Ryuji and Marudai Foods Co-Develop a "Kunseiya" Sausage: From Choosing Among Prototypes to Four Recommended Ways to Eat It

The video opens with a meeting held before the product was finished. According to the Marudai Foods representative, the aim was to broaden the ways people enjoy Kunseiya. The company thought that creating a new flavor with Ryuji would bring even more enjoyment to customers who already eat Kunseiya regularly.

The representative presented three proposals. The first was to strengthen the wiener itself, focusing on the savoriness of the meat. The second was a flavor-driven version using Ryuji's original spices. The third was to refine a flavor introduced at a previous meeting. In response, Ryuji said, "I want to make the ultimate wiener." Ryuji also warned up front of being quite strict, and showed a determination to take the top spot among wieners.

To decide on a flavor direction, the representative brought four prototypes: one with stronger spices overall for a richer, heavier profile; one that kept the existing Kunseiya character but was made bolder to go with dinner; one with added sansho pepper; and one with plenty of garlic and onion.

Ryuji described the sansho version as "distinctive" but said it was to their liking. Of the garlic-onion version, Ryuji acknowledged that it was "pretty much complete." Still, while not wanting to stray from a regular wiener entirely, Ryuji said they wanted to eat a "special smoked sausage" a rank above, and asked for something one level higher.

Next came prototypes with sansho at three different levels. The strongest had a very pronounced sansho kick, and Ryuji laughed, saying, "Is that too much?" The second level wasn't quite sansho-flavored yet and was well balanced; the verdict was that the sansho came through in the aftertaste, giving a refreshing feel. Of the mildest one, Ryuji said it "comes together well" and judged it the better choice.

Last came an improved version. Following requests Ryuji had made at the previous meeting, it had more fat and combined onion, garlic, and sansho. The representative described it as "loaded with spices," with much more flavor than the other prototypes. Ryuji said that rather than making the spices complicated, the combination actually came together cleanly.

Taste wasn't the only reason Ryuji chose it. A garlic-onion flavor alone could be released as a product without a collaboration with Ryuji. But presenting it as "garlic, onion, and sansho," Ryuji explained, would be hard to do without them. Ryuji also said that having all three spices made the whole thing more cohesive while still staying within the classic style. Since the base wiener is already delicious, the difference comes down to the spices. Ryuji said the sansho was "doing a great job" and looked back glad to have suggested it. This prototype was chosen for commercialization.

Ryuji explained how the finished product differs from regular Kunseiya. It uses more spices, with sansho as a secret ingredient in addition to onion and garlic. It is one size larger and thicker than usual. It also contains more pork fat than usual, making it juicier and meatier. Ryuji described it as "exactly the Kunseiya I envisioned."

The first method Ryuji introduced is the easiest way to cook it. Don't oil the frying pan—oil splatters, and it isn't needed in the first place. Sausages straight from the fridge are cold, so cook them slowly until browned. Once browned, roll them over, add about 2 tablespoons of water, cover with a lid, and steam-fry. When the water is gone, they're done. According to Ryuji, after trying this many times it turned out very delicious; there are many ways to cook wieners, but for convenience this is the best.

Ryuji recommends eating the cooked sausages with freshly cooked white rice. "Sounds dumb, right? But the dumb stuff is the most delicious," Ryuji said, stressing that since the wiener itself is so good, eating it with white rice without doing anything else is the best.

Ryuji's personal favorite is oven-baking. Bake for 3–4 minutes in an oven at around 250–300°C, flipping them partway through. The side touching the tray gets browned. Ryuji called this "No. 1 in the wiener cooking rankings," saying it concentrates the flavor.

In the tasting, they also compared boiled ones, and Ryuji said the oven version was the best and "tastes completely different." Ryuji added that everyone who has tried it says the oven version is delicious. A staff member said the difference was clear from the moment their teeth hit it, and that the spices stood out more. Ryuji replied that the strong onion and garlic gave it "my kind of flavor."

When a staff member said sausages have a breakfast image but can also work for dinner, Ryuji agreed, explaining that ideally they should be enjoyed without cutting, which is why a variety of ways to eat them had been prepared this time.

The hot dog is what Ryuji named as "the very first" among delicious ways to eat Kunseiya. A small butter roll is best for the bun, since even one is pretty filling. Ryuji's method is to slit the bun before toasting it, and since you're toasting the bun anyway, it's better to cook the sausage along with it—so Ryuji put the bun in the oven with the sausage inside to cook both. For those who find that a hassle, Ryuji added, you can just put Kunseiya cooked in a frying pan into an untoasted bun. If you want vegetables, add shredded cabbage; Ryuji recommended ketchup and mustard.

As a guide, cook for 1 to 1.5 minutes if you don't want it charred, or 2–3 minutes if you like it a little charred. In the demonstration it got slightly burnt, but Ryuji said that's how they like it—a crunchy top is delicious. Ryuji also added that it turns out delicious even without an oven.

In the tasting, Ryuji first ate it with just salt and said it was good even with only salt because the smoked sausage is so tasty. But Ryuji admitted ketchup made it better, laughing, "I can't lie about the taste." The final recommendation is a light sprinkle of salt plus ketchup and mustard. Ryuji also said the butter in the bun makes it delicious, adding, "I might never get tired of this" and "Isn't this the definitive hot dog?" When Ryuji asked the Marudai Foods representative present whether they had known about this way of eating it during development, the representative answered, "We were just cooking and eating them as they were."

While making the hot dogs, a staff member asked whether juicy sausages get greasy when put in a bento lunch box. Ryuji's answer was that the best thing is to warm up the bento. Warming melts the fat inside, so if you plan to reheat it later, you can include the sausages and enjoy them deliciously.

On the other hand, Ryuji personally likes cold sausages too, including the grainy feel of fat that has cooled and turned white. Those who don't like cold fat can just microwave it, and at work or similar places it's good to warm it up once, in Ryuji's view.

Next up is German potatoes. Ryuji introduced this as a new original recipe, describing it as "German potatoes made for eating smoked sausage."

Use 3 potatoes, about 250 g. If they're fresh, you can leave the skins on—the aroma of the skin helps them stand up to the smoked flavor. Cut them into chunky pieces, put them in a heatproof container, and microwave for about 5 minutes. Asked whether to soak them in water after cutting, Ryuji said no, because it's a hassle. However, regarding the moisture after heating, Ryuji recommended that viewers drain it before frying, while going ahead without draining because that's a hassle too.

What this recipe emphasized most is not cutting the sausages. Ryuji explained that because Kunseiya is so fatty, you don't want to lose the fat that bursts out when you bite into it. As for scoring them, Ryuji is in the no-scoring camp, since scoring lets the juices escape. If you're making something like Napolitan spaghetti, it's better to cut them, but ideally you should eat them as they are and catch all those juices, Ryuji said. Ryuji also recommended eating these German potatoes with chopsticks, because chopsticks let you take a big bite.

Here's how to make it. Slice garlic and fry it first in about 1 tablespoon of rice bran oil. Rice bran oil is chosen to make the most of the garlic aroma. Remove the garlic to use as garlic chips, and fry the pre-cooked potatoes in the remaining oil. While browning them, season generously with Ajishio Kosho. According to Ryuji, ordinary salt and pepper doesn't make it very tasty; Ajishio Kosho, which contains umami seasoning, is better. Add about half a teaspoon more oil, add a whole bag of Kunseiya as is, and cook until done. This way the potatoes get nicely browned. Finally, scatter the garlic chips, add whole-grain mustard if you don't dislike it, and finish with a little more Ajishio Kosho.

Ryuji also gave specific eating instructions: take 3–4 pieces of potato for each sausage, and eat them while biting into the sausage. For a drink, Ryuji recommended beer or sparkling water. Ryuji said the simple preparation means it won't sit heavy in your stomach, and that mustard, as a flavor change, is "a must."

Incidentally, between cooking steps, Ryuji joked about being worried for viewers' wallets now that there are so many Ryuji collab products.

During the tasting, Ryuji asked the Marudai Foods representative whether a special seasoning was used for the smoky aroma. The representative replied that the sausages are basically smoked with cherry wood, and that every one of them is actually smoked. Ryuji and the staff were surprised by this.

The last recipe introduced was sausage karaage. According to Ryuji, this was a recipe Ryuji had decided three years ago to "only do when a sausage sponsorship came along," and it was being revealed for the first time. Ryuji even said it was the most delicious of all their recipes so far.

For the batter, mix 10 g cake flour, 10 g potato starch, 4 shakes of garlic powder, and 2 shakes of pepper with 1½ tablespoons of sparkling water. Water works too, but sparkling water fries up crispier. Ryuji explained that, strictly speaking, it's more of a fritto than karaage, and that the better the wiener itself, the better it turns out.

Coat a bag of sausages in the batter. If it isn't thick enough, add more flour; it should cling well all over. If it's too runny, the batter won't stick. Ryuji also said the batter probably won't be enough, so it's better to make double. Pour oil to about 1 cm deep in the pot; it's at the right temperature when it starts bubbling around the edges. Fry over medium-high heat. Since sausages have a smooth surface, coat them generously with batter, let it drip as you drop them in, and flip them so the batter adheres well.

Asked what vegetable to fry alongside them, Ryuji suggested broccoli. It's fine fried plain, and also delicious fried in this batter.

To finish, sprinkle with black pepper, add a light dusting of Ajishio, and squeeze lemon over if you like. Regular pepper is fine, but black pepper looks better. In the tasting, Ryuji said the crispy outside and juicy inside were perfect. The staff also reacted by calling it addictive and dangerous.

Ryuji said they'd like izakayas all over the country to start serving sausage karaage right away. Any restaurants watching are free to copy it—no permission needed—adding that it's a dish you can't find anywhere else. Ryuji's only wish, they said, is that ideally restaurants would make it with Kunseiya.

At the end of the video, Ryuji introduced the Kunseiya Aged Wiener developed in collaboration with Marudai Foods as a product that works whether you simply cook it, use it in dishes, eat it with rice, or turn it into karaage. Ryuji wrapped up by encouraging viewers to first try it as is, and then give the arrangement recipes a try as well.