Hamachi Kama Recipe - Grilled Yellowtail Collars | Hank Shaw (2024)

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5 from 16 votes

By Hank Shaw

June 11, 2020

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Hamachi Kama Recipe - Grilled Yellowtail Collars | Hank Shaw (2)

I remember the first time I had hamachi kama. Obviously, it was at a sushi restaurant, because, well, that’s pretty much the only place you can find grilled yellowtail collar, which is what hamachi kama happens to be.

It was a little sushi place in Sayville, Long Island, and I had no certain idea what I was ordering. I thought it was tuna at the time — there are no yellowtail in the North Atlantic, but there are certainly yellowfin tuna. And I knew what a fish collar was, having eaten them off the striped bass I’d been catching.

I wasn’t prepared for the experience. Striped bass collars are nice, but nothing like the fatty, meaty, charred goodness that hamachi kama was! Not until I moved out West and started grilling salmon collars was I able to sort of replicate that meal.

I still order hamachi kama at restaurants, but, since yellowtail is a Southern California fish, by and large, making it at home was out of the question. Until, finally, after several attempts, I caught a nice yellowtail aboard the Pacific Mistress out of Dana Point.

Hamachi Kama Recipe - Grilled Yellowtail Collars | Hank Shaw (3)

As nice as the guys are aboard that boat, which I can highly recommend, no one touches my fish — especially since I wanted the belly and collar of this yellowtail most of all, and, well, not many people ask for it aboard fishing charters so they didn’t have a ton of experience with those cuts. Crazy, eh?

Now keep in mind that the hamachi kama you order in a restaurant won’t ever be as glorious as the one you see in the pictures, largely because they never serve the collars off such large yellowtail. Or at least I’ve never seen one this big.

Do you need to have yellowtail to make hamachi kama? Kinda, yeah. That’s what a hamachi is. That said, really good substitutes would be the collars off almaco or amberjacks, small tuna like blackfin or skipjack, as well as wahoo or king mackerel. You want a fish with some fat. (If you have salmon, click that link above for what to do with them.)

Hamachi Kama Recipe - Grilled Yellowtail Collars | Hank Shaw (4)

Do you have to grill your collars? I’d say yes, but if you can’t, you can broil them. Just keep an eye on the collars so they only burn a little.

You will want to start making hamachi kama a day in advance, so you can have the collars well marinated. I generally use a simple ponzu marinade, which is basically a soy-citrus mixture.

Grill your collars over high heat, painting them with sesame oil, until they are cooked through and a little charred. Generally this is pick-it-up-and-eat-it food, but you can pick at hamachi kama with chopsticks or a fork.

Serve with a salad, steamed rice, and plenty of beer.

5 from 16 votes

Hamachi Kama

This is the classic grilled yellowtail collar you see in sushi restaurants. Obviously you want a yellowtail collar, but I offer some substitutions above.

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Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Servings: 4

Author: Hank Shaw

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Marinating Time: 12 hours hours

Ingredients

MARINADE

  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup lime juice
  • 1/3 cup orange juice
  • 1 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup mirin or other rice wine

FISH

  • 4 yellowtail collars (or substitute, see above)
  • Sesame oil

Instructions

  • Mix the marinade ingredients together and put them, along with the yellowtail collars, into a heavy plastic bag or lidded container. Marinate overnight or up to 1 day. If the collars are not submerged, turn them periodically so they get good contact with the marinade.

  • The next day, pour the marinade into a small pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce it by half, and set it aside.

  • Pat the collars dry with paper towels and coat with a film of sesame oil. Get your grill nice and hot, and clean the grates.

  • Grill your collars over high heat, basting with the reduced marinade, for about 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how large your collars are and how hot your fire is. You want them fully cooked and a little charred. Serve with steamed rice and a salad.

Notes

A fantastic accompaniment to hamachi kama is a fresh seaweed salad.

Nutrition

Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 3420mg | Potassium: 637mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 3752IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @huntgathercook or tag #hankshaw!

Categorized as:
Appetizers and Snacks, Asian, Featured, Fish, Recipe

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About Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet’s largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

Read More About Me

Hamachi Kama Recipe - Grilled Yellowtail Collars | Hank Shaw (2024)

FAQs

Is Hamachi Kama healthy? ›

Is Hamachi Kama Good for you? Hamachi, or yellowtail, offers a number of nutritional benefits. Because it is a naturally oily fish, it is high in omega-3 fatty acids (like salmon), which are important for brain and heart health. This fish is also particularly high in vitamin A, vitamin D, and calcium.

How to grill tuna collars? ›

Heat grill to medium, around 400-425 degrees. Place collar skin side down onto grill and cook for 12-15 minutes, rotating the collar 180 degrees halfway thru after 6 minutes.

How to eat hamachi kama? ›

Grill your collars over high heat, painting them with sesame oil, until they are cooked through and a little charred. Generally this is pick-it-up-and-eat-it food, but you can pick at hamachi kama with chopsticks or a fork. Serve with a salad, steamed rice, and plenty of beer.

Are hamachi and yellowtail the same? ›

Yellowtail (Buri)/Young Yellowtail (Hamachi) is a type of edible fish that has been commonly consumed at the Japanese dining table for a long time. It is temperate migratory fish, belonging to the family “Carangidae” in the “Perciformes” group, which grows to over 1 meter in length and weighs about 8 kg.

Why is hamachi so expensive? ›

One way of another, Hamachi price has to rise soon, because now Hamachi farmers have to pay higher insurance premiums to feel secure about their inventories.

Is hamachi tuna high in mercury? ›

Sushi with Higher Levels of Mercury

Hamachi (young yellowtail) Inada (very young yellowtail) Kanpachi (very young yellowtail) Katsuo (bonito)

Should I wrap fish in foil when grilling? ›

Grilling fish in foil is the best solution. It keeps the fish intact, locks in moisture and helps the heat distribute evenly. It also allows you to add in herbs and aromatics to perfectly season your grilled fish fillets.

Why grill fish in foil? ›

It's quick: The foil conducts heat and helps to steam fish in just minutes. It holds up: Delicate, flaky fillets can't stand up against many forms of cooking. Keep things together in a cozy foil nest.

How do you grill tuna without drying it out? ›

Brush the fish with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill each side for only 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. The center should be raw, like sushi, or the tuna will be tough and dry. Allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes and serve.

Is Hamachi Kama fatty? ›

Hamachi Kama (はまちのカマ) is the collar of the yellowtail located just above the gills and below the head. It is the fattiest part of the fish, making it naturally juicy, and there are two located in each yellowtail (one per side).

What is Hamachi Kama in english? ›

In this sushi bar, the hamachi kama (or yellowtail collar in English) was reserved for friends of the owner, kind regulars and very, very lucky, well-behaved employees.

Does Hamachi Kama have bones? ›

This Hamachi Kama recipe is as easy and fool-proof as it gets. The flesh of fish collars is encased in bones and cartilage, which means it can handle a little overcooking without drying out.

Is yellowtail high in mercury? ›

The fish used in sushi that contains the highest levels of mercury include: swordfish, mackerel, yellowtail, tuna and sea bass. Mercury accumulates in these predatory fish as they consumed contaminated smaller fish. Women of child‐bearing age should avoid all high‐mercury fish.

Is yellowtail better than tuna? ›

Because yellowtail and yellowfin tuna are completely different species, deciding which one is better is a matter of personal preference. Both have a delicious, moderate flavor. Yellowfin tuna is a bit firmer in texture, no matter if it's farmed or wild. Farmed yellowtail has a richer, buttery mouthfeel.

What is the American name for hamachi? ›

It's also the common name for several species of amberjack, sleek migratory tuna-like fish found off both U.S. coasts. The most valuable member of this family is the yellowtail farmed in Japan and featured in U.S. sushi bars under the name hamachi.

How healthy is hamachi? ›

The Benefits of Yellowtail Fish:

High in protein- A 100 gram serving of hamachi packs a very high 23 grams of protein. High protein foods typically take time to digest and therefore provide satiety. Yellowtail sushi is the ideal choice for someone who exercises often and needs protein for muscle repair.

What is the healthiest fish in sushi? ›

Try to use healthier types of fish like salmon and Pacific chub mackerel, which are low in mercury, for sushi rolls. Avoid King mackerel which is high in mercury. 7 Additionally, choose low-sodium soy sauce and go for other healthy flavor enhancers like wasabi or pickled ginger (gari).

Why is Hamachi Kama good? ›

The meat is sweet, tender, full of rich flavor and especially juicy. Hamachi kama is also good for you, since you can cook it with no added fat whatsoever -- it tastes best simply grilled, with at most a sprinkling of salt, soy and citrus.

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