14 Everyday Uses For Bachan's Japanese Barbecue Sauce

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who enjoy their food plain Jane-style, and those who believe a sandwich should drip, the best part of salad is the dressing, and that even pizza crusts deserve a dipping sauce. If you fall into the latter category, then you're likely well-versed in the world of homemade sauces. However, there are likely a few pre-made sauces that are staples in your household, like ketchup, marinara, hot sauce, or mayo. And, if you're anything like us, you know that Bachan's Japanese barbecue sauce also deserved a permanent spot in your refrigerator, too. Its versatility will allow you to use it for seemingly endless things in your kitchen. 

For those new to Bachan's, it's a Japanese style sauce made with soy sauce, sugar, mirin, tomato paste, ginger, green onion, rice vinegar, garlic, and toasted sesame oil. Essentially, it's everything you could ask for from a sauce; it has sweet, savory, tangy, and umami undertones. Although you could stick to just using this sauce in stir fry and be content, like most sauces and seasonings, this one can help elevate a variety of different dishes. The best part is that this sauce doesn't have to be used exclusively for Japanese cuisine. If you have a bottle on hand, you can easily expand your horizons and create unique and wonderful dishes with it. 

Most Americans have gotten takeout fried rice probably more times than they would like to admit. It's one of those dishes that's universally loved, and hits the spot every time. If you've only enjoyed it in a takeout capacity, it's about time you learned how to make it at home. This will save you money, and then once you've mastered the basics, you can begin to add in your own unique flair. A quick and easy way to elevate your homemade fried rice is to replace about half of the soy sauce with Bachan's Japanese barbecue sauce.

Adding this sauce will give your fried rice extra depth, a little boost of sweetness, and some flavorful undertones. If you have the time, we still recommend adding your rice vinegar, mirin, soy sauce, and any other ingredients you'd typically use. But, in a pinch, just a little bit of this wonder sauce will do the trick, especially when coupled with oil and aromatics. Use day-old, medium-grain rice to ensure the texture of this dish is spot-on. 

Whether you're into a classic wing, boneless wings (which are really just fancy chicken nuggets, if we are being honest), or sticky cauliflower wings, you'll need to pick a sauce or rub to go with them. Do you load up on classic hot wing sauce? Sweet and smoky barbecue? Or are you into Asian sticky wings? If you enjoy a combo of savory and sweet sauce, then try tossing your wings in Bachan's Japanese barbecue sauce. The brand has plenty of varieties to choose from, including a super spicy, Hella Hot version for those who enjoy smoke coming out of their ears.

You can follow your classic wing recipe. Use a deep fryer, an air fryer, or simply bake them in the oven. Consider cooking them in a rub with oil and some of your favorite spices. Once the wings are cooked and crispy, grab a large bowl and toss them in this barbecue sauce. Instead of reaching for ranch or blue cheese, try dipping them in yum yum sauce instead. 

There is nothing worse than a dry sandwich. Picture the classic gas station sub with iceberg lettuce, turkey, cheese, and maybe a smattering of mayonnaise. Where's the fun in that? A sandwich deserves to be loaded up with sauces and spreads. In other words, a good sandwich should leave you with sauce dripping down to your elbows and require more than just a napkin or two for cleanup. When selecting a sauce for your sandwich, don't overlook Bachan's Japanese barbecue sauce.

This sauce can upgrade any burger or dark meat sandwich. Try it on a roast beef sub, in place of marinara on a meatball sub, or drizzle it on a Philly cheesesteak. Or, let the barbecue sauce shine by adding it to a simple bánh mì sandwich made with meat or tofu. Is your mouth beginning to water? Avoid coupling the barbecue sauce with other dominant-flavored sauces, like pesto, marinara, or mustard. Instead, pair it with mayonnaise or another mild and creamy sauce.

Homemade veggie burgers are underrated. They are simple to make, difficult to totally butcher (no pun intended), and are a great way to sneak more vegetables into your diet. However, if you're new to the scene, there are a few common mistakes that can leave folks wishing they'd sprung for a beef patty instead. The first is that veggie burgers can easily become mushy, so it's essential to add binders and ingredients like oats that will absorb the moisture and help the patty stay together. The second is that veggie burgers are notorious for being bland. Add a little Bachan's Japanese barbecue sauce to ensure that it's not the case for your batch.

By adding this sauce, you're including a combination of flavors that creates a balanced mouthfeel. The strong umami notes will add a savory flavor that veggie burgers often lack. Luckily, this sauce pairs with just about any vegetable, so you're not limited. Use a black bean, a sweet potato or even a broccoli base for your patty. Just don't forget the Bachan's to add much-needed flavor to your vegetarian burgers.

Sick of the same old balsamic and olive oil combo? Try something a little different on your salad. Enjoy a crunchy rendition with shaved red cabbage, crunchy iceberg, toasted sesame seeds, green onion, and pea shoots topped with an Asian-style vinaigrette. Typically, Asian vinaigrettes use oil, soy sauce, an acid, and something sweet. However, Bachan's Japanese barbecue sauce covers the latter three categories; it just needs some oil to turn it into a dressing. 

Use a neutral oil along with sesame oil in your Asian-style vinaigrette. You'll want to follow a 3-to-1 ratio when you combine the oil and the sauce, meaning that you should be using three parts oil for one part sauce. From there, you can whisk in other flavor enhancers, like some Japanese pepper, a little garlic, and onion powder. A little ginger juice or lime juice can help to boost the acidity, which will help your dressing really sing. Taste and alter the recipe according to your personal flavor preferences. Incrementally add the dressing to your greens until they're coated evenly and so that the sauce doesn't overpower the veggies.

Although caramelized onions are sweet and buttery all on their own, it doesn't mean you can't give them a little extra boost. Some people make foolproof caramelized onions with nothing more than sliced onions, oil, and broth. Others use just onions, olive oil, water, and salt. However, it's fun to get a little experimental and try balsamic vinegar, or even a little butter and maple syrup. And guess what other hip, popular sauce can help those soft onions sing? That's right: Adding Bachan's Japanese barbecue sauce can elevate your caramelized onions to a new level. 

Add a kick of umami to your caramelized onions with this savory and sweet sauce. These onions can be used for tacos, salads, burgers, pizza, and just about anything else you can think of. Just use a small dash of the sauce, and be sure to add it towards the end of the cooking process so it doesn't burn. Exclude adding any additional salt, as this sauce is nice and salty as-is.

Once the winter thaw is complete, it's time of bust out the grill on the first warm day. There's nothing better than outdoor cooking, and luckily, just about anything can be cooked on the grill. An easy classic that can be made on a gas or charcoal grill (or even a Blackstone) is grilled kebabs. They can be made with meat, or include vegetables, fish, tofu, and even fruit. What often gets overlooked is the sauce, and boy does it make all the difference.

After loading up your soaked skewers with meat and veggies, brush them with a little oil to prevent them from sticking to the grill. Then, cook your kebabs until they are just about done. At this point, you'll want to brush on some Bachan's Japanese barbecue sauce and let them cook for just a minute or two longer. Avoid burning the sauce, and treat it like you would any classic barbecue sauce. You can also squirt on a fine drizzle after the kebabs have been removed from the grill to reduce the risk of over-caramelizing it. 

The smell of freshly cut grass means it's time to uncover the grill, whip out the cheesy aprons, and enjoy some long evenings on the deck. And any grilling aficionado knows that the key to a deliciously tender, flavorful, and juicy roast is soaking meat in a marinade. Heck, even vegetables deserve a marinade. The sauce will not only add additional flavor to the cut, but will also help to tenderize it, as long as the recipe is executed properly. 

There are a few elements that every marinade should have. At a basic level, there should be something salty and something acidic. The combination of these flavor profiles is why bottled Italian dressing can make for a quick and easy chicken marinade, and why barbecue sauce is so tangy and savory.

Bachan's Japanese barbecue sauce covers all your flavor bases. It can be used as a quick and easy marinade for those who don't have the time or bandwidth to make one from scratch. Simply mix your sauce with a little oil, douse the meat in the combination, and let it rest in the refrigerator overnight. The salt content of the sauce will help to tenderize the meat, while all of those sweet and umami notes will penetrate and infuse into the protein, creating a burst of flavor with every bite. This will be sure to give your steak marinade a flavor boost.

There's a reason that root vegetables tend to do well with a sweet and savory combination dressing, like miso maple on roasted carrots or spicy garlic and honey on turnips. Root vegetables are sweet themselves, and are often enjoyed in a savory capacity. Lean into the savory-sweet combo by amplifying it with a sauce that matches the mood and complements the vegetables' existing sweetness.

The beauty of Bachan's, or really any barbecue sauce, is that it contains many layers of flavor. Choose from popular root veggies, or try cooking winter squash. When in doubt, carrots are a crowd-pleaser. Roast the vegetables with herbs, spices, and oil. Towards the end, toss them in a little Bachan's and throw them back in the oven. The goal is to cook it long enough for the sauce to reduce slightly, but not so long that it burns.

Some folks are just trying to wrap their heads around the concept of grilling fruit to begin with. But for others, the idea of tossing peaches, citrus, and pineapple on the grill is just intuitive. Granted, there are some special tips you need when grilling fruit. While every fruit can be grilled, it doesn't mean that every fruit should be grilled. An easy classic that deserves to be tickled by hot open flames is pineapple. It's easy to cut into large, stable rings, so it won't fall through the grates of the grill. Plus, it's delicious when heated. A little drizzle of maple syrup or sprinkle of sugar can help to enhance the flavors of this grilled fruit, but it's also important to consider the potential for a sweet and savory combination.

Your average barbecue sauce tastes delicious on grilled pineapple, but there is a barbecue sauce that tastes even better: Bachan's Japanese barbecue sauce. It tends to be a little sweeter, a little saltier, and a little more intensely-flavored, so it's a great choice when selecting a sauce for your pineapple. Just a small amount will do the trick, so drizzle with intention.

Don't fall into the black bean, chicken, or beef taco rut. While we love a classic, there are so many different kinds of tacos to experiment with, so why stick solely to the basics? After all, culinary creativity is the reason we have pistachio ice cream, pineapple on burgers, and chicken and waffles. 

Consider making tacos influenced by another culture. Asian-style tacos, for example, are a game changer. You can use chicken, fish, tofu, or even vegetables like broccoli or Brussels sprouts as a base. Toast up some flour tortillas and load them with your protein or vegetable of choice cooked in Bachan's Japanese barbecue sauce.

Top with finely chopped cabbage, crushed cucumber, or shaved carrots. Drizzle with yum yum sauce made with Kewpie mayonnaise, or sprinkle with sesame seeds, kimchi, green onion, or even use a little seaweed salad to garnish. White rice can be used as a neutral starch, but be sure to season it so it doesn't dilute the flavor of the complete taco. You can even use this sauce in any shredded tofu taco recipe, regardless of the cuisine it's influenced by. 

Have you ever heard about using soy sauce or tamari in your scrambled eggs? It's really one of the best ways to use tamari, because it helps to enhance the umami flavor of the yolk while adding a little bit of salt to the mix. Well, if you have a bottle of Bachan's on hand, it may be worth trying it in your eggs, too. 

Use a little in your scrambled egg mixture and omit any additional salt. Another way to incorporate it is by adding a little to the pan along with your butter or oil before you fry your eggs. It's important to cook any spices or sauces with your eggs to help the flavors fuse. This works best in a non-stick pan, as the barbecue sauce contains sugars that stick easily, but it can also work with a well-seasoned cast iron pan, skillet, or on a Blackstone grill.

Those who love flavor know that some of the best homemade sauces out there are simply a combination of other sauces. Need a creamy taco sauce? Try sriracha and mayonnaise. What about a classic burger sauce? Mix ketchup, mayo, mustard, and pickle juice. What about honey mustard? Well, that one speaks for itself. Just like all of our favorite condiments, Bachan's Japanese barbecue sauce can be elevated by combining it with another popular condiment, Kewpie mayonnaise, for an easy yum yum-style sauce. 

Kewpie mayonnaise is a Japanese version of mayonnaise that is richer and has stronger umami flavors. Luckily, you can make your own Kewpie mayo recipe if you can't get your hands on the bottled stuff. Try using it to top sushi, Asian-inspired tacos, rice bowls, or yum yum chicken sliders. Mix the mayo with the barbecue sauce until it reaches your desired flavor balance.

Avocado toast can't get any better than it already is, right? Wrong! There are endless ways to enhance this popular breakfast recipe, and most of them are as simple as can be. A squirt of lemon juice, a sprinkle of capers, or even a few chili flakes can make all the difference. If you're digging around in your condiment drawer looking for a sauce to top your avocado toast, give Bachan's Japanese barbecue sauce a try.

Bachan's makes a few variations of its classic sauce, but the Hot & Spicy bottle may just be the perfect choice to pair with silky, mildly-flavored avocado. It's one of the best spicy toppings you can use to energize your avocado toast and get your day rolling. But don't stop there. Because this sauce is so versatile, you are welcome to add other avocado toast additions, like a fried egg, sesame seeds, sliced onion, or even sun-dried tomatoes. Well, maybe at that point we can just call it an open-faced sandwich. Either way, this is a quick and easy everyday use for Bachan's Japanese barbecue sauce that will help to set a sweet and spicy tone for the rest of your day. Who doesn't deserve a little extra spice in their life?