Classic Japanese Teriyaki Sauce
A rich, glossy, and savory teriyaki sauce base. This unique recipe blends aromatics, bacon, and a potato-thickened reduction for a smooth, complex finish.
Japanese teriyaki sauce is a kitchen essential, prized for its perfect balance of savory soy and sweet mirin. This version adds surprising depth with sautéed aromatics and bacon, resulting in a sauce with an incredibly glossy body that clings beautifully to grilled meats and vegetables.
Ingredients
- 5 g minced garlic
- 15 g chopped white onion
- 2 strips bacon
- 200 g sake
- 200 g mirin
- 10 g sugar
- 50 g soy sauce
- 500 g mashed potatoes
- 150 g honey
- 10 g tapioca starch
- to taste teriyaki sauce
Instructions
- 1Sauté the aromatics
Heat a splash of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and chopped white onions, sautéing them until they become fragrant and softened.
Tip: Using white onion provides a milder, sweeter flavor profile that balances well with the savory components. - 2Cook the bacon
Add the chopped bacon strips to the pan with the onions and garlic. Stir frequently and continue to cook until the bacon is soft and takes on a slightly golden hue.
Tip: Cook the bacon until just golden to ensure it remains tender in the final sauce mixture. - 3Add sake and mirin
Pour the sake and mirin into the pan with the sautéed aromatics and bacon. Allow the mixture to cook over high heat, letting the liquids bubble and meld together.
Tip: High heat helps to quickly reduce the alcohol content of the sake while intensifying the flavors. - 4Incorporate mashed potatoes
Add the prepared mashed potatoes into the sauce base in the pan. Mix everything thoroughly, stirring until the potatoes are well incorporated into the liquid to help thicken the base.
Tip: Ensure the potatoes are evenly distributed to create a smooth, thick consistency for the sauce. - 5Blend the sauce
Transfer the mixture into a bowl and use an immersion blender to process it until the sauce is completely smooth and uniform in texture.
Tip: Blend thoroughly to ensure no lumps from the potatoes remain, resulting in a glossy finish. - 6Finalize the sauce
Return the blended mixture to the pan. Stir in a splash of teriyaki sauce and the tapioca starch, stirring vigorously until the sauce thickens to a smooth, glossy consistency.
Tip: Keep the heat steady and stir constantly to prevent the starch from clumping. - 7Thicken the sauce
Add 10g of tapioca starch to the pan to help thicken the mixture. Stir continuously to ensure the starch incorporates evenly without forming lumps, allowing the sauce to reach a smooth and glossy consistency.
Tip: Sprinkle the starch slowly while stirring to prevent clumping and ensure a silky texture. - 8Finalize the sauce
Return the sauce to the pan and stir in a splash of teriyaki sauce to enhance the depth of flavor. Add 10g of tapioca starch to the mixture and stir vigorously until the sauce reaches a smooth, glossy, and thickened consistency.
Tip: Keep stirring consistently to ensure the tapioca starch incorporates evenly without forming lumps.
