Yakitori at home: how to grill perfect Japanese chicken skewers

Yakitori is straightforward in a way that makes it easy to underestimate. Chicken on skewers, salt or sauce, fire. The entire dish is visible in the description. What that description does not convey is how much of the flavour comes from the quality of the charcoal, the specific heat management during grilling, and the tare sauce that builds into a lacquered glaze across four or five dips. These details are the difference between yakitori that is ordinary and yakitori that justifies the izakaya queue.

The cuts to know

Yakitori uses the whole bird, which is part of its economy and part of its appeal. Negima - alternating pieces of thigh meat and spring onion - is the most popular cut for good reason: the onion chars at the edges, the thigh stays juicy, and the combination is balanced. Tsukune are minced chicken meatballs mixed with ginger, soy and egg white, shaped around the skewer. Kawa is crispy chicken skin grilled slowly until the fat renders out completely. Liver, heart, gizzard and cartilage are all common at dedicated yakitori restaurants. Start with thigh meat if you are new to making it at home.

The tare sauce

Tare is the sweet-savoury glaze that defines yakitori bars. The basic formula: equal parts soy sauce, mirin and sake, with a small amount of sugar, simmered in a small saucepan until slightly thickened. Many restaurants maintain their tare for years, adding fresh sauce as it reduces - the accumulated caramelisation and chicken fat from repeated dipping builds a depth that a fresh batch cannot replicate. At home, a fresh batch is excellent; allow it to reduce by roughly a third before using.

After the first grill, dip each skewer into the tare and return to the heat for 30 seconds. Repeat two or three times. Each dip builds another layer of lacquered, caramelised glaze.

Grill setup

Binchotan white charcoal burns hotter and cleaner than standard charcoal and produces the slight smokiness that is characteristic of authentic yakitori. A narrow tabletop grill that holds the skewers suspended over the coals is the traditional setup. At home, a cast iron grill pan works well. Bamboo skewers should be soaked in water for 30 minutes before use to prevent burning. A good pair of tongs lets you turn multiple skewers at once.

Serving

Serve immediately. Yakitori waits for no one. Classic sides: shredded raw cabbage, a bowl of plain steamed rice, cold beer. Explore our yakitori tools collection and discover yakiniku for Japanese barbecue in a broader sense.

Related cooking: karaage for fried chicken Japanese style and portable burners for tabletop cooking.

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