Teriyaki Meat Sticks (4pc) Recipe

Make teriyaki sauce

Combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, brown sugar, honey, grated ginger and minced garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a gentle simmer, about 3–4 minutes.

Thicken glaze

Mix cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water to make a slurry. Pour a small stream of the slurry into the simmering sauce while whisking. Continue cooking 1–2 minutes until sauce thickens to a glossy glaze. Remove 3 tablespoons of the warm glaze into a small bowl and set aside for basting; leave the rest to cool for marinating.

Prepare meat mixture

In a medium bowl, combine ground meat, panko, half of the beaten egg (reserve the rest for brushing if desired), chopped green onion, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Mix gently but thoroughly until uniformly combined — avoid overworking to keep sticks tender.

Form onto skewers

Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions (about 4 oz / 110 g each). Moisten your hands with cold water, then press each portion firmly around a skewer into a tight cylinder about 5–6 inches long and 3/4–1 inch thick. Smooth surface to remove cracks.

Marinate briefly

Place skewered sticks in a shallow dish and brush both sides lightly with the cooled teriyaki marinade (reserve the 3 tablespoons glaze saved for basting). Let rest 15–20 minutes at room temperature (or up to 2 hours refrigerated) to absorb flavor.

Cook the meat sticks

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high (about 400°F / 200°C) or heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat with 1 teaspoon neutral oil. If grilling, oil the grates. Cook skewers 3–4 minutes per side, turning frequently so they brown evenly and reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) for poultry or 160°F (71°C) for pork/beef. During the last 2–3 minutes of cooking, brush the reserved 3 tablespoons glaze on all sides once or twice to build a sticky coating.

Remove sticks from heat and let rest 2 minutes. Brush one more light coat of warm teriyaki glaze from the pan or saucepan onto the sticks for shine. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onion over the sticks before serving.

Serve 4 meat sticks on a plate as an appetizer or with steamed rice and pickles for a main. Leftover glaze can be refrigerated up to 3 days.