Grilled ── Yakitori
Tebanaka
chicken mid-wing — halved lengthwise it becomes a "chicken rib"
The middle section between the wing tip and the drumette. Split lengthwise it is called a "chicken spare rib", commonly served skewered or deep-fried, and smaller and easier to handle than the wing tip.
Lineage
What it's made of
The middle section between the wing tip and the drumette, smaller and easier to handle than the tip. Split lengthwise, it's called a "chicken spare rib" — its meat-around-bone shape recalling actual pork spare ribs. It carries less gelatin than the wing tip, giving it an easier balance of fat and lean meat. It's not as fatty as the wing tip, but each bite carries a good balance of meat and fat.
How it's made
It's commonly served skewered or deep-fried, and with less fat and gelatin than the wing tip, it cooks through faster even over a short time. Splitting it lengthwise takes a careful cut along the bone, but its size makes it manageable for home cooking too. Two bones run side by side through it, so how the meat sits can differ slightly depending on exactly where it's split. Starting it skin-side down on the grill is said to render the fat evenly for a more fragrant finish.
Why it took this shape
Sitting between the wing tip and drumette, inheriting a bit of each one's character, it's carved out a place that works equally well at a skewer counter or a home stove. The "chicken spare rib" name is said to have caught on because the fun of gnawing bone-in meat echoes actual pork spare ribs. Bridging both ends of the wing, its main virtue is simply being an easy, unfussy cut to work with. It's a fixture at both skewer counters and fried-chicken shops alike, comfortable with a wide range of cooking methods.
Before you go
- Otoshi and how to payAt izakaya, a small dish called otoshi often arrives without being ordered, tipping isn't customary, and how you pay depends on the shop.
- Izakaya customsFrom the small starter dish called otoshi, the classic "for now, a draft beer" first order, ordering a little at a time, choosing tare or shio for yakitori, soy sauce dishes, a closing course, and last orders and smoking rules.
- Dining with kids, a wheelchair, or big luggagePractical notes on eating out with children, getting around with a wheelchair, and what to do with a suitcase or large bags.
Dishes in the same style
Ingredients and dishes from this land
Related lineage
- TebamotoThe wing section nearest the body, also called "tulip meat" for its shape once trimmed. Milder than the wing tip, and the meat falls easily off the bone after long simmering in hot pot or braises.
- TebasakiThe outer tip of the wing, rich in gelatin and fat. Its bones are also used for chicken stock, and the meat appears in dishes from deep-fried karaage to hot pot, best known nationally in Nagoya's sweet-spicy fried style.