Yakitori Sasami (ささみ, chicken tender)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Bamboo skewers, or metal skewers as a stand-in
• •Charcoal grill, grill pan, or broiler
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Small offset spatula or tongs

Instructions

1. 1

   Trim the tenders

   Pat the chicken dry, then remove the white tendon and any ragged bits. Dry meat browns more cleanly, and trimming keeps each skewer cooking at the same pace. Cut any thick tender lengthwise so every piece is close to the same thickness.

   Even thickness matters more than perfect shape. Sasami dries out quickly, so the thin end and thick end must finish together.
2. 2

   Season lightly

   Rub the chicken with the salt and sake and let it stand for 10 minutes. The salt seasons the meat directly, while the sake softens the surface aroma and helps the grill take the chicken cleanly. This is not a marinade to hide anything.

   If liquid gathers after salting, pat the chicken dry again before skewering. Wet chicken steams against the grate instead of grilling.
3. 3

   Skewer the sasami

   Thread each tender onto a soaked bamboo skewer, piercing through the center so the meat lies flat. Keep the pieces slightly compressed but not bunched up. A flat skewer meets the heat evenly, and even heat is how you keep this lean cut tender.

   Metal skewers work, but bamboo is the familiar tool for yakitori. Soaking slows scorching, though the exposed tips may still darken.
4. 4

   Heat the grill

   Prepare a charcoal grill, grill pan, or broiler for medium-high heat and oil the grate lightly. You want quick surface color without a long stay over the fire. If the heat is weak, the chicken sits too long and dries before it browns.

5. 5

   Grill just through

   Grill the skewers for 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning once or twice, until the outside is lightly marked and the center is just set. At home, check with an instant-read thermometer: cook to 74°C or 165°F for immediate food safety, or to 68 to 70°C, 155 to 158°F, then rest until it reaches 74°C. Pull them the moment they are safe and set, because sasami gives you tenderness only once.

   Do not serve ordinary chicken rare. The Japanese shop version depends on sourcing and handling that a home kitchen should not assume.
6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Rest the skewers for 2 minutes, then crown each one with shiso, wasabi, umeboshi paste, or a small combination of shiso and ume. Add the topping after grilling so its cool scent stays bright. Serve at once, with lemon if you like, and leave space on the plate rather than crowding the skewers together.

Chef Tips

• •Buy the freshest chicken you can, with flesh that looks moist and clean, not gray or sticky. Sourcing first, always. No topping rescues tired chicken.
• •Wasabi, umeboshi, and shiso are three different answers, not a pile of condiments. Wasabi gives heat, ume gives salt and acidity, shiso gives green fragrance. Choose with a light hand.
• •If using a broiler, set the skewers on a rack over a tray so heat reaches both sides cleanly. Turn them often and watch the thin ends, because they will tell you first when the meat is ready.
• •Do not brush sasami with thick tare for this version. Tare belongs beautifully elsewhere in yakitori, but here it would cover the very mildness you came to taste.

Advance Preparation

• •The chicken can be trimmed up to 8 hours ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator.
• •Skewer the chicken up to 2 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Salt it no more than 30 minutes before grilling so the surface stays clean and tender.
• •Slice the shiso and prepare the umeboshi paste just before serving. Their aroma is freshest when they meet the hot skewer at the end.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 110g)