Homemade Teriyaki Sauce Recipe – Easy & Quick
This easy homemade teriyaki sauce recipe combines soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, garlic, and ginger to create a sweet and savory sauce that's perfect for chicken, steak, and veggies. Made with simple ingredients and ready in minutes, this homemade teriyaki sauce can also be used as a marinade when prepared without cornstarch.
The amounts here are for a small batch which is enough to marinate and serve with a couple pounds of chicken. You can double the ingredient amounts if you'd like to make a larger batch.
Ingredients
- Water: 1 cup
- Cornstarch: 2 tablespoons
- Brown sugar: ½ cup
- Soy sauce: ¼ cup
- Honey: 2 tablespoons
- Garlic: 1 teaspoon
-
Ground Ginger: 1 teaspoon
Instructions
- Start by adding room temp/cold water to a small sauce pan, before adding the cornstarch and mixing it together until fully combined.
- Add the brown sugar, soy sauce, honey, garlic, and ginger to this and stir together.
- Put the sauce pan over medium heat and, stirring frequently, heat the mixture until the sauce starts to thicken up and darken.
- Remove from heat and either serve immediately or store in the fridge for later use.
Adjust How Thick the Sauce Is
Cornstarch is the thickening agent for this sauce, you can increase or decrease the amount used to adjust how thick the sauce is. If the sauce is too thick, add some water to dilute it. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools, so keep that in mind while it is on the stop.
Note: When adding cornstarch to hot water, it can cause the outer layer to immediately gelatinize, which makes the cornstarch clump, and makes it harder to stir it into the sauce.
Cornstarch Free Alternative
It is possible to make teriyaki sauce without cornstarch. Instead of adding the cornstarch, use 1/2 cup of soy sauce and 1/4 cup of water and simmer at a lower temperature. This will allow the sugars to naturally caramelize and thicken the sauce.
This will give the sauce a richer and more pronounced flavor. However, it will take longer and will be easier to burn.
Common Meat Options
Teriyaki sauce is traditional served with chicken and beef. Although pork works incredibly well too.
Use as a Marinade
While this can be used to marinate meat as is, a couple simple adjustments will make it much more effective. Simply omit the cornstarch and gently heat and stir until the ingredients are fully combined. Then let cool and use as a marinade.
Omitting the cornstarch allows the liquid to penetrate into the meat easier.
How Long Does this Last in the Refrigerator?
Since this recipe uses fresh garlic, it should be used within 1-2 weeks of being made. Using dry ingredients can improve the shelf life, but check for any mold or off smells if storing long term.
How to Use Teriyaki Sauce for Grilling
Homemade teriyaki sauce is a great way to add sweet and savory flavors to your next cookout. You can use it as a marinade before grilling, or add it to lightly seasoned meat once it finishes grilling.
Sugar can burn easily when cooked on high heat. The thicker you've made the sauce, or the less water used in the recipe will make it easier to burn. For very thick or low moisture sauces, avoid adding it to the meat until the meat is fully cooked.
Brush a light layer over meat that is still on the grill to allow it to quickly caramelize and set before removing the meat from the grill. Or simply reheat the sauce separately and add it to the meat once plated.
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