Name: Grilled Chicken Neck (Seseri)
Cuisine: 和食
Ingredients: Chicken neck (seseri), to taste; Boiled-down mirin, 1 tbsp; Light soy sauce, 1 tsp; Apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp; Cucumber, 1; Salt, a pinch

About "Grilled Chicken Neck (Seseri)"

A chicken neck (seseri) grilling video by a yakitori pro. Seseri has different flavors depending on the section: the tip has a crunchy texture, while the base is a rare, juicy, fatty cut called sesetoro. The key is to slice it diagonally into bite-sized pieces. The cucumber vinegar is a refreshing summer sauce made with a golden ratio of boiled-down mirin, light soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar. When grilling on the Aburiya, the pro technique is to cook until the meat plumps up, then let residual heat finish it to peak deliciousness.

Introduction to 【野乃鳥】野網厚詞の鳥、まるごと。 →

Tips for Making "Grilled Chicken Neck (Seseri)"

Prep
- Chicken neck flavors vary by section. The tip is crunchy with thin tendons, while the base is fatty and juicy. Slice diagonally into bite-sized pieces (about 5 cm wide) and carefully remove any bones in the center.
Heat control
- Cook thoroughly on the grill grate until the meat plumps up. If undercooked, the texture will be slimy. Finish cooking with residual heat off the grill to reach peak deliciousness on the plate.
Seasoning
- For salt-grilling, simply sprinkle with salt. The special cucumber vinegar uses a golden ratio of 1 part boiled-down mirin, 1 part light soy sauce, and 2 parts apple cider vinegar. A stronger acidity also works great.
Ingredients
- When grilling the shoulder blade section with skin (sesetoro), the key is to get the skin crispy and fragrant.

Ingredients for "Grilled Chicken Neck (Seseri)"

6 items

* Tap ingredient names to find on Amazon

Chickenneck (seseri), to taste
Boiled-downmirin, 1 tbsp
Lightsoy sauce, 1 tsp
Applecider vinegar, 1 tsp
Cucumber,1
Salt,a pinch

How to Make "Grilled Chicken Neck (Seseri)"

1
Cut the chicken neck into three sections: the shoulder blade side, the center, and the tip.
2
Slice diagonally into bite-sized pieces (about 5 cm wide).
3
Carefully shave off any remaining bones in the center section.
4
Cut off the bitter tip of the cucumber.
5
Grate the entire cucumber using a grater.
6
Add 1 tbsp of boiled-down mirin, 1 tsp of light soy sauce, and 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar to the grated cucumber and mix.
7
Set up the Aburiya grill and start grilling the tendon-heavy tip section first.
8
Cook thoroughly until the meat plumps up.
9
Remove from the grill grate and let the residual heat cook it through to the center.
10
Next, grill the center section and the shoulder blade section (sesetoro).
11
Grill the sesetoro until the skin is crispy and fragrant.
12
Enjoy the salt-grilled chicken as is, or topped generously with the cucumber vinegar.

Food Science

Why This Dish Tastes So Good

Grilling the chicken neck skin over direct heat until crispy triggers the Maillard reaction, enhancing its rich aroma. Additionally, pairing the strong umami and saltiness of the fatty chicken neck with 'cucumber vinegar'—which combines the acidity of apple cider vinegar, the freshness of cucumber, and the sweetness of mirin—improves the balance of the five basic tastes. This combination of acidity and sweetness cuts through the heaviness of the fat, highlighting the natural deliciousness of the ingredients.

Temperature & Heating ReactionsBalance of Five/Six Tastes

Detailed Commentary on "Grilled Chicken Neck (Seseri)"

* Content organized by topics from the video.

Chicken Neck Sections: Flavor & Prep

Today, we are cutting chicken neck (seseri) for chicken yakiniku. Actually, the flavor of seseri differs completely between the tip and the base. The base, which has skin attached, is fatty and extremely juicy, while the tip near the head has thin tendons, offering a nice crunchy texture. The key to cutting it, just like with chicken thigh, is to slice it diagonally into bite-sized pieces (about 5 cm wide). Also, since some small bones might remain in the middle section, it is important to carefully shave them off so they don't ruin the texture. Proper prep like this allows you to fully enjoy the unique textures of each section. Today, we will divide it into three parts—the shoulder blade, the center, and the base—and grill them to bring out their best characteristics.

How to Make Refreshing Cucumber Vinegar

Before grilling on the Aburiya, we will make a refreshing sauce recommended by the pro: cucumber vinegar. While ponzu is commonly used, this sauce is not only refreshing for summer, but cucumber is also rich in potassium, which can help break down alcohol after drinking. To make it, first cut off the bitter tip of the cucumber and grate the whole thing using a grater. Then, add the seasonings. The golden ratio is 1 part boiled-down mirin, 1 part light soy sauce, and 2 parts clean-tasting apple cider vinegar. Today, we used 1 tbsp, 1 tsp, and 1 tsp as a guide. Taste it and adjust by adding more vinegar if you like. Since cucumber is a summer vegetable with a cooling effect, this makes the perfect versatile sauce for the upcoming season.

Cheers with Beer! Grilling the Crunchy Tip

Now that the sauce is ready, let's pour a cold Suntory Kaoru Ale from the tap and toast! Juicy seseri pairs incredibly well with beer. Next, let's grill our prepped seseri using Iwatani's tabletop grill, the Aburiya. We will start with the smallest tip section, which is tendon-heavy and has a crunchy texture. The key to grilling is to cook it thoroughly until the meat plumps up. If it is undercooked, the texture will feel slimy, but once cooked through, the meat swells and becomes firm. This plumpness is the best sign that it is done. Once grilled, simply sprinkle a little salt over the meat and enjoy.

Comparing Rare Sesetoro and Classic Seseri

Next, we will grill the thick center section and the shoulder blade section with the skin. The center section has the classic texture that can only be described as 'THE seseri.' The shoulder blade section at the back is fatty and has skin, making it a highly prized, delicious rare cut known among pros as sesetoro. When grilling this sesetoro, the trick is to get the skin crispy and fragrant. Furthermore, a pro secret is to not cook it 100% on the grill grate; instead, remove it just before it is fully done and let the residual heat gently cook it through to the center. By controlling it so that the meat reaches its peak plumpness on the plate, you maximize the umami and achieve the juiciest finish while preventing undercooking.

Tasting: Salt-Grilled & Cucumber Vinegar

Let's taste the grilled seseri. First, trying it simply with salt, it has a wonderful springy texture, and the savory flavor of the meat spreads in your mouth with every bite. There is a great contrast between the fibrous parts and the tender meat, making it firm yet never too tough. Next, we will top it generously with our special cucumber vinegar. The moment you eat it, the freshness of the cucumber and the acidity of the vinegar harmonize beautifully with the juicy fat of the seseri. It is incredibly refreshing, and you can keep eating it endlessly. Since the chicken fat is rich, making the sauce slightly more acidic also pairs insanely well. This clean flavor goes perfectly with beer, creating a delicious, endless loop.

Comparing Cuts & Online Shop Info

It is a fascinating discovery to realize how much the flavor and texture of seseri vary by section, something we don't usually think about. Comparing them, while the fatty sesetoro is delicious, the balance of the classic center seseri really stands out. It truly deserves to be called 'premium seseri.' Note that fresh cuts like the chicken carcass (dogara) used today are not commonly found in regular supermarkets, but if you are interested, please feel free to contact us through the inquiry page of the 'Nonotory' online shop. If you mention that you saw our channel, we will prioritize your request. Please try making this pro-style chicken yakiniku at home using the Aburiya and our special cucumber vinegar!

About 【野乃鳥】野網厚詞の鳥、まるごと。

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