We teamed up with Carmen from @foodkarmablog to bring you two summer grilling favourites: Japanese-style yakitori skewers with homemade tare sauce and a perfectly cooked tomahawk steak.
Homemade Tare Sauce
A rich, savoury-sweet glaze that elevates grilled skewers.
Ingredients
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½ cup sake
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1 cup mirin
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1 cup soy sauce
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½ cup water
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2 tbsp brown sugar (add more if you like it sweeter)
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1 cup green onions
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Chicken back bones (available at Urban Butcher)
Instructions
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Roast chicken back bones at 400°F for 20–30 minutes, until browned.
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In a pot, combine sake, mirin, water, green onions, and roasted bones. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes.
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Add soy sauce and brown sugar. Continue to simmer until the sauce is thickened and reduced (about 1–1.5 hours).
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Strain and store in a container. Brush onto skewers during grilling.
Yakitori Skewers
Before skewering, season your protein and soak wooden/bamboo skewers in water to prevent burning.
Ingredients
- 2 Chicken thighs
- 6 Chicken wings
- 300g pork belly
- 1 pack enoki mushrooms
- 6 slices bacon
- 6 large scallops
- 1-2 thick green onions
- Salt
Chicken Thigh & Green Onion (Negima)
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Cut chicken thighs into 1.5-inch cubes, season with salt.
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Slice green onion into 1.5-inch pieces (save the greens for tare).
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Alternate chicken and onion pieces on skewers, packing tightly.
Chicken Wings (Tebasaki)
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Clean wings and season with salt.
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Skewer horizontally for even cooking.
Pork Belly (Butabara)
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Slice pork belly into ½-inch strips (slightly frozen pork belly makes slicing easier).
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Season and skewer horizontally.
Bacon-Wrapped Enoki
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Trim the root ends of enoki mushrooms. Tear into small bundles.
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Wrap each bundle with a slice of bacon.
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Place two bundles per skewer.
Hokkaido Scallops
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Pat scallops dry and season with salt.
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Place three scallops per skewer.
Grilling Instructions
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Preheat grill according to your grill’s instructions.
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Cook skewers over medium heat, turning frequently. For fattier proteins, keep a close eye to prevent flare-ups.
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In the final minutes of cooking, brush skewers with tare sauce.
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Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F).
Tomahawk Steak
A show-stopper perfect for special occasions.
Ingredients
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1 tomahawk steak (available at Urban Butcher)
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Olive oil
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Salt & freshly cracked black pepper
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3 cloves garlic per side
Instructions
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Rub the tomahawk with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add garlic cloves and vacuum seal.
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Sous vide at 52°C for 2 hours (adjust based on thickness). Chill until ready to grill.
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Remove from the fridge at least 2 hours before grilling. Season again with salt and pepper.
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Sear on a hot grill, turning to brown all sides. Render fat where possible but avoid excessive flame charring.
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Cook until the steak reaches 54°C for medium-rare.
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Rest before slicing. Finish with olive oil and flaky salt.
Bring It Home
From tare-glazed skewers to a tomahawk masterpiece, these recipes will make your grill the star of summer. Pick up all the protein you need — chicken back bones, pork belly, scallops, and tomahawk steaks — at Urban Butcher.