Yakitori Cutting Techniques 2: Breast

SYNOPSIS:

Looking at my friends Island Vittles and Skewer It! blogs on yakitori I decided to start a series on that worldwide known Japanese specialty that is “Yakitori/焼き鳥/”Grilled Chicken”.
I hope that this series of postings on various basic recipes will help her and all other foodies interested in that simple, healthy and so delicious delicacy!

This particular series will deal with the cutting techniques which should help you make your own yakitori at home!

Yakitori Cutting Techniques 2: Breast:

-If you haven’t obtained the full chicken, choose a good quality chicken breast cut with all its skin. Check that the latter is frim and fresh. Frozen skin will not achieve the best results!

-Looking at the picture above, make a “high cut”by separating the comparatively fat part (left on pic but right in reality) from the more irregular part (right on the pic, but left in reality) because it is the spot where the wing joint is found.

-Cut the wing joint part into 25 mm/1 inch square pieces.
The fat part of the breast could be cut into the same pieces, but it would be a bit of an overkill.
Better would be to grill it whole skin down until the skin has turned crispy. Do not grill on the other side. Doing so the meat will still be half rare inside,making for a “juicy and tender” morsel best enjoyed with some ponzu instead of sauce/tare!
Serve it whole or cut into thin slices.

-Insert the skewer through the pieces with the skin surface always pointing forward for even cooking!

-If you decided after all to do the same with the “fat” part, bear in mind not to overcook it! In that case larger cuts would be better. The trick would be to have all the skin parts facing down and grill them skin down only!