Yakitori Advanced Cuts Tori Nankotsu Cartilage

Ingredients

• Nankotsu (Sternum Cartilage)
• 300 g chicken sternum cartilage, cleaned of surrounding meat; cartilage only
• Torikawa (Chicken Skin)
• 400 g chicken skin, in long strips; excess fat trimmed but skin intact
• Bonjiri (Parson's Nose)
• 300 g chicken tail pieces, cleaned of surrounding muscle; fat-skin intact
• Seasoning
• 2 tsp fine sea salt, for nankotsu and torikawa service
• as required tare (yakitori dipping sauce), for nankotsu and bonjiri only; never applied to torikawa
• Equipment
• as required bamboo or steel skewers, soaked if bamboo

Method

1. 1
   Clean the nankotsu: remove all residual breast meat from the sternum cartilage sections, leaving pure cartilage. Clean the bonjiri tail pieces of all surrounding muscle, leaving only the fat-skin structure. Strip chicken skin into even lengths for torikawa. The cook knows each piece is ready when it yields cleanly to the finger with no ragged meat fibres attached.
2. 2
   Skewer the nankotsu through the centre of each cartilage section. Fold each torikawa strip accordion-style four to five times before threading the skewer through all layers — this is the technique that allows progressive fat rendering. Skewer bonjiri pieces snugly in sequence. The cook knows the accordion folds are correct when the skin holds its compressed shape without unravelling when the skewer is lifted.
3. 3
   Begin the torikawa over indirect, moderate charcoal heat. Allow 15 to 20 minutes of slow cooking, turning regularly. Do not rush this stage: the fat must render progressively through the accordion layers before the skin can crisp. This is where the torikawa lives or dies — skin moved to direct high heat before the fat has fully rendered will be chewy rather than crispy. The cook knows rendering is complete when the skewer feels noticeably lighter and the surface of the skin turns translucent and begins to colour at the edges.
4. 4
   Grill the nankotsu over direct charcoal heat, turning until the surface shows slight char marks and the cartilage is heated through. Season immediately with fine sea salt. The cook knows the nankotsu is done when it offers firm, audible resistance — a distinct crunch — on being pressed with a skewer tip.
5. 5
   Move the torikawa to direct heat for the final crisping stage once fat has fully rendered. Grill, turning, until the skin is deeply golden and rigid to the touch. Season with fine sea salt only; tare is not applied to torikawa. The cook knows it is done when the surface is visibly crisp and the skin no longer yields under light finger pressure.
6. 6
   Grill the bonjiri over direct charcoal heat, turning until the exterior is deeply crisped and the fat has rendered to a glossy, caramelised surface. The cook knows the bonjiri is done when the exterior is visibly crispy and the pieces carry a deep, savory rendered-fat aroma.