Teriyaki sauce is a classic glaze and marinade known for its sweet, savory, and slightly tangy flavor. Here's a simple and delicious recipe you can make at home:
Ingredients:
- ½ cup soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1-2 tablespoons honey (adjust to your sweetness preference)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (or ½ teaspoon ground ginger)
- 1 clove garlic, minced (or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional, for added flavor)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
Instructions:
- Combine Ingredients: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, honey, ginger, and garlic. If using, stir in the sesame oil.
- Heat and Dissolve: Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally to ensure the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Make a Slurry: In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water until smooth. This mixture is called a slurry.
- Thicken the Sauce: Once the sauce is simmering, slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the saucepan while continuously whisking.
- Simmer and Thicken: Continue to simmer and stir the sauce for 5-10 minutes, or until it has thickened to your desired consistency. It should be able to coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove from Heat: Once thickened, remove the teriyaki sauce from the heat. It will continue to thicken slightly as it cools.
- Cool and Store: Allow the sauce to cool slightly before using. Store any leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Tips and Variations:
- Sweetness: Adjust the amount of brown sugar and honey to your preference. You can also use maple syrup as an alternative sweetener.
- Spice: For a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the saucepan.
- Vinegar: A teaspoon of rice vinegar can add a touch of tanginess.
- Onion Powder: A pinch of onion powder can add another layer of flavor.
- Sesame Seeds: Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over your dish after glazing with the teriyaki sauce for added texture and visual appeal.
- Mirin or Sake: For a more authentic Japanese flavor, you can substitute ¼ cup of the water with ¼ cup of mirin (sweet rice wine) or sake (Japanese rice wine). If using mirin, you may want to reduce the amount of honey slightly as mirin is already sweet.
- Thicker Sauce: For a thicker glaze, use a little more cornstarch slurry.
- Marinade: If using as a marinade, you can skip the cornstarch slurry step or add it towards the end of the marinating time if you want a thicker glaze while cooking.
Enjoy your homemade teriyaki sauce! It's perfect for marinating chicken, beef, pork, or seafood, or as a glaze for grilling, stir-frying, or baking.