
Japanese-style grilled beef skewers with tare sauce
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
8 min
Total Time
28 min
Servings
4
12 skewers
Difficulty
Easy
Cost
Moderate
$$
Japanese-style grilled beef skewers with tare sauce
Bite-sized beef pieces threaded on bamboo skewers and grilled with a sweet-savory tare glaze. Smoky, sticky, and utterly addictive Japanese street food.
20m
Prep Time
8m
Cook Time
28m
Total Time
4
Servings
Easy
Difficulty
Moderate $$
Cost
(Updated )
Yakitori refers to Japanese skewered and grilled food, traditionally cooked over binchotan charcoal. This beef version uses a classic tare sauce that caramelizes beautifully over high heat.
Test Kitchen Pick
Thermometer
Helpful Tool
This is the kind of recipe where doneness changes the result fast. A quick thermometer helps you pull it at the right moment instead of guessing.
The easiest upgrade here is accuracy, not another pan.
If you cook meat or fish regularly, an instant-read thermometer gets used constantly.
Shop thermometer options for this recipeSoak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes. Simmer soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar until reduced by half for tare sauce.
Thread beef and scallion pieces alternately onto skewers.
Preheat grill to high heat. Grill skewers 2 minutes per side.
Brush generously with tare sauce and grill 1 more minute per side until glazed and caramelized.
Serve immediately with remaining tare for dipping and a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi.
Serve over steamed jasmine or sticky rice
Pair with a side of pickled vegetables or kimchi
Add a drizzle of sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds for extra flavor
Arrange on a platter for easy sharing at your next gathering
Similar fermented flavor that deglazes well
Approximates the sweet-tangy flavor of mirin
Test Kitchen Pick
Mirin
Helpful Pantry Staple
Mirin quietly rounds out sauces like this with sweetness and gloss. It is one of those ingredients you notice more when it is missing.
This adds balance, not just sweetness.
A bottle of mirin becomes surprisingly versatile once it is in the pantry.
Shop mirin for this recipeCut meat into uniform pieces so they cook evenly on the skewers.
Brush tare sauce in the last 2 minutes only—too early and the sugar burns.
Refrigerate for up to 2 days. Store tare sauce separately for up to 2 weeks.
Reheat under the broiler for 3-4 minutes, brushing with fresh tare sauce.
Per serving (85mg) · 4 servings
A moderate-calorie serving · based on a 2,000 cal daily diet
Nutritional values are approximate and may vary based on specific ingredients and preparation methods.
Sarah Chen is a professional recipe developer and food editor with over a decade of experience in test kitchens and food media. She trained at the Culinary Institute of America before spending six years developing and testing recipes for national food publications, where she honed her ability to translate restaurant techniques into approachable home cooking. At RecipePool, Sarah leads recipe development, ensuring every dish is tested at least three times for clarity, accuracy, and genuine deliciousness. When she is not in the kitchen, she is browsing farmers markets and collecting vintage cookbooks.
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