Soul food of Matsusaka City, Mie Prefecture!Discover the Locally Loved Matsusaka Chicken Yakiniku

• Table of Contents
• Introducing "Yakitori Chicken," a popular gourmet dish from Matsusaka City, Mie Prefecture!
• Why did chicken become available in Matsusaka?
• Characteristics and Appeal of Chicken Yakiniku
• The taste varies depending on the part! You can also enjoy rare parts.
• Try Matsusaka chicken yakiniku, perfect with rice or beer

Introducing "Yakitori Chicken," a popular gourmet dish from Matsusaka City, Mie Prefecture!

Chicken being grilled on a grill

Matsusaka City is located in the center of Mie Prefecture. It is attractive for its abundant nature and historical townscape, but it also has a lot of delicious food, such as the famous Matsusaka beef and B-class gourmet! This time, we will introduce the specialties of Matsusaka City over 7 parts ♪ In the second part, we will explain the characteristics and how to eat chicken yakitori, which is loved by locals.

Chicken yakiniku is the soul food of Matsusaka City, and was featured in the popular manga series "Kodoku no Gurume" which was later made into a TV drama! Please check it out.

Why did chicken become available in Matsusaka?

Chicken being grilled on a grill

In the suburbs of Matsusaka city, there are many farms that have been raising egg-laying hens (chickens raised to lay eggs) for a long time, and there was a custom of grilling the hens on a charcoal grill after the egg-laying season and eating them . This is said to be the origin of Matsusaka chicken yakiniku.

In the late 1960s, the number of restaurants specializing in chicken, not just beef, increased in the city. It is said that households began to enjoy cheaper and more convenient chicken yakiniku . From then until now, chicken yakiniku has been loved and enjoyed by many residents.

In recent years, it has won multiple awards at the local gourmet festival "B-1 Grand Prix" and has become famous nationwide after being featured on television and gourmet programs. It has now become so popular that it is called "Matsusaka City's soul food."

Characteristics and Appeal of Chicken Yakiniku

Grilled chicken being dipped in miso sauce

The chicken yakiniku is usually made by dipping bite-sized pieces of chicken in miso sauce, grilling them on a grill, and then dipping them in more miso sauce . The basic miso sauce is a combination of red miso (soybean miso) and garlic.

The rich, sweet and spicy sauce goes perfectly with rice and beer! Specialty restaurants offer a variety of cuts on the menu, so you can enjoy the different flavors and textures.

Definition of Matsusaka Chicken Yakiniku Restaurant

The definition of a Matsusaka chicken yakiniku restaurant is the three above: they use the "miso sauce" that is the key to the flavor, they grill the chicken on a wire rack instead of a hot plate, and they have chicken yakiniku on the menu.

The flavors of the miso sauces offered by specialty shops vary widely , and in many cases the recipes are kept secret! Since you can enjoy different flavors at each shop, some people go around to different chicken yakiniku restaurants looking for different flavors.

The taste varies depending on the part! You can also enjoy rare parts.

Various chicken parts arranged on a plate

In addition to the standard thigh and breast meat , chicken yakiniku restaurants offer a variety of other cuts on the menu, such as chicken neck and skin . Some restaurants also offer rare cuts, and allow you to compare the taste of young chickens and adult chickens.

The thigh meat of young chickens is chewy and the breast meat has a refreshing taste. The meat of adult chickens is called " hine " and is satisfying and full of flavor.

We also recommend the rare cut of chicken "neck " which has a chewy texture and juicy taste, and the " liver " which has no strong smell.

Try Matsusaka chicken yakiniku, perfect with rice or beer

Grilling chicken

Matsusaka City's grilled chicken is an exquisite gourmet dish where you can enjoy carefully selected meat and miso sauce. It is a soul food that has long been loved by locals, and is a specialty that you should try at least once. Please come to Matsusaka to try it.