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Japanese yakitori beef skewers with glossy tare glaze

Japanese-style grilled beef skewers with tare sauce

Yakitori Beef Skewers

Yakitori Beef Skewers

28 minEasy

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

8 min

Total Time

28 min

Servings

4

12 skewers

Difficulty

Easy

Cost

Moderate

$$

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Yakitori Beef Skewers

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

Japanese CuisineMain CourseAppetizerDairy-Free
Sarah Chen
Sarah Chen

February 24, 2023(Updated April 13, 2026)

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.

Why This Recipe Works

The tare sauce—a reduction of soy, mirin, and sake—creates a lacquered glaze that caramelizes on the grill. Small pieces of meat cook quickly, maximizing the surface area for flavor.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs sirloin or ribeye, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp mirin
  • 2 tbsp sake or dry white wine
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • Scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
PrecisionUtility

Test Kitchen Pick

Thermometer

Helpful Tool

Why a thermometer helps here

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.

  • Makes doneness more repeatable
  • Helps avoid dry or overcooked protein

If you cook meat or fish regularly, an instant-read thermometer gets used constantly.

Shop thermometer options for this recipe

Instructions

  1. 1

    Soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes. Simmer soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar until reduced by half for tare sauce.

  2. 2

    Thread beef and scallion pieces alternately onto skewers.

  3. 3

    Preheat grill to high heat. Grill skewers 2 minutes per side.

  4. 4

    Brush generously with tare sauce and grill 1 more minute per side until glazed and caramelized.

  5. 5

    Serve immediately with remaining tare for dipping and a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi.

Serving Suggestions

Ways to Serve This Dish

  • 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

Substitutions

SakeDry white wine or dry sherry

Similar fermented flavor that deglazes well

MirinRice vinegar + 1 tsp sugar

Approximates the sweet-tangy flavor of mirin

DepthPantry

Test Kitchen Pick

Mirin

Helpful Pantry Staple

Why the mirin matters

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.

  • Rounds out saltier sauces
  • Useful in glazes, noodle dishes, and marinades

A bottle of mirin becomes surprisingly versatile once it is in the pantry.

Shop mirin for this recipe

Tips & Storage

Pro Tips

  • Cut 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.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 2 days. Store tare sauce separately for up to 2 weeks.

Reheating

Reheat under the broiler for 3-4 minutes, brushing with fresh tare sauce.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (85mg) · 4 servings

Calories290
LowModerateHigh

A moderate-calorie serving · based on a 2,000 cal daily diet

Protein32g
Carbohydrates12g
Fat10g
Fiber680mg
Sugar0g
Sodium8g

Nutritional values are approximate and may vary based on specific ingredients and preparation methods.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is tare sauce?
A sweet-savory Japanese glaze made from soy sauce, mirin, and sake reduced to a syrupy consistency.
Can I use chicken instead?
Absolutely—chicken thigh is the most traditional yakitori protein.

Explore More

More Japanese RecipesMore Main CourseMore AppetizerDairy-Free RecipesGrill Recipes
Sarah Chen

About Sarah Chen

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.

View all recipes →

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