On a beautiful summer night in southern Delaware – a place where chickens outnumber people – we pulled off something unforgettable: a cosmic blacklight Wiffle ball birthday celebration. With two 400-watt UV floodlights cutting through the dark, two grills firing, and friends and family all around, I served a playful menu where almost everything came on a stick. It was exactly how I wanted to spend my birthday: good times with great people.
One highlight was a juicy chicken thigh yakitori, marinated with a luscious tare sauce I’ve been nurturing for more than five years.
“Tare” means “sauce” in Japanese, but it’s more than that. It’s the soul of yakitori, layered over time like the rings of a tree. Every time I grill chicken, I dip the skewers back into the tare, which collects the smoky, savory drippings and deepens in flavor. With each use, the sauce evolves into something richer and more complex.
It’s not unlike a sourdough starter, but for flavor. My tare has five years of history built into it, and every brush across the fire builds toward something beautiful.
Traditionally, yakitori is grilled over binchotan charcoal, an ultra-clean-burning Japanese hardwood that produces pure char with no smoke. But you can just as easily use a charcoal or gas grill – the key is managing the heat and building a crisp exterior without drying out the meat.
Chicken thighs are the classic cut, thanks to their fat and flavor, but don’t be afraid to experiment. I’ve even done an entire turkey this way for Thanksgiving – skewered and basted in tare as a fun second bird on the table. What matters most is balance: tender meat, careful heat, and a kiss of caramelized tare.
Here’s how to bring a little summer glow to your own backyard party – UV lights optional.
RECIPE
YAKITORI WITH TARE SAUCE
INGREDIENTS:
For the Tare Sauce:
- 1 cup soy sauce (preferably Japanese shoyu)
- ½ cup mirin (sweet rice wine)
- ¼ cup sake
- ¼ cup sugar (brown sugar works well)
- Optional: 1 garlic clove, 1 coin of ginger, 3 scallions
For the Chicken Yakitori:
- 1½ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or substitute another cut or even turkey)
- Bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
- Optional garnish: sliced scallions
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the tare sauce: In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. Add optional garlic, ginger, and scallions if desired. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce slightly until glossy. Remove from heat and cool. Set some aside for basting and dipping – never reuse marinade from raw meat.
Prepare the chicken: Cut chicken into bite-size chunks and thread onto soaked bamboo skewers. Alternate with scallions or vegetables, if you like. Keep pieces uniform for even cooking.
Marinate (optional): For extra flavor, marinate skewers in a small portion of tare for 15 to 30 minutes before grilling.
Grill the yakitori: Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill skewers, turning often, and baste with tare during the last few minutes to build a lacquered glaze. Watch closely – the sugar can char quickly.
Serve: Serve hot, garnished with scallions if desired. For extra umami, give cooked skewers a final dip in the clean tare before serving.
