave. There are also frozen or canned yakitori sold in supermarkets and convenience stores.
You can also eat yakitori at the following restaurants.
Tori-tetsu
Toritetsu is one of the most popular chain restaurants with 62 stores from Tohoku region to Kyushu region. In addition to yakitori, there is a wide variety of other dishes such as chicken sashimi, chicken gyoza, and soba noodles. It is a popular yakitori chain restaurant where young people can easily stop by as an izakaya (Japanese style pub) or enjoy it with their family.Tori-kizoku
This restaurant is so popular that many Japanese people think of “Torikizoku” when they think of yakitori. It has been expanding its stores in Osaka, Tokyo, and Nagoya. The appeal of this store is that you can eat delicious yakitori at a low price.Tori-dori
“Tori-Dori” is a yakitori chain restaurant. The yakitori made with “Tsukuba chicken” and “Koshinodori chicken” are excellent. The interior of the restaurant is so clean and stylish that you would never think it was an izakaya. It is recommended for people coming from abroad because you can feel the Japanese atmosphere.Ore- no-Yakitori
Ore-no-Yakitori is a yakitori restaurant run by ORENO co.,Ltd. which is famous for “Ore-no-French” and “Ore-no-Italian”. Ore-no-Yakitori is located in Ginza, Oimachi, Kamata, etc. The chefs at this restaurant are very skilled. In addition to yakitori, the roast beef and sushi are also excellent. At the Ginza branch, you can dine while listening to live jazz music.How to order at a store
You can order yakitori from one stick. Even if you don’t understand Japanese, it’s easy to point to the menu and tell them how many you want. The only question you may be asked is whether you want your yakitori with tare (soy sauce based sauce) or salt. Everyone has different favorites, so you may want to try one type at a time and decide which flavor you prefer. Some restaurants will give you recommendations for salt or sauce for each part, so try to ask the staff.
Let’s have a yakitori party
You can make and eat yakitori at home without having to go to a restaurant. You can grill it on a grill, or you can grill delicious yakitori on an electric griddle at home. In this article, I will introduce how to cook delicious yakitori on an electric griddle. they are smoke-free, so you don’t have to worry.Also, if you don’t have time to make yakitori from scratch, there are frozen yakitori skewers that you can just grill and eat, so you can choose the one that best suits your situation.Preparation
The first step to grilling delicious yakitori is to prepare the meat. It is important to cut the meat well with a sharp knife. Cut the meat into pieces of the same size so that it is evenly thick when it is skewered.
Put the meat on the skewer
Soaking the skewers in water before skewering the meat will prevent the skewers from burning. Start with small pieces of meat at the beginning of the skewer, then larger pieces as you move to the tip. The tip of the skewer will cook first, so smaller pieces of meat will be easy to burn. Skewer the meat at a 45-degree angle with no gaps.
Make the sauce
Boil down the necessary amount of mirin and soy sauce in equal amounts over low heat until reduced by half. This is the basic sauce for yakitori. Store in a jar for later use.
Grill on an electric griddle
Preheat the electric griddle to 180℃.If the griddle burns easily, add a small amount of oil. Grill one side for about 2 minutes, and after checking the level of cooking, grill the other side for another 2 minutes. When you can hear the oil starting to come out of the meat, it’s just done. If it is not brown enough, the flavor of the meat has not been fully locked in. On the other hand, if the temperature is too high and the meat is overcooked, it will become dry, so pay attention to the browning. Make sure the meat is delicious so that its flavor does not come out.
Enjoy Yakitori
In this article, I have introduced the charm of Japanese yakitori and how to enjoy it. By knowing a few tips, anyone can enjoy yakitori. Why don’t you visit a restaurant or try making yakitori at home? 
