Indulge in Tsukune: The Ultimate Japanese Grilled Chicken Skewers つくね

By Just One Cookbook · 40 min

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Soak 8 bamboo skewers (about 15 cm / 6 inches) in water for 30 minutes to keep them from burning.
2. Make the yakitori sauce: combine ¼ cup water, ¼ cup sake, ½ cup mirin, ½ cup soy sauce and 2 tsp brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, until reduced by half and thickened.
3. Heat an ungreased pan over medium heat. Add one-third of the ground chicken (lean part only if the package has both fatty and lean meat) and cook without browning, breaking it up, until no longer pink. Transfer to a large bowl and cool completely.
4. Stack and roll the 6 shiso leaves, then slice them into thin strips. Slice the 2–3 green onions thinly.
5. Once the cooked chicken is at room temperature, add the remaining raw ground chicken, 1 Tbsp miso and 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil and mix well with a wooden spatula.
6. Add the shiso and knead, then add the green onions and knead. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix again.
7. Knead by hand, folding clockwise 30 times and then counterclockwise 30 times, until pale and sticky. If the fat starts to look melted, chill for 10 minutes and continue kneading.
8. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions.
9. Set a foil-lined baking sheet with an oven-safe wire rack on top, brushed with oil. Lightly coat your hands with sesame oil. Toss one portion between your hands 10 times, then shape it into an oval patty about 10 cm (4 inches) long and flatten slightly.
10. Place the top half to two-thirds of a skewer along the centre of the patty, fold the sides around it, seal the edges and reshape into a long cylinder. Gently toss and press to shape, checking that the skewer is centred.
11. Arrange the tsukune on the rack with the skewer handles along two sides and the meat toward the centre. Sprinkle lightly with coarse sea salt. Cover the skewer handles with foil strips.
12. Preheat the broiler on High (288°C / 550°F) for 5 minutes with the rack in the middle, about 20 cm (8 inches) from the element. Broil for 6 minutes, then flip and broil the other side for 4 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F).
13. Brush both sides with the yakitori sauce, broiling 45–60 seconds per side until the sauce caramelises and sizzles. Serve immediately.

Summarized from Just One Cookbook's video. Watch it for the details.

More recipes with

ScallionBrown sugarMisoGround chicken