Hamachi Collar Recipe
Broiled to caramelized perfection with a savory soy glaze, hamachi collar is one of the most flavorful and underrated cuts of fish you will ever put on your dinner table.
If you have ever ordered hamachi kama at a Japanese restaurant and felt like you had discovered something the rest of the world was keeping a secret, you are not alone. The collar of the yellowtail fish, that meaty, fatty section just behind the gills and pectoral fin, is one of the most intensely flavorful cuts of seafood imaginable. The flesh is rich and buttery in a way that feels almost luxurious, and when it hits high heat under a broiler, the fat renders and bastes the meat from the inside while the exterior chars and caramelizes into something deeply savory and just slightly sweet. The aroma alone, that irresistible mix of soy, citrus, and sizzling fish fat, is enough to pull everyone into the kitchen.
This is a recipe for a night when you want to cook something genuinely impressive without a lot of fuss. Hamachi collar is ideal for a date night dinner, a small gathering with friends who appreciate great food, or any evening when you feel like treating yourself to something restaurant-worthy at home. The preparation is minimal and the cooking time is fast, which means most of your effort goes into sourcing good fish rather than standing over a hot stove. Pair it with steamed rice and a simple salad and you have a complete, beautiful meal that looks and tastes like it came from a serious kitchen.
I had my first hamachi collar at a tiny izakaya in San Francisco, ordered mostly on a whim because I had no idea what kama meant on the menu. What arrived was this enormous, gloriously charred piece of fish that I picked apart with chopsticks for the better part of an hour, finding tender little pockets of meat tucked into every crevice. I went home that night determined to figure out how to make it myself, and after a few experiments with different marinades and broiling times, this is the version I keep coming back to. It is simple, deeply satisfying, and every bit as good as what you would get at that izakaya.
Recipe at a Glance
Ingredients
Fish
Soy Marinade and Glaze
For Serving
Substitutions & Variations
Step-by-Step Instructions
Source and Prep the Collars
Visit a Japanese fish market, a high-quality seafood counter, or an Asian grocery store and ask specifically for hamachi kama or yellowtail collar. Let the fishmonger know you want them cleaned, which means the gills and any remaining innards removed. Rinse the collars under cold running water when you get home and pat them completely dry with paper towels. Thorough drying is important because excess surface moisture will steam the fish under the broiler rather than allowing it to char properly.
Score the Skin
Using a sharp knife, make 2 to 3 shallow diagonal cuts through the thickest parts of the skin on the top side of each collar. These cuts should be about a quarter inch deep and spaced roughly an inch apart. Scoring the skin serves two purposes: it allows the marinade to penetrate more deeply into the flesh, and it prevents the skin from contracting and curling under high heat, which can cause uneven cooking.
Make the Marinade
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, sake, toasted sesame oil, honey, grated ginger, and grated garlic until the honey is fully dissolved and everything is evenly combined. Taste the marinade on a small spoon. It should be savory and slightly sweet with a clean umami depth. Adjust with a touch more soy if it needs salt or a little more honey if you want it slightly sweeter.
Marinate the Fish
Place the hamachi collars in a shallow dish or a large zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over the top, making sure it coats both sides of each collar. If using a dish, turn the collars once to coat evenly, then cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate and let the fish marinate for 1 hour. Do not marinate longer than 2 hours because the salt in the soy sauce will begin to cure the surface of the fish, affecting the texture and making it slightly dry rather than moist and tender.
Prepare the Broiler
When you are ready to cook, position an oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler element. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top of it. Lightly grease the wire rack with a neutral oil or cooking spray. Elevating the fish on a wire rack allows the heat to circulate underneath and prevents the bottom from sitting in rendered fat, which can cause it to steam and go soggy rather than developing a good crust.
Preheat the Broiler
Turn your oven broiler to high and allow it to preheat for at least 5 full minutes before the fish goes in. A properly preheated broiler is essential for the quick, intense caramelization that makes hamachi collar so spectacular. If the broiler has not reached full temperature, the fish will cook too slowly and dry out before the exterior gets that gorgeous char.
Broil the First Side
Remove the collars from the marinade and let the excess drip back into the dish. Reserve the leftover marinade for basting. Place the collars skin-side up on the prepared wire rack. Slide the baking sheet under the broiler and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, watching closely, until the skin is deeply golden to dark brown in spots with visible char on the edges and the thickest part of the meat is beginning to turn opaque.
Baste and Flip
Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven using thick oven mitts. Use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer of the reserved marinade to the now-charred skin side, then gently flip the collars over using tongs or a wide spatula. Baste the flesh side with another layer of marinade. The caramelization of the marinade in these final minutes of cooking is what creates that deep, lacquered finish that tastes so extraordinary.
Broil the Second Side
Return the baking sheet to the broiler and cook the flesh side for an additional 4 to 6 minutes until it is caramelized and the fish is cooked through. To test for doneness, press the thickest part of the collar gently with a finger. It should feel firm but still yield slightly, and the flesh should flake easily when tested with a fork at the thickest section near the collar bone. Remove from the broiler immediately when done.
Rest and Plate
Let the hamachi collars rest on the wire rack for 2 to 3 minutes before plating. Transfer them to a serving plate or a wooden board. Spoon a small mound of freshly grated daikon alongside each collar, scatter the sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds over the top, and nestle a few lemon or yuzu wedges on the side. Serve the ponzu sauce in a small dipping bowl alongside.
Pro Baker Tips
Storage & Serving Notes
Serving Suggestions
Hamachi collar is a centerpiece dish that deserves a few thoughtful accompaniments to round out the meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Go Make It!
Hamachi collar is one of those rare recipes that makes you feel like a genuinely skilled cook with very little effort on your part. The fish does most of the work, the marinade brings the depth, and the broiler delivers that caramelized char that makes every single bite taste like it belongs on a restaurant menu. Once you make this at home, it will absolutely become a regular in your rotation. Find yourself a great fishmonger, pick up a couple of collars, and give yourself an evening to enjoy one of the most delicious and underappreciated cuts of fish in the sea.
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