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Will Bowman grills yakitori for an outdoor party

WILL BOWMAN GETS HANDS ON & SAUCY WITH YAKITORI TO MAKE ENTERTAINING A BREEZE.

THE BARBECUE HAS BEEN the centrepiece of the Kiwi summer routine for decades – and for good reason. Every country has their own version of barbecue, where smoke and fire are the transformative elements and, traditionally at least, these cooking methods have been accompanied by a strong social element. There’s something about the sound and smell of something cooking over fire that draws people in.

One of the simplest, cleanest and most inclusive ways to make this style of cooking central to a gathering is with a Japanese hibachi or shichirin grill. Set it up in the middle of the table with a tray of titbits for people to grill while chatting, as the aromatic smoke wafts up from the coals. Or, if you are blessed with the space, resources and time, scale it up to a bonfire and use the embers to set up a cooking space on its outskirts, then you can have a few more friends round!

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Because every fire is different, cooking times are tricky to give accurately here. It is a matter of understanding the wood or coals you’re using and adjusting accordingly.

Start cooking with the skin-side down, painting the meat side with the tare (sauce). Try to do most of the cooking skin-side down, unless the heat is too aggressive and is threatening to burn the skin.