How to Use Store-Bought Teriyaki Sauce?
Teriyaki sauce is the magic of Japanese cuisine. Glossy, rich, and abundant in umami flavor, it is a very welcomed addition to many dishes from Japanese cuisine but from Western cooking as well. As much as I enjoy making it, buying it does make things much simpler, but I needed some time to get the hang of using it. But how to use store-bought Teriyaki sauce?
Store-bought Teriyaki can be used the same way as homemade, but it is best to add it in the final stages of the cooking. When it comes to the amount, use half of the cup per 1 pound of chicken.
I’m very passionate about my food, and I get genuinely disappointed when a small mistake ruins my dish. Adding the wrong amount or timing the sauce badly can definitely ruin your joy for the dish. In this article, I will share my wisdom about using store-bought Teriyaki sauce so that you can enjoy your food to the fullest.
What Is Teriyaki Sauce Used For?
One of the reasons I love Teriyaki sauce is that it is a very versatile and vibrant sauce you can use almost everywhere. Even though it is a traditional Japanese sauce, its rich umami flavor makes it the perfect companion in countless combinations.
From marinating to glazing to stir-frying, Teriyaki sauce does a great job of enhancing the flavors of your food. I love it with seafood, surimi, and crabs, but also I like it with fried chicken or roast pork. If you feel lazy, you can simply use it as a dipping sauce.
Do You Need to Cook Store-bought Teriyaki Sauce?
Store-bought Teriyaki sauce is pretty much ready to serve, so cooking it isn’t mandatory. Still, if you prefer to cook it, you can, but you don’t have to. I cook store-bought Teriyaki only if I add it to a dish while it is still cooking, but never separately.
Some recipes require additional thickening, which is where I let the Teriyaki sauce simmer with an additional thickener, but again, it isn’t because the sauce isn’t cooked but because the recipe calls for a thicker sauce.
When to Add Teriyaki Sauce?
The beauty of Teriyaki sauce is that you can add it whenever you want and still get a delicious dish. Timing Teriyaki sauce depends on the flavor you want to achieve. Still, homemade Teriyaki is stronger and more flavorful, so you can add it at the beginning and still have your dish coated in the signature flavor.
Store-bought Teriyaki is usually milder in flavor than homemade, so you might want to add it in the final stages of the cooking, i.e., shortly before your dish is ready. If you add it at the beginning, add a generous amount so that there’s enough to rub off of your dish.
How Much Teriyaki Sauce to Use for a Meal?
The general rule when it comes to sauces is to add as much as you want. Everyone has a different palate and different tolerance to different flavors, so the amount you should add depends solely on your preferences.
Still, you should adjust the amount depending on whether the sauce is homemade or store-bought. As I said earlier, store-bought one tends to be milder than homemade, so you should add more. In any case, I recommend you start with a moderate amount and slowly add more until you get the flavor you want.
Do You Need to Add Spices or Additional Ingredients to Store-bought Teriyaki Sauce?
Store-bought Teriyaki sauce is usually already seasoned and flavored, so you don’t really have to add anything to it. I often add seasoning to store-bought Teriyaki because I love flavor bombs on my palate. Still, if you want to customize the flavor, you are more than welcome to do so.
Minced garlic, grated ginger, or a touch of honey are great ways to enhance the flavor of store-bought Teriyaki sauce. Still, take a quick read and see the ingredients used in your store-bought Teriyaki to see which seasonings have been used so that you know better what to add.
