This Eel Sauce Recipe is created at home, and it’s quite easy to make. Take a small pot and add the basic components to it to make this sauce. Simmer the sauce over medium heat until it begins to thicken.
| Prep Time: 5 mins | Cook Time: 10 mins | Total Time: 15 mins |
| Servings: 6 | Yield: 3/4 cup |
Low-sodium soy sauce (you may even use gluten-free soy sauce) is the foundation component for this recipe.
The desired thickness can be achieved by using white sugar mirin, a sweet rice wine that can be purchased at Asian markets or even Walmart.
This sauce is sticky. It will still appear thin at first, but as it cools, it becomes quite thick and flavorful, tasting great with sushi.
How to Use Eel Sauce
The most popular way to serve eel sauce, also known as unagi sauce, is with grilled or broiled eel meals. However, it is incredibly adaptable and pairs well with a wide range of other dishes. Here are some applications for it:
1. Glaze for Chicken, Meat, and Grilled Eel: Glazing or broiled eel with eel sauce is the most traditional usage of eel sauce.
As the eel fillets cook, the sauce is brushed over them to create a glossy, delicious coating. It can also be used as a glaze for beef, hog, or chicken, as well as other shellfish.
2. Sushi, Sashimi, and Rolls: This sauce can be used with nigiri and other sushi rolls in addition to sushi made with eel. Ingredients like avocado, cucumber, shrimp, and crab pair well with it. For added flavor, drizzle a tiny bit over the sushi.
3. Unagi sauce is a delectable way to enhance the flavor of your rice or noodle bowls. Drizzle some extra over the steamed rice before adding the grilled eel or meat on top. You can also use it as a glaze on the grilled eel or protein of your choosing.
4. Stir-Fries: Toss the vegetables, proteins, and sauce together for extra flavor and richness while the stir-fries are cooking. Drizzle with some of this sauce.
5. Unagi sauce is a fantastic marinade or dip for shellfish, poultry, beef, and vegetables. Use it as a dip for grilled skewers, tempura, fried dumplings, and spring rolls.
6. Drizzling Condiment: Use it as a last touch on stir-fries or noodles, or drizzle it over grilled or roasted vegetables.
What is the Difference Between Eel Sauce and Teriyaki Sauce?
The simplest eel sauce recipe calls for sugar, mirin, and soy sauce. Like syrup, it is thick and sticky. The sweet Japanese rice wine known as mirin is usually not included in teriyaki sauce. Garlic and ginger are two other aromatics used in teriyaki sauce.
How Long Does Eel Sauce Last?
The high sugar content acts as a preservative, so this homemade eel sauce keeps for months in the refrigerator.
Given that apple cider vinegar is more alkaline than pure vinegar and that soy sauce is a fermented product, the two ingredients in this sauce are self-preserving.
After cooking together, eel sauce needs to be kept chilled. If kept in an airtight food container or squeeze bottle, this sauce can be kept fresh for up to two months.
If you are not going to use the eel sauce within the first few months, you may also store it in a freezer bag. Just thaw it in the refrigerator for an entire night, then transfer the contents to a saucepan and heat them up.
