The Japanese Barbecue Sauce Brand We're Putting On Everything

There are classic American barbecue sauce recipes and then there is Japanese barbecue sauce. While "barbecue" is the common thread, the two couldn't be more different. Japanese barbecue sauce, also known as "tare" or "yakiniku," is a sweet and savory condiment that was popularized in the U.

S. by the Bachan brand. This sauce is known for its intense umami elements, which can boost the flavor of any dish, from grilled meat to vegetables.



While Bachan may be the brand that kicked off the Japanese barbecue sauce trend in America, a lesser-known contender has fans clamoring to get their hands on a bottle of this liquid gold: Mr. Yoshida's Original Japanese Barbecue Gourmet Sweet Teriyaki Marinade & Cooking Sauce . This sauce all but disappeared off of store shelves after the brand was acquired by the Heinz Company in 2000.

In 2024, it was reacquired by its namesake, Yoshida Foods International, bringing the beloved sauce back to the shelves of retailers nationwide. Redditors took to the internet after hearing the news, with one fan humorously stating, "This stuff is so good that I can't have it in my house anymore. I bought a bottle once and found myself doing shot after shot until I was passed out on the floor.

Like every single day. When they say "on the sauce," this is what they mean." Not one to shy away from bold-flavored condiments, I decided to buy a bottle and test it out.

Read on to see what all the hype is about. What does Mr. Yoshida's Original Japanese Barbecue Gourmet Sweet Teriyaki Marinade & Cooking Sauce taste like? Before discussing the flavor of Mr.

Yoshida's lip-smacking sauce, it is important to define what a classic Japanese barbecue sauce is. Japanese barbecue sauce is typically thinner and more savory than the sweet American variety. These sauces start with a base of salty soy sauce that is seasoned with sweet sugar, mirin, and occasionally other ingredients, including garlic, ginger, tomato paste, or vinegar.

While similar to a staple classic teriyaki sauce , it is usually less sweet and more abundant in umami-rich notes. This particular sauce has all the elements that make Japanese barbecue sauce so desirable, and, at times, habit forming. Though the aroma is dominated by soy, notes of brown sugar and a robust, meaty quality shine through.

This sauce has a glossy, almost caramel-like, viscosity that is delightful for dipping and clings to meat beautifully when used as a marinade. When it comes to taste, the best way to describe this sauce is as an umami-bomb of flavor. Though it is quite salty, the sweeter elements do eventually make their way through the salinity, yielding to the savory notes that linger on the tongue.

I found that this sauce tenderizes chicken quite well and the flavor mellows a bit in the heat of the oven, which helps to tame the soy somewhat. When used as a dipping sauce for crispy, tempura-style fried shrimp , the flavors get absorbed into the batter, encasing the seafood with those savory elements and enhancing it. Put this sauce on everything but the kitchen sink Though there are a number of sauces that are easier and cheaper to make at home , this Japanese barbecue concoction from Mr.

Yoshida's is not one of them. This blend gives the true meaning to the phrase "the secret is in the sauce." While the ingredients for this sauce are listed on the label, there is a special something that is hard to define that makes this brand so delightfully addictive.

Some flavor elements that give such a unique flavor to this sauce include the sweet rice wine, Mirin. Though made from rice, mirin differs from sake in that it is produced exclusively for cooking and has a sweet, yet complex, flavor that can elevate a dish. Another is the garlic and spices, which are not listed in detail, but which lend some warmth and nuance to the blend.

While I tasted this sauce as-is, tried it as a dipping sauce, and used it to marinade a chicken breast, its utility is endless. Try using it to glaze some Asian-inspired chicken wings for your next game day menu. You can also add it to canned salmon to help doctor it up for a quick and easy rice bowl .

And, despite how bizarre it may sound, drizzle some into your dessert recipes, like a classic banana bread , to help juxtapose the sweet elements and add some umami richness to the mix. The sky is literally the limit for this sauce..