Chicken Tsukune
Japan's chicken meatball: kneaded sticky, grilled on skewers, glazed with sweet soy tare, dipped in egg yolk.
Tsukune is a kind of yakitori, the grilled skewers of Japan's izakaya bars: a chicken meatball glazed with a sweet soy tare and dipped in raw egg yolk.
Like lion's head, it breaks the Western rule. You knead it until it turns pale and sticky, and that stickiness is what lets the meat grip the skewer so it doesn't fall into the fire.
Why it works
Kneading
Working the chicken develops a sticky protein network, the same idea as lion's head, so it grips the skewer.
Two skewers
Two skewers stop the patty spinning when you turn it.
Watch it made
Step by step
- Step 1
Boil the tare ingredients until thick and glossy, then set aside.
- Step 2
Mix the chicken, scallion, sake, starch and salt, and knead until it turns pale and sticky.
- Step 3
Shape 6 oblong patties and push two skewers through each one.
- Step 4
Grill over medium-high heat, 3 to 4 minutes on the first side and 2 to 3 on the second, or broil them. Chicken should reach 165°F in the middle.
- Step 5
Brush with tare and return to the heat for a minute so the glaze caramelizes. Do it twice for a deeper shine.
- Step 6
Serve with the egg yolk in a little dish for dipping, and shichimi if you like heat.
Chicken Tsukune
Serves 3 · 6 skewers · 40 min total
Tare
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sake
Tsukune
- About 14 oz skin-on boneless chicken thigh, chopped fine (or ground thigh)
- A small handful of scallion whites, minced
- 1 tbsp sake
- 1 tsp potato starch
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 12 bamboo skewers, soaked
To serve
- 2 egg yolks, pasteurized if served raw
- Shichimi pepper, optional
Method
- Boil the tare ingredients until thick and glossy, then set aside.
- Mix the chicken, scallion, sake, starch and salt, and knead until it turns pale and sticky.
- Shape 6 oblong patties and push two skewers through each one.
- Grill over medium-high heat, 3 to 4 minutes on the first side and 2 to 3 on the second, or broil them. Chicken should reach 165°F in the middle.
- Brush with tare and return to the heat for a minute so the glaze caramelizes. Do it twice for a deeper shine.
- Serve with the egg yolk in a little dish for dipping, and shichimi if you like heat.
Follows Norecipes (Marc Matsumoto), with grill times from Just One Cookbook. Norecipes and Just One Cookbook. Ingredient list follows the source; the method is in our own words.
Tips
- Sweet, salty, smoky and rich, all in one bite. The yolk is not optional.
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