How To Make Yakitori at Home - Grilling Your Skewers
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- Опубліковано 6 жов 2024
- Yakitori Equipment and Ingredients Amazon Shop:
www.amazon.com...
We’re finally here! The last video in the How to make Yakitori at Home series. I'll show you and explain my method of seasoning, grilling, and garnishing the skewers we made in the previous lessons. Just like how the thigh has a different texture and flavor for the breast, each chicken part has different ways to season, grill, and garnish them to bring out the best flavor. In the video I also go over the differences between Charcoal (Binchotan, Ogatan), Gas, and Electric grills.
In this lesson we’ll be grilling the following skewers using the electric grill:
*these tips and techniques are universal for all types of grills
-Tenders
-Neck, Shoulder, Butt combination
-Thigh with Skin
-Negima (Thigh with Onions)
-Hokkaido Negima
-Breast with Fat
-Oyster, Inner Thigh, Tail
-Breast Skin
-Combination Skin (Butt, Belly, Shoulder, Neck)
-Shisomaki (Thigh trimmings wrapped in shiso)
-Wing
*You can watch how these skewers are made in the previous How to Make Yakitori at Home videos.
Useful skewering tips shared in this video:
1. Salt your skewers before you grill
2. Spray sake onto skewers to keep meat moist, and add umami
3. Don’t spray sake on skin to ensure skin cooks crispy
4. Grill skin side down for skewers such as Negima with skin on top
5. Once the meat is hot and starts releasing juices, flip over. Do not let it dry out.
6. Trim off burnt edges with scissors while grilling
7. Only dip skewers into tare when it’s about 90% done cooking. Never in the beginning or it’ll burn on the grill
8. Use a torch to cook or char any areas that requires extra heat
9. Dip skewers into the tare pot or, use a brush if you only want a little bit of tare
10. If using paddle skewers, make sure to face them the same direction when plating.
Ingredients/Equipment Used:
-Yakitori made from previous lessons
-Grill (Electric Livart Orange Barbecue grill used in this video)
-Kosher Salt (in salt shaker, but you can salt by hand)
-Sake in spray bottle (any pasteurized sake should work)
-Tare (Made with Sake, Mirin, Sugar, Soy Sauce)
-Lemon or Lime
-Cooking Scissors
-Brush
-Blowtorch
Optional condiments: Wasabi, Karashi, Yuzu Kosho, Shichimi, Ume paste, additional salts,
Yakitori Equipment and Ingredients Amazon Shop:
www.amazon.com...
Equipment Links:
Iwatani Blowtorch Amazon: amzn.to/2zIseuy
Livart Electric Grill: bit.ly/blackgrill
Note:
There are many ways to make Yakitori and the methods are slightly different depending on the region or traditions passed down the shops in Japan. This video shows the method I came up with based on what I learned from Yakitori masters in Japan and the US. Combining those learnings, I've adapted the steps and put together the easiest or tastiest method for me, which I hope works for you too!
Feel free to adjust any of the steps to match your style as what I love about Yakitori culture is that it's a cuisine that promotes individual freedom of expression. Although I’ve been working on these skewers and methods for my Yakitori cooking, you can create these same skewers, or use these as inspiration to create your own skewers using the same or a combination of parts from the chicken.
I recommend using the best chicken you can find at the store. Ideally organic, free range. The few dollars more you pay in price for a good chicken versus a cheaper chicken really makes a difference in flavor. For the majority of my Yakitori, I use Mary's Organic Air Chilled Chicken which can commonly be found at Whole Foods and other natural markets.
Upcoming Videos: How to Make Tare, How to skewer Innards and many more!
Remember to Subscribe to this channel to be notified about new videos and follow @yakitoriguy on Instagram for all the various behind the scenes tips and latest updates!
Follow: / yakitoriguy
Like what I'm doing? You can buy me chickens:
If you're enjoying the tutorials so far and interested in a way to support me, I've set up a Ko-Fi page where you can donate some chickens!
ko-fi.com/yaki...
If you are a newbie like me, this might help you to replicate the skewers. I've listed the time the skewers start, any special cooking steps and how they are plated.
TIME TOPIC/COMMENTS (all skewers are salted and sprayed with sake unless noted)
08:10 Setup
Explanation of what you need to have on hand before starting
09:35 Tenders
Wasabi or Ume paste on each tender (YG always starts with this skewer)
14:20 Neck, Shoulder, Butt combination
Tare Dip. Togarashi Shichimi on plate
18:32 Thigh with Skin
Torched. Tare Dip. Served on Shiso leaf with lime slice and Karashi (mustard) on plate
18:32 Negima (Thigh with onions)
Torched. Tare Dip. Usually on micro green salad
18:32 Hokkaido Negima
Torched. Tare Dip. Topped with black squid ink salt
27:20 Breast with Fat
Yuzu Kosho paste (torched) on each bite
27:39 Oyster, Inner Thigh, Tail
Kinome leaf garnish
37:04 Chicken Knee Cartilage Lollipop
Brushed, one side only, with Tare. Yuzu Kosho powder sprinkle
37:12 Breast Skin
No Sake. Torched. Lemon/Meyer Lemon slice, Hawaiian pink sea salt sprinkle
37:16 Combination Skin (Butt, Belly, Shoulder, Neck)
No Sake. Torched. Lemon/Meyer Lemon slice, Hawaiian pink sea salt sprinkle
37:20 Wing (starts now, served last)
Torched as needed. Served with lime slice and Yuzu Kosho paste on plate
44:30 Shisomaki (Thigh trimmings wrapped in shiso)
Ume paste zig-zag on top, topped with baby fish, then torched
Let me know what I've missed and I'll edit this post.
Thanks for making it easier for others! I've pinned this comment to make it easier for everyone to find!
you the real mvp
Hey @@Yakitoriguy, one thing that I am missing before I get into it that might help people out : how many of each skewers do you get from each chicken.
How many attendees does one chicken feed? (if you don't overfeed them with chicken breast 😁)
Thanks a lot for your amazing work!
You monster, thx
I’m so glad I found this channel. When I saw the chicken deboning I literally went “oh my god” when you pulled out the thigh with the oyster in one fluid motion. Deboned a chicken while following your video, worked out really well. Will practice some more. Thank you for these videos.
That's great to hear! Glad you're learning. Will make more videos!
You're a very good teacher. Thank you so very much.
Great to hear! Thanks for watching
You are not only knowledgeable, but your touch, the way yo present it, explain it make us want to imitate your grace cooking.
Thanks for the positive feedback!
It is obvious how much you enjoy making and presenting yakitori; your enthusiasm is a great pleasure to see! Thank you for sharing with us!
I definitely love Yakitori and always a pleasure to be able to share the joys with others so thanks for watching!
This is my second one. We have it outside the garage door exposed to the elements yearound ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxreK_FUQ74_bylFqCr3y2MHqL3u78-b3r Direct sunlight deteriorated the plastic on the thermostat and severe winds blew the lid off. We found it about an acre away. I bought a new one and I saved the good parts from the old one as spares. Got about 8 years out of the first one.
You are absolutely great! Been watching and getting yakitori taste close in the past 4 months. Lived in Japan for 4 years as a kid in the mid 80's. I wouldn't have thought the plane Jane chicken wing at the end was the best tho. I'd serve that first, then let people taste what's really good that the Japanese have perfected since the middle Meiji Era. Keep up the good work!!!
He explained Yakitori very well in English. I'm impressed the way he explained
Just tried this at my house on a bbq.... best yakitori I've ever eaten. The tare sauce was incredible. I've had it many times in restaurants, first time making it at home blew them out of the water. Thanks for the tips!!
Thank you for your channel! There is not enough content out there that goes THIS DEEP about one of my all time favorite foods! I’m going to watch all your videos now. Thank you again 😊
Thanks for watching and your feedback! Glad you're learning and appreciate the deeper details.
Agreed
Looking forward to the binchotan series!
Stay Tuned!
Just discovered this channel, looks like you will keep me busy for hours... Thanks from Italy
Thanks for watching from Italy!
I will be grilling this Saturday.
Watching and taking notes!
Hope it comes out good!
You’re a great storyteller and host. It felt like I sat down to eat with you and was very enjoyable
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi! I really appreciate how much you're sharing in each of these videos, they're extremely informative.
Do you have any advice on grilling Yakitori on a typical American styled charcoal grill? I don't have the funds to buy a new grill at the moment, but I'm itching to try out what you've shown in your videos.
The Livart Orange electric grill is $51 (info in description) so it definitely pays for itself after few uses of cooking indoors when you're in a hurry and don't want to heat up coal, or if the weather isn't good. However you can definitely cook Yakitori flat on your outdoor grill. Just lay a strip of foil to block the heat from cooking the exposed skewer so it doesn't burn/you can grab to rotate. Hope that helps!
THANK YOU!
That's awesome to hear! Glad you're enjoying the vids. Have fun on your trip!
Konichiwa Japan is first country i visit 18years ago.
Still remember any moments.i living for 3years at hikone.
Thanks for yakitori rescipe.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you !
fantastic as always !!!
i took the time and did the whole chicken as you show us !
all my friend loved it
domo arigatooooooooo
katajikenai !
When your Tare comes out of the fridge, do you let it warm up to room temp? Or can you dip the chicken in the tare cold? Mmmm. Mmmmm. The first chicken tenders. That looks amazing. Clean, clean, clean. Wow.
I leave it out when prepping other things to let it come to looser consistency at room temp by the time I'm grilling.
yakigang is the thang mang!
Thanks for being Yakigang!
This is an incredible video series! Wow! Thank you so much for sharing, I'm looking forward to learning.
Glad you're learning!
Thank you for your videos! Do you have a video on what to make with the leftover bones? soup recipe? thank you!
Just made teba shiyoyaki, turned out great thanks to your instructions! Excellent
Glad you enjoyed it!
This is a fantastic video. I'm learning a lot. Love the topics and stories you shared, especially about the tare. Keep up the great work!
Oh and Go Giants!
Thanks for the support!
Amazing video👌 Thanks for sharing ❤️Stay healthy & Safe 😍Greeting from Muscat🙏🙋♀️
Great effort!! Really appreciate the detail goes into your video and let the world know Yakitori better.
Hope to see that you use Binchotan to grill next time!
Thanks for watching! Yes I'll eventually do a charcoal grill video!
Hello! I’ve made your tare and it is amazing!! And now that winter is coming I want to continue to make Yakitori at home but the electric indoor grill you recommended is no longer available. Do you have another you can recommend? Thank you!
Thanks for showing me how to grill! Any chance to do a video with a gas grill in the future?
All the techniques/tips pretty much apply to gas charcoal. Take a look at my charcoal grilling videos. The downside of grilling with gas is that it cooks more with convection heat vs radiant heat of charcoal or electric. Infrared heat really helps the Yakitori become fluffy/softer in texture vs gas can feel drier when compared side by side.
Awesome video. Very informative. I had no idea it was so diverse. Great job! 👍 👍
Yea it's crazy how much variety you can get from one chicken!
I would love to see a video of you cooking Yakitori on that Iwatani gas grill ...or have you already done one?
I know that many people use them indoors as long as they have it close to an open window .
Check out my various vegetable skewer video where I use it. I personally don't like it for Yakitori as it has uneven hot spots. In terms of smoke, you will need all your windows open and a fan if you're cooking Yakitori on it. As it's a gas (flame) grill, you get lots of smoke and flareups.
chef what sake you are using,i about to start my yakitori business this really helps me.... you are my master... love your channel very much... daisuki desu. Arigatou gozaimasu.
Thanks for supporting! I actually made a quick video on the sake. Check out the Top 5 questions video.
You’re great for sharing so many details. I will say though, the electric grill looks too slow. I find even using kingsford charcoal in my yakitori grill that I imported cooks perfect yakitori. Next step is to build a kiln and start making binchotan in the states ;)
It's definitely slower, but not too slow. Maybe 8-10 minutes on Binchotan vs 10-12 on the electric. But for when starting out learning Yakitori or at home this extra time and lower temp does provide a little extra wiggle room against overcooking/burning so it's great for beginners. Also you don't need to wait for starting or turning off the charcoal. So pros and cons.
Iwatani makes a gas grill and apparently also make a different top for their standard little butane stove, which I have one of and love, and I'll have to go over to Mitsuwa Marketplace and see if I can get one (they want a fortune for them on Amazon)
Chinese and Korean grocery stores usually have non Iwatani brand cans for a bit cheaper. Either way, definitely cheaper than Amazon
Great video!! Yakitori is such an amazing art! Can't wait to go to Japan to try this!!
Thanks for watching! With these tutorials, I hope you can try making Yakitori at home instead too!
@@Yakitoriguy maybe if I had a bigger range hood. Haha! Maybe outdoors tho🤔
@@thetipsycookery8268 With the indoor electric grill, it's similar to cooking bacon on a pan. For the charcoal grill, you must use it outside for sure.
Daaaumn! I wish I was there to taste it 😅
Hello Sensei! Thank you for your excellent lessons, you have been very helpful so far! I have a question and i need your opinion about the matters. Is it ok to substitute sake by white wine? I Live in Tunisia, and there's no Sake around, it's possible to found sake, However it's very expensive! I used to live in Japan, and I want to start a Yakitori business in my country. Your opinon would be very helpful. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu !
Just found this channel now, I really love the videos, hoping more to come :)
Glad your enjoying them! Thanks for watching.
For those who are not from the US and cannot get a livart grill. I just bought something cheap and seems to work quite well (use it only once though). Similar model can be found on Aliexpress from around 40USD. Height adjustable and doesn't have that higher sides when you put it on the lower position.
Maybe can get a review of it if Yakitori Guy is interested in something that's more accessible to people from around the world.
Thanks for sharing! If you have a link, please post it here for others who may be looking.
I think the comments with a link will be deleted automatically... I definitely posted something before.
@@kyleparrot11 Yea that might be true. Maybe just the name/brand of the product then.
@@Yakitoriguy link to a review. This sort of grill can be found easily online. ua-cam.com/video/OqnmuPfb57Q/v-deo.html
Really enjoying your videos and think you're a great instructor. Any chance you will do a video using the Iwatani grill in the back. Would love to see your process on that. Looking forward to learning more!
Thanks for watching! Happy to teach. I think I'll eventually create a video about it, however it won't be a priority as I really don't recommend the grill for Yakitori. It's really convenient as it's a portable gas grill that uses the same cans as my torch and portable stove, however, as a Yakitori grill, it has some design issues which leads to burned off skewers and uneven cooking. I usually just use it to finish off my skewers in bulk that I cook on the electric as the higher temps helps me char the tare on the skewer. If I do create a video it'll be more of a "how to use the Iwatani grill for Yakitori despite its short comings". For non precision cooking like Yakiniku bbq, whole fish, or grilling veggies the Iwatani works great. If you have the grill already and have specific questions let me know. Happy to share tips.
@@Yakitoriguy Thanks Yakitoriguy, I ask as its the grill I own and I struggle with it. I picked one up a while back to make myself some chicken cartilage skewers when i'm craving and I've always struggled with it. Watching your videos I'm gearing up to start breaking down a chicken and use what I got to learn the art of yakitori. Looking forward to your future videos!
Great videos. How do you clean the stainless steel grill after cooking?
Just dishsoap on a sponge. And if something is stuck on, can use steel wool.
It all looks amazing. Can you tell me what the fish are in the surf n turf? Where can I find them? Thanks for teaching us the way.
They are small sardines or anchovies. Usually in the frozen section at asian grocery stores. Japanese names could be chirimen or shirasu.
I made thigh meat and skin yakitori last night and it was awesome. I'll be doing a whole chicken this week. Thanks for the videos. I just subcribed.
Glad it came out awesome! Thanks for subscribing!
Really enjoying your content! I've loved yakitori ever since I visited Toriki in Kinshicho - probably my favorite meal of the trip and I've tried to go back every time I'm in Tokyo. May try making some myself for the first time now because of your content, and appreciate the tutorial with the electric grill since we're stuck inside a small SF apartment and have no outdoors options :).
Glad you're enjoying the videos! The videos are long but I've packed them with all the small details you won't find elsewhere to help you make good Yakitori, even on the electric. Definitely works in Small SF apartments. Just leave windows open and vent on. Just like cooking bacon!
Id really like to see a cook outside. Cheers man! I ordered some synthetic binchontan to try some yak this weekend!
Yup will work on one. Stay tuned!
That hour went by so quick....at first i was hesitant to commit but im glad i stayed.
One question for you- would it hurt to have a meat thermometer on hand/display while cooking for your guest & customers?
Yea you can definitely have a thermometer on hand at first to get a feel when the meat cooks through. Once you get a hang of the timing, and color changes that happens with the meat, it gets easier to know when you're done cooking.
@@Yakitoriguy Ok great. Also, im in search of the binchotan type charcoal or charblox etc to cook with. Im in Los Angeles near Pasadena and wanted to know if you knew where to locally pick up some?
How do you know how long to cook each piece??? I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS😍
The time depends on what part of the chicken you're grilling, how big you skewered it, what type of grill or charcoal you're using etc. Ultimately it comes down through trial and error and experience over time to know when each piece is done by color and feel. I recommend when starting out to check periodically taking the skewer off the grill and looking inside between the meats. You can also use a thermometer to check done ness. On average though skewers can take about 10 minutes give or take.
Great video
Glad you enjoyed it
Any thoughts on cooking on more traditional American outdoor charcoal grills? The possible differences to me would be distance to charcoal, thicker grill grates, and ease of handling the skewers. I have a PKGO and think I can make it work. A lodge sportsman grill also seems like it would work really well.
I definitely recommend watching the Thaan and Binchogrill videos I have posted to get a sense of grilling Yakitori with charcoal. Some of the techniques and tips apply to other outdoor grills even with briquettes or lump or you may want to try out the Thaan or Binchotan. One top of head tip I can think of it, lay out a folded strip of Aluminum foil between the hot grill and where the skewers are. It'll prevent your skewers from burning and make it easier to grab. This is what I do when cooking on friend's Weber grill.
@@Yakitoriguy thanks, great tip!
How do you know when it's cooked internally to a good temperature? I end up having to use my food thermometer to check for 150 F quite often before taking meat off the grill.
Amazing!
Thanks for watching!
Do you think an infrared grill would work? I'm having difficulty finding an electric grill. Thanks!
if you're anywhere near california, you should check out half moon bay wasabi company! they have some great looking fresh wasabi.
Definitely got to try their wasabi while I was living in the bay!
How do you carry your tare when you travel on the airplane?
What do you carry it in??
I Yakitori once a week. It’s getting intense. I have started buying frozen premade skewers. Should I thaw them before grilling or toss them on frozen? Charcoal of course. I do use a bbq net style grill
How many total skewers can one get from a whole chicken (well store bought chicken)? And what size chickens are ideal?
Brazil here
How does the taste compare to the binchotan. Can you rate it on a scale of 1-10 versus binchotan ? Great video !! 👍👍
That's a tricky question to answer as you have to eliminate some variables and not sure if you can rate it 1-10. I can confidently say my Yakitori I cook on this electric grill tastes better than some shops I've been at around using Ogatan charcoal or Binchotan where the technique of the chefs weren't that good.
If I take my same skewers and I cook them side by side on this electric grill vs my charcoal grill, I will give my electric Yakitori A/A- and then A+ for same skewers on Binchotan. However, my teachers in Japan can cook at A++ on Binchotan. Basically technique makes a bigger difference than the equipment, and what I love about the electric grill is it really allows people to improve their technique conveniently. Thanks for watching!
Sensei, can you use the same tare to dip pork, veg, beef, chicken, seafood? Etc?
I only dip chicken skewers or onion skewers into my Tare pot. For everything else I'll scoop a bit of Tare into a bowl and just brush it on, and not mix it back into the Tare pot.
Learned a bunch of new things in regards to cooking 焼き鳥 , thanks for sharing~~
Are u in CA?
Thanks for watching! Yea based out of Cali. Back and forth between LA and the Bay.
Do u have a restaurant or pop ups?
@@youngwunhee I don't have a restaurant but I used to do popups. Right now focussing on tutorials.
Thanks for sharing. You know your stuff!
Thanks! Hope you make some good Yakitori at home!
Very educational video..can u also recommended a good charcoal yaktori grill?
That's a very tricky question to answer. Almost similar to asking if there's a fast car you recommend. As design, price point, ease of maintenance etc are all different between the grills. I hope to be able to review different grills moving fwd to help people make informed decision.
bravo
Yeah bincho-tan is expensive! I have a couple little bags of it from Nijiya, am contemplating making a grill from one of those rectangular planters filled with sand. In Hawaii they sell bags of kiewe (pronounced kee-awe-eh) charcoal made from acacia trees that are essentially legumes and grow prolifically.
Interesting, will have to check it out. However what makes Binchotan special unlike normal charcoal is how dense it is with carbon making it high heat and last a long time in the grill. But you should definitely try out your local options too!
Super...
Looking forward ti giving this a try. Just wondering if you have a recommendation for a light chicken broth to accompany the meal as it would be nice to use the carcass too. I'm thinking a miso soup but using chicken stock instead of dashi, I'm guessing its not traditional but I think it would work.
Yes there is usually chicken soup of some sort as every part of the chicken is used at Yakitori shops. This is considered the shime or closer dish that comes out at the end with soup/carbs after eating all the skewers. Just bones, onion trimmings from negima and little bit of salt and its a simple broth. From there you can expand on making a variety of soup using that as base too!
@@Yakitoriguy that sounds perfect, I love the pricincipal of using every part of the chicken, and using the left overs of other ingredients sounds ideal.
Your videos are just awesome...
Thanks! Glad you're enjoying them
Off-topic: That sakura Giants cap is sick! Where can I get one? I don't live in the Bay anymore T_T
It was from a Giants game giveaway item during Nikkei Heritage week.
invalid discount code... ?
Fantastic video! I'd love to own this electric grill as I'm a home cook who wants to start making yakitori, but this grill seems impossible to get in Europe... Does anybody know any good alternatives?
Thanks for watching! If you can find a grill with similar design feature of hot electric coil and wire mesh grill top it can work as a Yakitori grill. However if the electric grill is the designs of a whole top being metal griddle, it won't be any different than cooking chicken on your pan and won't quite cook the meat the same.
Well done bro!
Watched most of your videos
Would you consider coming to Malta
I will be opening a yakitori bar
Would be nice getting you as a special guest!
I used to travel all around the country for Yakitori before Corona. Would love to be able to travel again when its safe! Till then, thanks for watching my vids and spreading Yakitori to the world! Stay safe!
Thank you for the great vids. Made the quarantine slightly better. Would you mind sharing the Tare recipe ratios or is that a no no ?
There's no secrets. There's a whole video about Tare from last week.
Hello-
How do you know when the various skewers, with different chicken parts/portions, are cooked thoroughly, but not over cooked? I don’t want to serve raw chicken! Thanks
It all depends on what you're grilling, the size of the meat, how hot the room temp is, what type of grill you're using etc and over time you just know through experience by looking at texture/color timing etc. You can always use a temp probe or just take a skewer and open in to the meat to see if it's cooked through or not. And from there you can know for next time when making the same skewer roughly when it's done.
Thanks to your channel I tried making yakitori a couple times. Great instructions breaking down the chicken and skewering! I bought a fire sense yakitori grill and bok bok thaan charcoal. I found that the skin and fat dripping on the charcoal causing grease fire which kinda ruined the meat flavor. How do yakitori chefs prevent that from happening on their charcoal grills? Thank you!!!
Great to hear you're learning! There's so many subtle things such as how the charcoal is stacked, constantly moving the skewers around, air flow, how hot the charcoal is, and even reducing the amount of fats on a skewer etc. These are things you can teach, but more often learned from trial and error too.
Hello! What else to use as spray to keep chix moist while grilling? Ran out of sake.. 😅 thanks!
Sake isn't a requirement, but I suggest white wine.
The electric yakitori grill you're using isn't available on amazon anymore. Can you recommend another model?
The Livart Grills comes back into stock here and there on Amazon and their website but for other grills, I havn't seen much that's comparable and easy to purchase. There are many "electric grills" but what you want is something similar to the Livart with the exposed coils and a wire mess on top versus most sold ones which is just an electric heated pan/skillet with molded lines to create "grill marks".
@@Yakitoriguy I'll keep an eye out for when Livart restocks! even their website is sold out! Thank you
How hot do you turn up the grill? Is it at max or medium? Thanks
For this electric grill there's only one setting but the answer is it depends. For my charcoal grill I'll have hot zone and medium zone and use those areas to cook different parts.
great video! I made yakitori on the grill and really over cooked it. Do you have any advice?
Main thing is just trial and error and practice. Eventually you get a feel for the timing and the difference in texture and color on the outside to know if it's cooked or not. You can always take it off early and check inside.
@@Yakitoriguy Much appreciate it! I'll keep practicing.
In the past I have had issues of my chicken sticking to the grill when I started using a charcoal grill. Is there anything you can suggest that can help me with this?
Make sure your grill is seasoned. But I would say that it's probably a combination of the grill(metal) being hot so work ways to adjust the temp and also don't leave your meat on too long and constantly move/rotate. Lastly you may notice with Yakitori shops in Japan, Yakitori is cooked hanging on rods from the skewers so the meat doesn't touch any surface.
In the sake spray you are using, is it normal sake for drinking or is it cooking sake (Ryorishu)? will either work?
It's in there, I talk about the sake I'm using. 12:03 :) I would recommend going with sake meant for drinking.
does the tare need to be refrigerated or just leave it out at room temperature at all times?
Store Tare by keeping covered in fridge when not in use and reheat every few weeks or before use.
Can you tell me which brand of mirin you use? I want to avoid the ones with high fructose corn syrup. Where can I buy it? Thanks!
Brands I have access to and like to use it Takara, Shirakiku, Yaegaki and I find them in Asian grocery stores in the West Coast.
Question when grill outside is there any difference in grilling the yakitori on the grates as opposed to letting the skewers hang on metal bars?
Yes definitely. Hanging method allows for the meat to fluff up more as it cooks, as it's not weighted down by its own weight. Also, to get it to balance on the bar requires that you make balanced and centered skewers which is a good practice for all Yakitori regardless for even cooking. I'd say it's the next level up in grilling, but you can definitely taste the extra work with the bar method.
@@Yakitoriguy ahhhh that makes so much sense. The fluff part i didnt know about and that makes sense. You mentioned in the video about making a balanced skewer and i didnt get to watch it till after i grilled and was getting slightly frustrated that some of my skewers i had to hold from spinning all over the place. Def gonna put in the reps this weekend.
In my area, im having trouble finding any Mirin that is not Aji-mirin and Hon-mirin. Say I am limited to those mirin, any alteration to the yakitori tare you would recommend?
You can use those, just look at the ingredients and if theres added salt, just cut back on soy sauce used.
When serving a meal would vegetables and or fruit ever be used? If so how would it be said?
Yes, it's common to find a vegetable skewer or two in your Yakitori course as a pause in between chicken items. Fruits, very rare, mainly only for desserts. I do have a veggie video coming up!
Do you have an electric grill recommendation other than the Livart which is out of stock everywhere?
Any similar designs you find should work that show up online on amazon ebay etc but I don't have personal experience with them. You want open coils and a grate on top and not a pan. I explain about this topic on my latest UA-cam Live video on this channel check it out.
Thanks for the video! How do you like your Iwatani grill? I just got one on Amazon. Would love to hear your pros/cons on that grill.
Thanks for watching! I use the Iwatani for the convenience that it's portable and uses the same gas cans as my torch. As it's gas it gets a bit hotter than the electric so great for searing. However it's really ideal for non Yakitori (like grilling Yakiniku or whole fish etc). The heating distribution needs some improvement and it has weird hot spots often causes the skewers to burn off so you have to be careful of that. That's something you don't have to worry with the electric grills. Just keep a close eye on your skewers and rotate them around to avoid the burned sticks.
What is the temperature of the Tare when you use it for dipping skewers?
If you left it in the fridge. Make sure Tare is room temp to warm or it'll end up cooling your skewers as it dips. At fridge temp it's also a bit thick and room temp loosens it up to coat your Yakitori better.
Nice channel keep it up 👍👍
Question why does my breast yakitori taste so dry and flavourless
Can you share some tips about this issue
Thanks for your support! Have you seen my episode on Breasts? Some quick tips. Make sure you're using breasts you broken down from quality whole air chilled organic chicken. Really makes a difference between that and breasts thats been exposed to air drying up in a pack or in the deli case. Also quite likely you're over cooking the breasts. Many of us have a learned habit of undercooking beef and overcooking pork and chicken. Use a thermometer if you want to be sure but cooking breast under and it'll still be cooking off the grill before you eat. Hope that helps!
Great videos!
Thanks! Glad you like them.
I have the same exact brown Iwatani gas yakitori grill that you have sitting on your stove in this video. It works reasonably well, and definitely much easier than using my miniature round konro (too small, lots of trouble to start up and clean). Would you still recommend buying the Livart, or do you feel that the gas grill is almost as good? Thanks!
Yup, alot of people get charcoal at first because it's marketed as the "traditional or authentic" grill in Japan, even if that's not quite true, PLUS it's definitely alot of work to start and use just for few skewers.
I like the Iwatani Gas Grill that it's portable and uses the same gas cans as my torch and runs quite hot (also a little too hot and smokey indoors and will set off alarms). However, you may have noticed hot spots, or your skewers burning off from the hotspots and flareups. Due to these reasons, I still use the Livart Electric for most of my indoor grilling, it's really hassle free and makes beautiful looking and tasting Yakitori if you know how to work within it's limits. I have a video coming up shortly about it. Hopefully it'll give you a better idea how it works.
@@Yakitoriguy thanks for your response. I just made Yakitori using your methods and the Iwatani grill outdoors and this was probably my best result yet! I definitely had exactly what you describe with the hot spots and the skewer ends burning. On the other hand, it seems that the Iwatani cooks a bit faster than the Livart. Is that right, or are they about the same?
@@rc0mplex At the lower grill position on the Livart, I think it's pretty close, in terms of heat temp. But I often cook on the higher position to get more even heat distribution.
The Iwatani is hotter than the Livart, but in many cases with Yakitori, hotter doesn't always translate to faster cooking, as now you're fighting against skewers and meat burning, so constantly moving it around. When cooking indoors usually like to start with the Livart, and then finish with Tare dipping and charring on the Iwatani. This method is similar to moving around with different temp spots on a traditional charcoal Yakitori grill.
@@Yakitoriguy thanks so much for the detailed explanation. You rock!
What is the brand of the wasabi paste you are using in the video?
I like to use Kameya. But any of the wasabi tubes that's more wasabi than horse radish is good. If you can grate fresh wasabi, even better.
I miss *good* Japanese food. Yakitori, ramen, fried rice, & yakisoba were 🔥 there. Omg. I miss those flavors.
What temperature are you setting the grill at?
The Livart Electric Grill used in this video only has one switch on and off. I do have the grill placed at the lower height to get it a bit hotter. Link to the grill is in the descriptions. Hope that helps!
Fantastic! Thank you. Do you do pop-ups in the SF Bay Area? Go Giants! Will follow on IG - want to taste yours. You put so much care into your cooking.
Hope to get back to SF for popups!
I saw the feature yakitori and then bought a whole chicken. 1.30am and I'm dissecting the whole chicken and using the carcass to make chicken soup. Now I've got chicken pieces without the grill or condiments (and it's too late) #firstworlddillemmas.
Hope the chicken breakdown was fun!
hey dude, this looks delicious. how do i store the tare? do I need to keep it refrigerated? or what's the go?
Yup I explain in later videos but keep it fridged and heat up every week or two or before use.
not sure if u mention this in any part of the video, commenting halfway through, but i would love to know how cooked through are your yakitori normally? like is it 100% fully cooked through? or do you stop when its about maybe 75-80% cooked through?
I take it off the grill at about 97%-99% as it'll still be cooking a bit while on the plate. You definitely want to make sure you're cooking to temp (you can use thermometer) but no need to over cook chicken as long as you know its very fresh.
@@Yakitoriguy ah okay so you still do take into account carry over cooking. thanks for replying, really appreciate it. been wanting to start learning yakitori for some time now and your channel has been insanely informative and just really easy to follow.
Scibed cuz this is the only comprehensive video
Thanks! Welcome to Yakigang!
I tried grilling negi, but the leeks kept getting burnt before the chicken was cooked. How do I avoid that?
Thank you !!!
Not sure how to answer without exactly seeing what and how you're cooking it. By burnt, if you mean turning bitter black before the chicken is cooked (need more constant rotation of skewer and grill heat control), or just wilting (possibly using too thin of onions, use thicker ones). Also depends on your grill set up (electric, gas, charcoal, what kinda charcoal) and lastly what the size and shape of your skewer is like. A little bit of browning/caramelizing and sometimes char is normal on the thick onion, but generally won't over burn as long as its thick and full of moisture. Hope that helps, but let me know with additional other details for your setup.
some Yakitori Restaurants cook seafood on sticks .What do you call that in Japanese?
Yup non chicken skewer cuisine would be called Kushiyaki which means "skewer-grilled". There's also Yakiton cuisine. Which is grilled pork parts on skewers.