Salmon Yakitori
Yakitori is a popular Japanese street food usually made with chicken. We decided to give this traditional food an update with a new ingredient- salmon. In Japan, yakitori are considered the best of Japanese barbecue culture and are a quick street food that has graduated from simple carts on the side of the road to small family run food shops and even some upscale restaurants. The word “yakitori” means grilled chicken, but these meat skewers can also be made up of other meats, seafood, and vegetables.
Both Sansho pepper and Shichimi Togarashi, distinctly Japanese spices, were used on the salmon to keep the flavor truer to that you would experience if you purchased a yakitori in Japan. The sauce we made for this recipe was used like a marinade for the salmon. This was brushed on every few minutes to glaze the salmon and create a delicious coating over the fish. This marinade was full of traditional Japanese flavor as well, with both sake and soy sauce being key ingredients.
Grill the salmon however you’d like. We used an indoor foreman grill, but you could use a regular charcoal grill for the same effect. Be sure to soak your skewers in water for a little while if they are wooden before you grill with them or they may catch fire.
Yakitori is typically a main course and is designed to be filling and yet quick to eat, so it is not usually served with sides though something like rice would be a good compliment to this if you were serving it as a dinner. This was a quick, delicious meal and if you really love salmon, this is something you are absolutely going to enjoy. It was extra delicious because we got our salmon from Wild for Salmon, a fresh seafood shop close to us which is in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. You might recognize the name because it is also the name of one of our popular spice blends. The freshest salmon you can get your hands on will make this recipe the best it can be!
- 2 Lbs Fresh Salmon, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
- 1 Bunch scallions, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
- 1 Cup Sake
- 1/2 Cup Mirin
- 2 Garlic cloves, minced fine
- 1 Tsp. Fresh Ginger root, minced fine
- 1/2 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 3 Tbsp Demerara Sugar (or granulated white sugar)
- 2 Tbsp Dark Soy sauce
- 1/2 Cup Low Sodium Soy sauce
- Shichimi Togarashi, for garnish
- Sansho pepper, for garnish
- 16 12 inch wooden skewers
- Soak skewers in water for at least 20 minutes.
- Preheat grill to medium-high. Thread salmon and scallion pieces alternately on the skewers. Double up on the skewers as it will make them much easier to handle on the grill.
- In a small pot, combine the Sake, Mirin, Garlic, Ginger, red pepper flakes, sugar and soy sauces. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, until sauce is reduced by about ¼.
- Brush sauce on skewers, and place on grill. Grill about 2 minutes per side, brushing with the sauce while cooking.
- Serve with Sansho Pepper and Shichimi Togarashi sprinkled on skewers.
