Homemade Teriyaki Sauce (Two Versions, Stored in a Jar)
照り焼きのたれ
https://japanese-kitchen-brothers.com/pages/recipe-homemade-teriyaki-sauce-two-versions-stored-in-a-jar
Soy, mirin, sake, and sugar, simmered to a glossy glaze. Or a pantry version with honey.
👨🍳"I keep a jar in the fridge door. Weeknight chicken takes ten minutes."
Ingredients
Serves 4Sauce (Local)
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Umami Soy sauce60 ml (¼ cup)
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Sweet Honey60 ml (¼ cup)
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Sour Rice vinegar1 tbsp
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Garlic1 clovegrated
Sauce (Authentic)
Thickener (optional)
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Potato starch optional1 tspmixed with 2 tsp water
Taste & Texture Profile
The honey version is sweeter with a garlic punch. The mirin version is rounder and shines more.
Taste Profile
Texture Profile
Sensory Notes
Honey and garlic over soy, with a light sour lift.
A thick bubbling that pops softly near the end.
Dark brown with a honey gloss.
Use it warm on hot meat. Cold from the jar, it is thick.
Warm rice sweetness from mirin, then roasted soy.
Small fast bubbles turn into big slow ones.
Deep amber, glassy when it coats a spoon.
Brush it on warm. It sets into a lacquer as it cools.
Instructions
Put the soy sauce and honey in a small pan. Add the rice vinegar and grated garlic.
Put the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a small pan. Stir until the sugar melts.
💡 The easy 1 to 1 to 1 ratio
Use equal parts soy sauce, mirin, and sake. Add half a part of sugar. With 60 ml each, that is 2 tbsp sugar. The ratio scales to any batch size.
One, one, one, and a half of sugar.
That is it? No secret ingredient?
The secret is the simmer, not the list.
Bring it to a boil. Turn the heat to low.
Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes. Stop when it drops by about one third. Stir now and then.
💡 Watch the bubbles, not the clock
At first the bubbles are small and fast. As water leaves, the sugar gets thicker. The bubbles turn big and slow. That change means the glaze is close, often around 6 minutes.
How do I know it is thick enough?
Dip a spoon. Draw a line with your finger.
If the line stays, it is ready.
For a thick, store-style sauce, stir in the starch slurry. Boil for 30 seconds.
Let it cool. Pour it into a clean jar and keep it in the fridge.
💡 Why it thickens more in the fridge
Sugar syrup gets thicker as it cools. A sauce that looks thin when hot sets up in the jar. So stop simmering a little early. Cold, it will pour like honey at about 4C.
Mine turned into a brick in the fridge.
You cooked it too long. It keeps thickening as it cools.
So stop when it still looks a bit loose.
To use it, sear the meat first. Add the sauce in the last 2 minutes and toss until glossy.
Did you make it?
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How long does homemade teriyaki sauce keep?
The mirin version keeps about 2 weeks in the fridge. The honey version has fresh garlic, so use it within 1 week.
Why is my sauce too thin?
It needs more time. Simmer until the bubbles turn big and slow. Or add the starch slurry.
Can I use it as a marinade?
Yes, but it burns fast in a hot pan. Wipe off the marinade before searing. Add fresh sauce at the end.
Is teriyaki sauce gluten-free?
Not with regular soy sauce. Use tamari labeled gluten-free instead.
