Yakitori Tare

January 2, 2025

Yakitori Tare - kvalifood.com

Yakitori tare is a sweet-savory Japanese glaze used for grilled chicken skewers. Soy sauce, mirin, and sake are simmered with sugar until reduced by half into a glossy, syrupy sauce that clings to the meat. It keeps for months and improves with repeated use.

Makes ca. 200 ml

Ingredients

120 ml sake
120 ml mirin
120 ml soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar (white or light brown)
1 piece green onion, green part only (ca. 10 cm), optional

Directions

Combine the sake and mirin in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and let boil for 2-3 minutes to burn off the alcohol.
Add the soy sauce, sugar, and green onion (if using). Stir to dissolve the sugar.
Bring back to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by about half and coats the back of a spoon with a glossy sheen.
Remove from heat. Discard the green onion. Let cool to room temperature – the sauce thickens further as it cools.
Transfer to a clean jar.

Notes

The 1:1:1 ratio of soy, mirin, and sake produces a balanced sauce – neither too salty nor too sweet.
2 tbsp sugar gives moderate sweetness. Increase to 3 tbsp for sweeter (closer to teriyaki). Decrease to 1 tbsp for a more savory, dry style.
The sauce is done when it coats a spoon and a line drawn through it holds briefly. Pull it off the heat when it seems slightly thinner than you want – it thickens as it cools.
Keeps refrigerated for up to 3 months.
To build depth over time, save the tare pot after dipping grilled yakitori. Top it up with fresh tare next time you cook – as yakitori restaurants do.
For extra umami, roast 100 g chicken wings at 200 C for 25 minutes, then simmer them in the sauce for 15-20 minutes before straining.
Also works as a glaze for any grilled meat, a rice bowl sauce, or a finishing drizzle for grilled vegetables.