Tsukune (Japanese Chicken Meatballs)
ID: 607c8b8a...
Tsukune are savory, juicy Japanese chicken meatballs skewered and grilled to perfection. Basted repeatedly with a sweet and savory teriyaki sauce, they develop a beautiful caramelized glaze and are traditionally served with a raw egg yolk for an ultra-rich dipping experience.
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🍳 Cooking Flow
Debone skin-on chicken thighs, chop into chunks, and freeze for 15-20 minutes until semi-firm. → Pulse the semi-frozen chicken in a food processor with scallions, shiso, ginger, salt, MSG, and sesame oil until sticky and emulsified. → Form the mixture into small balls, thread onto soaked skewers, and gently flatten into small patties. → Grill the skewers over direct heat, basting repeatedly with teriyaki sauce to build a thick, caramelized glaze. → Serve hot garnished with scallions, Shichimi Togarashi, and a raw egg yolk for dipping.
Cooking Steps
Brief Cooking Order
Debone skin-on chicken thighs, chop into chunks, and freeze for 15-20 minutes until semi-firm. → Pulse the semi-frozen chicken in a food processor with scallions, shiso, ginger, salt, MSG, and sesame oil until sticky and emulsified. → Form the mixture into small balls, thread onto soaked skewers, and gently flatten into small patties. → Grill the skewers over direct heat, basting repeatedly with teriyaki sauce to build a thick, caramelized glaze. → Serve hot garnished with scallions, Shichimi Togarashi, and a raw egg yolk for dipping.
Introduction
Tsukune are savory, juicy Japanese chicken meatballs skewered and grilled to perfection. Basted repeatedly with a sweet and savory teriyaki sauce, they develop a beautiful caramelized glaze and are traditionally served with a raw egg yolk for an ultra-rich dipping experience.
Step 1
Debone the chicken thighs, keeping the skin on, and rough chop the meat and skin into 3/4-inch to 1-inch chunks.
Step 2
Spread the chicken pieces on an aluminum baking sheet and place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes until the meat is firm and slightly crusty on the edges.
Step 3
While the meat freezes, roughly chop the scallions, shiso leaves, and peel and slice the fresh ginger.
Step 4
Transfer the semi-frozen chicken chunks into a food processor along with the chopped scallions, shiso, ginger, salt, MSG, and a light drizzle of toasted sesame oil.
Step 5
Pulse the mixture in the food processor until the chicken is finely chopped and the mixture becomes sticky, cohesive, and starts to cling to the sides of the bowl.
Ingredients List
Important Notes
Using semi-frozen chicken chunks with the skin on is essential; the cold temperature keeps the chicken fat from melting and smearing during food processing.
Developing a sticky, emulsified texture during processing is key to making the meatballs hold together on the skewers without needing binders like egg or breadcrumbs.
An aluminum sheet pan is highly recommended for freezing and thawing as its high thermal conductivity speeds up the temperature transition.
Make sure to use clean, high-quality pasteurized eggs since the dipping sauce relies on a raw egg yolk.
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