Yakitori Sauce | Greedy Gourmet

Q: How do you store yakitori sauce?

Refrigeration: Allow the sauce to cool completely after cooking. Transfer it to an airtight container or a clean bottle/jar. Homemade yakitori sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Q: Can you freeze yakitori sauce?

Yes. To freeze yakitori sauce: Allow the sauce to cool completely. Transfer the sauce to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag, leaving some space at the top as the sauce may expand when frozen. Label the container with the date. Freeze for up to 3 months. When defrosting yakitori sauce: Place the frozen sauce in the refrigerator overnight to thaw slowly. Alternatively, if you need it quickly, place the sealed container or bag in a bowl of cold water to thaw.

Question 1

What is yakitori?

Accepted Answer

Yakitori refers to traditional Japanese-style grilled chicken skewers. The word is a combination of two words – “grilled” (yaki) and “chicken” (tori).

Traditionally, yakitori skewers are cooked over hot Japanese charcoal on a rectangle-shaped grill. They are flavored with yakitori sauce, either marinated in the sauce beforehand or dipped in the sauce after they're grilled.

Question 2

What is yakitori sauce?

Accepted Answer

Traditional yakitori sauce is a combination of four ingredients:

Mirin
This sweet Japanese cooking wine is a major component of many Japanese recipes. It has a sweet and tangy flavor, with a thick almost syrupy consistency which is key to achieving the texture of yakitori sauce.

Soy sauce
Regular soy sauce is often used, although dark soy sauce can bring a darker coloring and a richer flavor to yakitori sauce.

Sake
Also known as Japanese rice wine, sake is a hugely popular drink in Japan that's also used for cooking. Sake varies a lot in terms of its flavor profile, but is typically dry or sweet with a clean finish and a hint of umami flavor.

Brown sugar
A touch of brown sugar adds some subtle sweetness, key to balancing out the savory flavors in the sauce.

Question 3

What does yakitori sauce taste like?

Accepted Answer

It's subtly sweet, salty and slightly smoky with a hint of tang and a whole lot of umami.

Question 4

Is yakitori and teriyaki sauce the same?

Accepted Answer

No. While they both have a soy sauce base, teriyaki sauce includes ginger and garlic, giving it an earthier, slightly spicy quality.

Question 5

What are the origins of yakitori sauce?

Accepted Answer

Yakitori cuisine is said to have originated in Tokyo during the Meiji period in the 1880s. This was a period of modernization and experimentation in Japanese culture, especially regarding cuisine.

Question 6

How do you store yakitori sauce?

Accepted Answer

Refrigeration:
Allow the sauce to cool completely after cooking. Transfer it to an airtight container or a clean bottle/jar. Homemade yakitori sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Question 7

Can you freeze yakitori sauce?

Accepted Answer

Yes.

To freeze yakitori sauce:
Allow the sauce to cool completely.
Transfer the sauce to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag, leaving some space at the top as the sauce may expand when frozen.
Label the container with the date.
Freeze for up to 3 months.

When defrosting yakitori sauce:
Place the frozen sauce in the refrigerator overnight to thaw slowly. Alternatively, if you need it quickly, place the sealed container or bag in a bowl of cold water to thaw.

Question 8

How do you reheat yakitori sauce?

Accepted Answer

When it comes to reheating yakitori sauce, you have a couple of options:

Stovetop:
Pour the desired amount of sauce into a small saucepan.
Heat over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.

Microwave:
Transfer the desired amount of sauce to a microwave-safe container.
Cover with a microwave-safe lid or plastic wrap (leave a small vent).
Microwave on medium power in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until warmed through.

Tips:
If the sauce thickens too much after being stored or frozen, you can add a small amount of water or sake to thin it out to the desired consistency while reheating.

Always reheat only the amount you need to prevent repeatedly reheating and cooling the entire batch, which can affect the quality and safety of the sauce.

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