Yakitori Guy! You make my day! Thank you for all the wonderful lessons! You're my favorite to watch on UA-cam! I just got my chickens delivered so I'll be watching you cut up a chicken for yakitori again before I try it!
Wow is it really you Julie! As mentioned in the video thank you so much and good luck with your Yakitori journey that I'm happy to have helped get started!
@@Yakitoriguy It's really me! I still haven't found a decent inexpensive indoor electric grill. Have returned several because coils don't even get close to being red! I look everyday for a used Lovart grill but no luck! It's still way too hot here to sit outside and cook! Heat index has been over 100F. Just gives me more time to watch your videos over and over again! Thank you again for all the time you spend putting these lessons together for us!
Ahh Ok! Well the Voohee Grill I used as a Livart alternative in a Live video I did few months back pretty much did what Livart did. I think they have different brand names like Tonze. It's ok if the coils don't get that super hot, you can still practice all the cutting and skewering and grilling slowly at a easier to practice lower temperature too. Good luck!
you can save the unused pieces after cooking. I put them in a Dutch oven (with metal rack on bottom so binchotan is not directly touching the pot), close the lid, and leave it overnight.
Gracies, YakitoriGuy for an informative and engaging video. I am a wood-fired baker and often wonder about what to do with remaining charcoal from when I fire the oven with local oak. After watching your video I relaise that maybe the way to go is producing charcoal as a side-hustle as here we have access to thousands and thousnds of acres of mature forest that is currently unmanaged.... Happy Tuesday man!
12:18 I would agree, but I'm pretty sure that black charcoal makes a lot of infrared light as well. I mean, I have burnt the stuff many times, and you can definitely feel the heat coming off of it, regardless of whether or not you are in the convection of hot air or not. I have caught sticks on fire by simply holding them near black lump charcoal that was burning, a few inches away, and not above it, but to the side, it was simply the infrared light that heated it up. I guess you would have to measure it to be sure. also, what made you think that Binchotan charcoal would emit more infrared anyway? just curious. is it because its more reflective than black charcoal? I guess the black charcoal would absorb more light since its porous and its black, while the Binchotan charcoal would reflect more light.
Such a great overview on the wood itself. I actually want to try to use for tea ceremony as it’s nowadays impossible to get japanese tea charcoal in Europe and the overview was great. I know they are very different, but at least I get to learn a lot by watching it
Love your videos and so glad you have a section about lighting binchotan. I have struggled a lot with lighting my charcoal and there aren't any good videos on lighting binchotan. Interestingly yesterday I tried a portable butane stove which worked great but I left my red hot binchotan coals on a portable stove for too long and the butane canister blew up. Nobody got hurt and if I would have taken the chimney off the burner as soon as the coals were red hot everything would have been fine. I will try your way next time. The good news is the food still came out great.
Glad to hear you're safe. I've heard about the potential but this is the firsthand Yakigang story of it happening which is why I def recommend using a larger stove like in this video and also never leave sight of the charcoal. At the restaurant binchotan is lit indoors but it's on a pro stove where the stovetop etc is alot more durable and the gas line is much more protected.
Thanks for sharing the recipes and knowledge .. Im a fan of your work and Yakitori !! In Brazil this binchotan would cost approximately more than 1 month of the minimum wage salary ...So This type of texture, taste and flavour lives only in my imagination ... Definetely appreciate your passion, skills and sharing this experience in youtube for free !!! Big hug from Brazil !!
Thank you so much for this!! I loved the beginning and learning about the differences between all the different types of charcoal! It's useful to know, and I appreciate you taking the time to talk about it! If you remember, I asked about it on IG :). I've watched this multiple times, but am just now getting to commenting :)
Just wow! Looks absolutely amazing my friend. Hope you didnt let any of it go to waste since it seems like it would have a looong burn time. This charcoal seems to do very well with flair ups. It definaltely gave me some ideas. Thank you.
What's good about binchotan is you can turn it off with water or airtight container and then reuse it. It works best as the starter logs. I show those process in other videos.
Many potential videos for side dishes, but one simple category is tsukemono/Japanese pickles. Feel free to do a quick search on variety of tsukemono recipes to make or even bought from Japanese grocery is good dish to have as palate cleansers.
I second the Japanese pickles (or any quick veggies pickles}, they go very well with the skewers. My go is cucumbers pickled in vinegar, sugar and garlic... We eat them so fast!
the smoke is so pure... ever thought of making a special yakitori lid that can keep the smoke near the skewers for longer? or even spritz the skewers to pick up more smoke.
That's what the hand fan is for, you can use it to fan the smoke back on. But because you're constantly rotating the skewers on the grill over the smoke each Yakitori will correct plenty of smokey flavor.
@@Yakitoriguy Yes, maybe creating a new and inventive idea such as the yakitori lid will be too much flavor for the public to handle, and result in an amazing michelin starred yakitori restaurant. I guess we'd better not do it.
I would recommend the standard Weber chimney starter instead of the compact version as the bigger one is from my experience faster when trying to burn the same amount of charcoal. Especially with bigger lumpwood charcoal this could save you more time
Ate at Torishin recently and saw the real binchotan. The thing thay i was most surprised by was how hot the interior of the meat was, fresh off the grill. Some skewers were too hot to eat immediately, but only because of the inside, not the outside, which had cooled already from the ambient air
Exactly! The hotness and juiciness inside is definitely something magical about cooking with binchotan whether it's chicken, other meats or even vegetables. This is why I like to really emphasize that craft yakitori is so different from simply "grilled chicken".
Thx man, your videos have allowed me to make yakitori for my family to enjoy (and I am using far less superior equipments , just whatever I have and start grilling). Yakitori elevates a humble everyday ingredient to a such a high level. Kudos to your videos and passion. For the binchotan that you used in the video, was it about 10% of the whole box? I want to know a box of this high-end binchotan will last roughly how many yakitori cooking sessions. Cheers! D
Yes using whatever you have is definitely my go to method from day 1. Most important is using and breaking down quality chicken and the techniques you learn from repeat practice. Yea I would say about 5% of the box used, and keep it mind unlike lump charcoal or kingsford style that burns off within the hour Binchotan lasts almost all night and you can reuse some of it the following session.
Also another quick question, how long does it take now for u to cut up a chicken and make them as skewers. I kinda want to get a benchmark of time . It takes me an hr to make all skewers from start to finish. Many thx, D
What a great video! Just watched another time after several months. Have you ever tried coconut charcoal? Looking for a good alternative as I am in México city, and ogatan is even more expensive here than in US. Thank you!
Love your videos! Very educational! I'm looking to buy my first charcoal grill and would love to use binchotan but I'm stuck between deciding between the steel type you used in this video or a diatomaceous earth konro type .. which do you think would be better for cooking yakitory/ikayaki or just plain grilling beef? What's your opinion between these two? Thanks!
Is there a difference between cooking using a grill and filliping the food onto it and without one and just letting the food hang over the heat with nothing under it (using rods)?
Hey yakitori guy, Nice review , one question what about kachi sticks charcoal or mangrove sticks charcoal they have a clean burn not has hard to light has bincho have you heard of the kachi sticks charcoal would you recommend them as an alternative not as pricey as bincho Great review,
Your videos are so helpful! Would you ever prep skewers and then freeze for later? I know it wouldn't be ideal but if you had limited time to prep for a party or had leftover skewers, would freezing for use later be an option?
Yea you can vac seal and freeze if you make too much and save it for when you want some home Yakitori on the quick. For party hosting prep wise, I'd still recommend day of or night before. Frozen/Defrosted ones just aren't as good.
I credit my yakitori skewers to ur passion! Also another quick question, how long does it take now for u to cut up a chicken and make them as skewers. I kinda want to get a benchmark of time (when u r doing at home, not in a pro shop where u r doing for speed) . It takes me an hr to make all skewers from start to finish. Many thx, D
omg what a great channel! I'm a grillmaster from Poland, and I visited Japan last year for the first time - fell in love with yakitori! I even made some videos - will post it soon. Tell me - could you give me some contacts where I can order binchotan? Can I find you on fb?
Most decent lump charcoal in the US is going to be around 65~75% carbon content. This level of carbon content pretty much ensures that most if not all of the cellulose and hemicellulose has been removed. While burning cellulose and hemicellulose provides aromatic wood flavors, it also can contribute bitter flavor compounds and makes the charcoal burn more irregularly. In essence, below 65% carbon content, such lump charcoal feels more like wood than charcoal and while that might be fine in an indirect smoker, it can be rather problematic in direct grilling. At 65~75%, lump charcoal only has mostly lignin and carbon to burn. Lignin converts to phenols when combusted and gives a smoky flavor to meat. That works for a lot of stuff, but not yakitori. So that uses higher carbon content binchotan where essentially the lignin has also been removed. No more woody or smokey flavors at that point. On a side note, briquettes are a bit different. For example, briquettes made from charcoal powder and binder can actually have a carbon content of 75~85%, but due to the binder it may not burn all that clean. Ogatan style briquettes are different because the lignin in the sawdust is used as a binder through heat and pressure, after which the wood product is pyrolyzed. Such ogatan briquettes are typically around 85~91% carbon content of what I've seen.
Thanks for sharing your insights. To add, even that what makes up that 5% organic material in the 95% carbon Binchotan varies among all the different Binchotan which leads to variances in flavor and texture yielded from Kishu Binchotan vs another brand/region of Japanese Binchotan. Hopefully I'll have a chance to play with some of these other ones in Japan next.
@@Yakitoriguy Ash content varies by about 1~4% depending on the source of hardwood. Oak tends to be pretty clean, so I'd assume Kishu is on that low end, so probably around 95% carbon, 4% volatile, and 1% ash.
Hey Yakitoriguy, I just made yakitori for the first time thanks to you, and it was amazing! Question: What should I do about skewers that cook faster in the middle than on the ends? Sometimes the middle of my skewer is fully cooked but the end pieces of my skewers are still pink. Thanks in advance!
You can either adjust the way the charcoal is laid to change the heat distribution, alter the way you skewer but making inner pieces bigger, or just move around the skewers as you grill.
I don't mean to sound bad by any means, I'm really curious. How is it almost all Asian people have no problem eating hot and spicy food? I don't understand it. I would starve to death in Asia if I had to eat hot and spicy. Every video I see they are all eating it hot and spicy. BTW enjoyed your video. Very informative. I'm looking to get a hibachi grill and I am looking into this cooking. This looks so delicious! You made me subscribe. 😃
Thank you very much. Very interesting. In Germany we can't buy your "grill". In my case, my grill for yakitori ist a little bit to wide (?), zu breit. I should use stones. All your videos are very helpful.
Yes Tosa is very famous and considered second to the Kishu. I would recommend if you can find some too. However keep in mind like Kishu Binchotan Tosa Binchotan naming is based on the region it's from so quality can vary from company to company.
I have a question, I’ve seen in several other videos featuring shops; they line a layer of lit sumi charcoal/ ogatan at the bottom before adding their binchotan. Is this a more cost effective method vs just lighting using just binchotan or is there another reason? I did noticed in your vids that you tend to just use one type of charcoal when grilling. Do you mix charcoal like shops when you do pop ups?
I actually do ogatan on bottom sometimes too. There's various pros such as creating a very even layer on the bottom, easy to light first and slowly light up the binchotan on top, and also cost effectiveness.
Qq. You say prefer lump charcoal for steaks and burgers, why that is? Cost factor? Overall shorter cooking time even with a big group so bincho isn't an advantage? Have been wanting to make a steak w/ bincho so curious.
With Yakitori I don't want that woodsy/campfire grilled smoke flavor. Just the flavor of the chicken fat smoke. But with thick steak or burgers with lots of other flavors (cheese, condiments, buns etc) covering the patty, that woodsy smoke feels just right for me. Also less flareup with Binchotan (more flareups with lumps for that char flavor I want with steak or burger but not with Yakitori) Ultimately its a preference, like I don't want to eat Texas bbq that's missing wood smoke flavor either. Steak on Binchotan works too, just depends on what flavor you're going for. For Yakiniku style thin beef cuts I use Binchotan so all I'm tasting is the meat flavors. But for that big tomahawk, having a nice smoke flavor and char marks on the crust outside and beefy inside is the good balance at least in my preference.
I'm a sushi chef looking to maki yakitori . My gill is on its was. where did you purchase that box of kishu? i can only find it on ebay. thank you for the great chicken break down.
Hmm. Nice video, thanks for the hard work. But really it's just about you enjoying what you do, that's nice. Nothing very "educational" about it I guess? (What temp did you get the chicken to or how ong grilled? How long did the charcoal last? Did you have to switch it out or add more? What are you sprinkling (salt?) Spraying? (Sake? water?) I guess your fans know but didn't repeat any of that here but thanks for the visuals. And music. Ahh UA-cam
I did try it for a full review, just havn't gotten around to editing it yet. But quick feedback is it's not dense at all and actually closer to lump charcoal than Binchotan or Ogatan in how it performs for Yakitori.
Thank you for the advice! I’m gonna be getting my first yakitori grill and doing first cook this September. I have watched a lot of your videos in preparation and you inspired and taught me a lot. I’m excited to cook with the Kishu Binchotan! Keep up the great work and Thanks for the helpful videos!
Where do you get your chicken? That is the number 1 ingredient aside from the infrared heat of binchotan. Have been to many yakitori places in Tokyo and it's almost always very good. In the US, it is really hard to find tasty yakitori, usually disappointing really.
Yes definitely the biggest difference is the chicken, but I try to make due with what we can get here for now. Nothing like the Jidori in Japan. I've been using Mary's for a long time but also have been using Pasturebird at my events. You can check out my Pasturebird video I have on this channel to learn more.
I have been making yakitori with ogatan. Do you have any recommendation on where I can purchase the binchotan from Vietnam? I’d like to try them as well :)
Various online retailers that supply Japanese kitchen ware (Korin, Mtc, Hitachiya) has them here and there based on supply but if you have any friends in Japanese restaurants they can usually get it through their distributor too.
You can usually find it on ebay or Amazon around the $250-300 price depending on quality/sizes. The longer solids costs more and the smaller broken bits costs less.
Depends on how big the shop is really but a few days so gets pretty pricy and why most shops use Ogatan or cheaper Binchotan or hybrid and only the highest rated placed use Kishu only.
Check out my chicken breakdown videos/classes. I talk about all those details but one chicken is good for 2 people as long as you add in additional veggies and sides.
@@Yakitoriguy okay thank you !! Got it. I love your videos, I purchased a binchon grill and I have binchotan. You are right high quality binchotan makes cooking easier. I purchased those free-range chickens I'm going to try it out tonight.
Never uncooked chicken. All of those are 99% cooked then dipped to be heated just to caramelize but not burn. Check out my other tutorials on Tare sauce to learn more about the process.
Tu as oublié une chose super intéressante et importante. Comment éteindre le binchotan dans l’eau pour réutilisation. Ce serait utile pour ceux qui ne le savent pas
I think this is mentioning about extinguishing the charcoal? I already show both the water and putting into airtight pot it in my other videos but will probably make a dedicated video on it when I can. Stay tuned
This is the lighter bag 4kg (but wanted to show the bag size comparison to the boxes). I bought it at my local meat market maybe half a year ago and it was on sale for less then $10. Just checked the current prices online still around $14-15 so not too far off haha.
@@Yakitoriguy Ah, they don't see 4kg bags where I live, just the full size. Fogo is on the high end, so it might even be above 75% carbon. As lump has become more popular, I've seen the high-end brands moving more into higher carbon content charcoals to justify their prices.
It's definitely for special occasions for me however as it lasts 4-5 hours for home use it'll probably come out to around $10-$12 a session if you're throwing a small gathering, it's the price of a 6 pack of good beer.
Considering the hideous insane shipping cost to send over this box of charcoal, you might pay more shipping fee than the actual charcoal itself, it is really a premium and a luxury to use binchotan outside of Japan
Yakitori Guy! You make my day! Thank you for all the wonderful lessons! You're my favorite to watch on UA-cam! I just got my chickens delivered so I'll be watching you cut up a chicken for yakitori again before I try it!
Wow is it really you Julie! As mentioned in the video thank you so much and good luck with your Yakitori journey that I'm happy to have helped get started!
@@Yakitoriguy It's really me! I still haven't found a decent inexpensive indoor electric grill. Have returned several because coils don't even get close to being red! I look everyday for a used Lovart grill but no luck! It's still way too hot here to sit outside and cook! Heat index has been over 100F. Just gives me more time to watch your videos over and over again! Thank you again for all the time you spend putting these lessons together for us!
Ahh Ok! Well the Voohee Grill I used as a Livart alternative in a Live video I did few months back pretty much did what Livart did. I think they have different brand names like Tonze. It's ok if the coils don't get that super hot, you can still practice all the cutting and skewering and grilling slowly at a easier to practice lower temperature too. Good luck!
you can save the unused pieces after cooking. I put them in a Dutch oven (with metal rack on bottom so binchotan is not directly touching the pot), close the lid, and leave it overnight.
I just put them in an empty biscuit tin. Then spray the tin with water. ✌🏻
This one of the most satisfying videos I have ever seen, I must show all 2 of my friends 😂
Maybe you will gain a friend with your cooking yakitori
I wish I had a friend
Gracies, YakitoriGuy for an informative and engaging video. I am a wood-fired baker and often wonder about what to do with remaining charcoal from when I fire the oven with local oak. After watching your video I relaise that maybe the way to go is producing charcoal as a side-hustle as here we have access to thousands and thousnds of acres of mature forest that is currently unmanaged.... Happy Tuesday man!
Oh that's a great sustainable idea!
Geez. I miss japan. Instant subscribe. I didn't realize there was so much involved in getting that signature Yakitori taste. Great stuff.
12:18 I would agree, but I'm pretty sure that black charcoal makes a lot of infrared light as well. I mean, I have burnt the stuff many times, and you can definitely feel the heat coming off of it, regardless of whether or not you are in the convection of hot air or not. I have caught sticks on fire by simply holding them near black lump charcoal that was burning, a few inches away, and not above it, but to the side, it was simply the infrared light that heated it up. I guess you would have to measure it to be sure. also, what made you think that Binchotan charcoal would emit more infrared anyway? just curious. is it because its more reflective than black charcoal? I guess the black charcoal would absorb more light since its porous and its black, while the Binchotan charcoal would reflect more light.
I agree to previous comments, this is one of my favorite UA-cam videos. Thanks for the amazing content Yakitoriguy!
Thanks for being Yakigang!
Thank you for the comparison.
13:03 is the exact way I like my chicken, looks SUPERB!
Thank you for this video, I learned something new. 2024
Such a great overview on the wood itself. I actually want to try to use for tea ceremony as it’s nowadays impossible to get japanese tea charcoal in Europe and the overview was great. I know they are very different, but at least I get to learn a lot by watching it
watching from France . great video
Thanks for watching from France!
Love your videos and so glad you have a section about lighting binchotan. I have struggled a lot with lighting my charcoal and there aren't any good videos on lighting binchotan. Interestingly yesterday I tried a portable butane stove which worked great but I left my red hot binchotan coals on a portable stove for too long and the butane canister blew up. Nobody got hurt and if I would have taken the chimney off the burner as soon as the coals were red hot everything would have been fine. I will try your way next time. The good news is the food still came out great.
Glad to hear you're safe. I've heard about the potential but this is the firsthand Yakigang story of it happening which is why I def recommend using a larger stove like in this video and also never leave sight of the charcoal. At the restaurant binchotan is lit indoors but it's on a pro stove where the stovetop etc is alot more durable and the gas line is much more protected.
Thanks for sharing the recipes and knowledge .. Im a fan of your work and Yakitori !! In Brazil this binchotan would cost approximately more than 1 month of the minimum wage salary ...So This type of texture, taste and flavour lives only in my imagination ... Definetely appreciate your passion, skills and sharing this experience in youtube for free !!! Big hug from Brazil !!
Thank you so much for this!! I loved the beginning and learning about the differences between all the different types of charcoal! It's useful to know, and I appreciate you taking the time to talk about it! If you remember, I asked about it on IG :). I've watched this multiple times, but am just now getting to commenting :)
Glad you enjoyed and learned something from the video!
Love love ! this video extremely knowledgeable learnt some new things here !!!
Just wow! Looks absolutely amazing my friend. Hope you didnt let any of it go to waste since it seems like it would have a looong burn time. This charcoal seems to do very well with flair ups. It definaltely gave me some ideas. Thank you.
What's good about binchotan is you can turn it off with water or airtight container and then reuse it. It works best as the starter logs. I show those process in other videos.
Great video, thank you. Do you have a video about seasonings and dips etc?
Grat video. Nice to know that there is a difference indeed. One day I will try that out as well. How about a video on what to serve as a side dish?
Many potential videos for side dishes, but one simple category is tsukemono/Japanese pickles. Feel free to do a quick search on variety of tsukemono recipes to make or even bought from Japanese grocery is good dish to have as palate cleansers.
I second the Japanese pickles (or any quick veggies pickles}, they go very well with the skewers. My go is cucumbers pickled in vinegar, sugar and garlic... We eat them so fast!
the smoke is so pure... ever thought of making a special yakitori lid that can keep the smoke near the skewers for longer? or even spritz the skewers to pick up more smoke.
That's what the hand fan is for, you can use it to fan the smoke back on. But because you're constantly rotating the skewers on the grill over the smoke each Yakitori will correct plenty of smokey flavor.
@@Yakitoriguy Yes, maybe creating a new and inventive idea such as the yakitori lid will be too much flavor for the public to handle, and result in an amazing michelin starred yakitori restaurant. I guess we'd better not do it.
@@Yakitoriguyand just the opposite of sous vide..what u lose in drip comes up 3fold in tasty smoke 💨!🍻
I would recommend the standard Weber chimney starter instead of the compact version as the bigger one is from my experience faster when trying to burn the same amount of charcoal. Especially with bigger lumpwood charcoal this could save you more time
I'll be starting my yakitori journey Thursday, hoping to open a yakitori and udon truck next year
Enjoy the journey!
Ate at Torishin recently and saw the real binchotan. The thing thay i was most surprised by was how hot the interior of the meat was, fresh off the grill. Some skewers were too hot to eat immediately, but only because of the inside, not the outside, which had cooled already from the ambient air
Exactly! The hotness and juiciness inside is definitely something magical about cooking with binchotan whether it's chicken, other meats or even vegetables. This is why I like to really emphasize that craft yakitori is so different from simply "grilled chicken".
Thx man, your videos have allowed me to make yakitori for my family to enjoy (and I am using far less superior equipments , just whatever I have and start grilling). Yakitori elevates a humble everyday ingredient to a such a high level. Kudos to your videos and passion. For the binchotan that you used in the video, was it about 10% of the whole box? I want to know a box of this high-end binchotan will last roughly how many yakitori cooking sessions. Cheers! D
Yes using whatever you have is definitely my go to method from day 1. Most important is using and breaking down quality chicken and the techniques you learn from repeat practice. Yea I would say about 5% of the box used, and keep it mind unlike lump charcoal or kingsford style that burns off within the hour Binchotan lasts almost all night and you can reuse some of it the following session.
Awesome 👍 many thx! I credit ur passion for my yakitori!
Also another quick question, how long does it take now for u to cut up a chicken and make them as skewers. I kinda want to get a benchmark of time . It takes me an hr to make all skewers from start to finish. Many thx, D
What a great video! Just watched another time after several months.
Have you ever tried coconut charcoal? Looking for a good alternative as I am in México city, and ogatan is even more expensive here than in US.
Thank you!
My favorite UA-cam channel!
Can you do a tutorial on how to cut the chicken for the different skewers?
Yup I show it all. Check out the how to make Yakitori at home playlist.
Love your videos! Wondering what grill you’re using here?
Have few grills but generally use the Binchogrill in my videos.
Love your videos! Very educational! I'm looking to buy my first charcoal grill and would love to use binchotan but I'm stuck between deciding between the steel type you used in this video or a diatomaceous earth konro type .. which do you think would be better for cooking yakitory/ikayaki or just plain grilling beef? What's your opinion between these two? Thanks!
Awesome video...thanks 😊
Is there a difference between cooking using a grill and filliping the food onto it and without one and just letting the food hang over the heat with nothing under it (using rods)?
A propane tank after warning of combustion.love it.
Perfect exactly the type of video I was asking about before on another video. Thank you
Glad it worked out!
My beer taste better just by watching your vdo 😆
Cheers to that!
Very interesting thank you!
Thanks for watching!
What grill are you using in this vid I assume it is your favorite since you spent top dollar on the binchotan
Hey yakitori guy,
Nice review , one question what about kachi sticks charcoal or mangrove sticks charcoal they have a clean burn not has hard to light has bincho have you heard of the kachi sticks charcoal would you recommend them as an alternative not as pricey as bincho
Great review,
Your videos are so helpful! Would you ever prep skewers and then freeze for later? I know it wouldn't be ideal but if you had limited time to prep for a party or had leftover skewers, would freezing for use later be an option?
Yea you can vac seal and freeze if you make too much and save it for when you want some home Yakitori on the quick. For party hosting prep wise, I'd still recommend day of or night before. Frozen/Defrosted ones just aren't as good.
This is awesome
Thanks for watching!
I credit my yakitori skewers to ur passion! Also another quick question, how long does it take now for u to cut up a chicken and make them as skewers. I kinda want to get a benchmark of time (when u r doing at home, not in a pro shop where u r doing for speed) . It takes me an hr to make all skewers from start to finish. Many thx, D
Depends but probably around 30-45 mins for one chicken to skewers. It gets faster if doing multiple chickens because of scale and efficiency.
Thx
Ogotan in your left hand is much more different means of making its better, healtier than the right one .
I tend to use a electric burner like they use for shisha coals
omg what a great channel! I'm a grillmaster from Poland, and I visited Japan last year for the first time - fell in love with yakitori! I even made some videos - will post it soon. Tell me - could you give me some contacts where I can order binchotan? Can I find you on fb?
Most decent lump charcoal in the US is going to be around 65~75% carbon content. This level of carbon content pretty much ensures that most if not all of the cellulose and hemicellulose has been removed. While burning cellulose and hemicellulose provides aromatic wood flavors, it also can contribute bitter flavor compounds and makes the charcoal burn more irregularly. In essence, below 65% carbon content, such lump charcoal feels more like wood than charcoal and while that might be fine in an indirect smoker, it can be rather problematic in direct grilling.
At 65~75%, lump charcoal only has mostly lignin and carbon to burn. Lignin converts to phenols when combusted and gives a smoky flavor to meat. That works for a lot of stuff, but not yakitori. So that uses higher carbon content binchotan where essentially the lignin has also been removed. No more woody or smokey flavors at that point.
On a side note, briquettes are a bit different. For example, briquettes made from charcoal powder and binder can actually have a carbon content of 75~85%, but due to the binder it may not burn all that clean. Ogatan style briquettes are different because the lignin in the sawdust is used as a binder through heat and pressure, after which the wood product is pyrolyzed. Such ogatan briquettes are typically around 85~91% carbon content of what I've seen.
Thanks for sharing your insights. To add, even that what makes up that 5% organic material in the 95% carbon Binchotan varies among all the different Binchotan which leads to variances in flavor and texture yielded from Kishu Binchotan vs another brand/region of Japanese Binchotan. Hopefully I'll have a chance to play with some of these other ones in Japan next.
@@Yakitoriguy Ash content varies by about 1~4% depending on the source of hardwood. Oak tends to be pretty clean, so I'd assume Kishu is on that low end, so probably around 95% carbon, 4% volatile, and 1% ash.
Malaysia charcoal around 7 usd for 35kg
Really cheap for the quality
What’s the best way to store binchotan?
where did you buy the charcoal?
Hey Yakitoriguy, I just made yakitori for the first time thanks to you, and it was amazing!
Question: What should I do about skewers that cook faster in the middle than on the ends?
Sometimes the middle of my skewer is fully cooked but the end pieces of my skewers are still pink.
Thanks in advance!
You can either adjust the way the charcoal is laid to change the heat distribution, alter the way you skewer but making inner pieces bigger, or just move around the skewers as you grill.
@@Yakitoriguy Gotcha. I'll try that out. Thanks for the help!
I don't mean to sound bad by any means, I'm really curious. How is it almost all Asian people have no problem eating hot and spicy food? I don't understand it. I would starve to death in Asia if I had to eat hot and spicy. Every video I see they are all eating it hot and spicy. BTW enjoyed your video. Very informative. I'm looking to get a hibachi grill and I am looking into this cooking. This looks so delicious! You made me subscribe. 😃
Arigato
What is the powder you use?
beautiful charcol
Yea was definitely a splurge but wanted to make this video for Yakigang for a while !
Thank you very much. Very interesting. In Germany we can't buy your "grill". In my case, my grill for yakitori ist a little bit to wide (?), zu breit. I should use stones. All your videos are very helpful.
Thanks for watching from Germany!
Have you used TOSA binchotan? Is that decent quality as well?
Yes Tosa is very famous and considered second to the Kishu. I would recommend if you can find some too. However keep in mind like Kishu Binchotan Tosa Binchotan naming is based on the region it's from so quality can vary from company to company.
I have a question, I’ve seen in several other videos featuring shops; they line a layer of lit sumi charcoal/ ogatan at the bottom before adding their binchotan. Is this a more cost effective method vs just lighting using just binchotan or is there another reason? I did noticed in your vids that you tend to just use one type of charcoal when grilling. Do you mix charcoal like shops when you do pop ups?
I actually do ogatan on bottom sometimes too. There's various pros such as creating a very even layer on the bottom, easy to light first and slowly light up the binchotan on top, and also cost effectiveness.
Qq. You say prefer lump charcoal for steaks and burgers, why that is? Cost factor? Overall shorter cooking time even with a big group so bincho isn't an advantage? Have been wanting to make a steak w/ bincho so curious.
With Yakitori I don't want that woodsy/campfire grilled smoke flavor. Just the flavor of the chicken fat smoke. But with thick steak or burgers with lots of other flavors (cheese, condiments, buns etc) covering the patty, that woodsy smoke feels just right for me. Also less flareup with Binchotan (more flareups with lumps for that char flavor I want with steak or burger but not with Yakitori) Ultimately its a preference, like I don't want to eat Texas bbq that's missing wood smoke flavor either. Steak on Binchotan works too, just depends on what flavor you're going for. For Yakiniku style thin beef cuts I use Binchotan so all I'm tasting is the meat flavors. But for that big tomahawk, having a nice smoke flavor and char marks on the crust outside and beefy inside is the good balance at least in my preference.
i wish to have a yard to do this!
I am not sure you already answered this question.
Did you try to use one of those electric charcoal starter? Any thought on it?
I find gas stoves or even a charcoal fire starter works just as good, just make sure to use a chimney.
Yakitoriguy, maybe with all the Junk Oak trees in california, you should lern to make your own Bitchotan at home ! there has to be a way !
"It's basically chicken vape..."
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Question: does the heat of binchotan burn your face?
It can be very hot. I would say as long as you're not putting your face inches away you're ok.
I'm a sushi chef looking to maki yakitori . My gill is on its was. where did you purchase that box of kishu? i can only find it on ebay. thank you for the great chicken break down.
Got this box from Amazon but Ive seen it on ebay too.
Hmm. Nice video, thanks for the hard work. But really it's just about you enjoying what you do, that's nice. Nothing very "educational" about it I guess? (What temp did you get the chicken to or how ong grilled? How long did the charcoal last? Did you have to switch it out or add more? What are you sprinkling (salt?) Spraying? (Sake? water?) I guess your fans know but didn't repeat any of that here but thanks for the visuals. And music. Ahh UA-cam
90 95 karbon nasil bir teknik ile bu seviyeye ulaştınız
Have you ever tried Jealous Devil Binchotan from the US? Would love to hear your thoughts on it as an alternative to ogatan.
I did try it for a full review, just havn't gotten around to editing it yet. But quick feedback is it's not dense at all and actually closer to lump charcoal than Binchotan or Ogatan in how it performs for Yakitori.
@@Yakitoriguy Thanks for the response, i cant wait to hear your full thoughts in the video!
Where are you getting Fogo for $10 a bag?
I just got a box of kishu binchotan recently. Any tips on the best way to store it for the long term?
Keep it away from moisture is the key point. Can bag it up too.
Thank you for the advice! I’m gonna be getting my first yakitori grill and doing first cook this September. I have watched a lot of your videos in preparation and you inspired and taught me a lot. I’m excited to cook with the Kishu Binchotan! Keep up the great work and Thanks for the helpful videos!
Where do you get your chicken? That is the number 1 ingredient aside from the infrared heat of binchotan. Have been to many yakitori places in Tokyo and it's almost always very good. In the US, it is really hard to find tasty yakitori, usually disappointing really.
Yes definitely the biggest difference is the chicken, but I try to make due with what we can get here for now. Nothing like the Jidori in Japan. I've been using Mary's for a long time but also have been using Pasturebird at my events. You can check out my Pasturebird video I have on this channel to learn more.
What is the name of the grill you are using?
That's the Binchogrill 24 inch. I have a video on it
Raw all the way through
Also, in the end how far is the charcoal from the meat? an inch or so?
Yea the binchotan shrinks a bit so around an inch drop from start.
Where do you source your Vietnamese binchotan from?
You can find them at Japanese grocery stores in small containers or through Japanese restaurant suppliers in the big boxes.
Hi Yakitori guy , I am wondering if I can learn the yakitori skill from you in person? You can start a yakitori school.
Yea might do some classes in the future. Stay tuned!
I have been making yakitori with ogatan. Do you have any recommendation on where I can purchase the binchotan from Vietnam? I’d like to try them as well :)
Various online retailers that supply Japanese kitchen ware (Korin, Mtc, Hitachiya) has them here and there based on supply but if you have any friends in Japanese restaurants they can usually get it through their distributor too.
@@Yakitoriguy thank you for the suggestions!
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So you get the charcoal on amazon?
These one I got from Amazon.
How/where did you order the binchotan from?
You can usually find it on ebay or Amazon around the $250-300 price depending on quality/sizes. The longer solids costs more and the smaller broken bits costs less.
@@Yakitoriguy Thanks so much! Really appreciate you and the great content you put out!
Tại Việt Nam đất nước tôi cũng học hỏi và làm ra loại Binchotan từ Nhật Bản của bạn.
In an average shop how long would a 15 kg box last ?
Depends on how big the shop is really but a few days so gets pretty pricy and why most shops use Ogatan or cheaper Binchotan or hybrid and only the highest rated placed use Kishu only.
If I'm making yakitori for 8 people how many birds should I break down ?
Check out my chicken breakdown videos/classes. I talk about all those details but one chicken is good for 2 people as long as you add in additional veggies and sides.
@@Yakitoriguy okay thank you !!
Got it. I love your videos, I purchased a binchon grill and I have binchotan. You are right high quality binchotan makes cooking easier. I purchased those free-range chickens I'm going to try it out tonight.
Isn’t it a problem dipping raw or uncooked chicken into the tare?!
Never uncooked chicken. All of those are 99% cooked then dipped to be heated just to caramelize but not burn. Check out my other tutorials on Tare sauce to learn more about the process.
Tu as oublié une chose super intéressante et importante. Comment éteindre le binchotan dans l’eau pour réutilisation. Ce serait utile pour ceux qui ne le savent pas
I think this is mentioning about extinguishing the charcoal? I already show both the water and putting into airtight pot it in my other videos but will probably make a dedicated video on it when I can. Stay tuned
Also, I need to know where you are getting Fogo Premium for $10 a bag. ;)
This is the lighter bag 4kg (but wanted to show the bag size comparison to the boxes). I bought it at my local meat market maybe half a year ago and it was on sale for less then $10. Just checked the current prices online still around $14-15 so not too far off haha.
@@Yakitoriguy Ah, they don't see 4kg bags where I live, just the full size. Fogo is on the high end, so it might even be above 75% carbon. As lump has become more popular, I've seen the high-end brands moving more into higher carbon content charcoals to justify their prices.
I can not get it in germany 😭😭😭
Yea it's really hard to get here too but hopefully ebay or some method can get it to you.
There's no comparison to binchotan. The lump charcoal just doesn't cut it when making yakitori.
I am looking for a grandpa name Fujita selling charcoal during the ww2,
It sounds kinda like metal
Chicken breast is only dry if you overcook it
Absolutely impossible to find in Europe…😢
Where on earth do you get Fogo charcoal for $10 a bag? Sign me up and I'll leave the $300 bags for you 😁
And here I was complaining about $ 10 for lump charcoal. Shame face, 😢
But 300 $ for 15 kg hardcore
It's definitely for special occasions for me however as it lasts 4-5 hours for home use it'll probably come out to around $10-$12 a session if you're throwing a small gathering, it's the price of a 6 pack of good beer.
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Considering the hideous insane shipping cost to send over this box of charcoal, you might pay more shipping fee than the actual charcoal itself, it is really a premium and a luxury to use binchotan outside of Japan
Nice video, thank you so much!