Using teriyaki marinade as a sauce is absolutely possible, as long as you understand how to properly prepare and adjust the marinade. Teriyaki marinade contains many of the classic teriyaki sauce ingredients – soy sauce, mirin, sake, ginger, and sugar. However, marinades also contain acids like vinegar or lemon juice to help tenderize meat. To turn a marinade into a sauce, you’ll need to tweak the ingredient ratios and seasoning to achieve the desired texture and flavor.
The Difference Between Marinades and Sauces
While teriyaki marinade and sauce share some key ingredients, they serve different purposes in cooking:
- Marinades are used to tenderize and flavor meat, fish, or vegetables before cooking. They contain an acid like vinegar or citrus juice to help break down tissue.
- Sauces are served tableside or used to glaze cooked food. They provide bold, sticky flavors without overly softening the texture.
Here are some key differences:
| Marinades | Sauces |
|---|---|
| Higher acidity to tenderize | Lower acidity for better texture |
| Thinner consistency to penetrate food | Thicker consistency to coat food |
| Long marinating time – 30 min to overnight | Short simmering time to thicken |
With a few adjustments, though, you can easily convert a leftover teriyaki marinade into a delicious sauce.
How to Turn Teriyaki Marinade into Sauce
Follow these tips to turn teriyaki marinade into a sauce:
- Remove the marinated food from the liquid, reserving marinade.
- Pour marinade into a saucepan and skim off excess fat if needed.
- Simmer marinade over medium heat to reduce and thicken, 5-10 minutes.
- Adjust flavor with extra soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, or ginger if needed.
- For a smooth sauce, strain out aromatics like ginger, garlic, or sesame seeds.
- Use as a sauce drizzled over cooked meat, seafood, or vegetables.
The simmering reduces and concentrates the flavors of the marinade into a syrupy glaze. Keep a close eye on the marinade as it simmers so it doesn’t burn. You may need to add a bit of water if it thickens too quickly or begins sticking to the pan.
Tips for the Best Flavor
To boost the flavor of your homemade teriyaki sauce, keep these tips in mind:
- Reduce vinegar amount: Marinades need a good amount of acidity to work. For sauce, reduce the vinegar by half or more so the texture isn’t too thin.
- Increase soy sauce: Add a splash more soy sauce to ramp up the salty umami notes in the finished sauce.
- Balance sweetness: Add a bit more sugar or honey if needed to balance the salty soy sauce and achieve the signature teriyaki flavor profile.
- Thicken it: For a thicker sauce, simmer longer to reduce or add a teaspoon of cornstarch slurry at the end.
- Strain out solids: For smooth sauces, pour through a fine mesh strainer to remove ginger, garlic, etc.
Recipe Ideas
Teriyaki sauce made from marinade can be used in all sorts of dishes. Drizzle it over proteins like chicken, beef, pork, shrimp or tofu. Here are some recipe ideas:
- Teriyaki glazed salmon
- Sesame teriyaki meatballs
- Teriyaki chicken wings
- Grilled teriyaki steak tips
- Teriyaki tuna poke bowls
- Roasted teriyaki cauliflower
- Teriyaki fried rice
- Teriyaki noodle bowls
The leftover teriyaki sauce also stores well in the refrigerator for up to a week. Use it to quickly whip up weekday meals by drizzling it over saut??ed vegetables, baked fish, or roasted chicken.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between teriyaki sauce and glaze?
Teriyaki sauce has a thin, pourable consistency, while glazes are extra thick and sticky. Glazes are typically brushed on during the last few minutes of cooking and contain more sugar to help create a caramelized crust.
Can I use teriyaki sauce as a meat marinade?
You can certainly use pre-made teriyaki sauce as a meat marinade, though it won’t be quite as effective at tenderizing since it doesn’t contain acid. For best results, combine teriyaki sauce with vinegar, wine, lemon juice, or pineapple juice.
How long does homemade teriyaki sauce last?
Properly stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, homemade teriyaki sauce will keep for 5-7 days. The flavor may start to degrade after that point. For longer storage, freeze teriyaki sauce for 2-3 months.
Key Takeaways
- Turn leftover teriyaki marinade into sauce by simmering to reduce and thicken.
- Lower the acidity and adjust seasoning to achieve the ideal sweet-salty teriyaki flavor.
- Straining out solids results in a smooth, glossy sauce.
- Homemade teriyaki sauce can be used to make all kinds of quick and easy Asian-inspired meals.
With just a few tweaks, that leftover teriyaki marinade can become a tasty sauce for mealtime. Simmer it down to concentrate those classic Asian flavors of soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and sweetness into a versatile condiment. Drizzle your homemade teriyaki sauce over all kinds of proteins, grains, and veggies for fast, flavorful dinners.