Hoisin Sauce Vs Oyster Sauce: What's The Difference?

Contrary to what the generic "Asian" sauces you see at many American chain restaurants would have you think, East Asian cuisine has an almost overwhelming variety of different condiments to choose from. Two of the most popular are hoisin and oyster sauce. Both originating from China, if you start trying to cook Asian or Chinese cuisine at home, hoisin sauce and oyster sauce are bound to be some of the first pantry staples you need, as they pop up in a lot of recipes. They also happen to be complex and delicious in their own right and are worthwhile ingredients to familiarize yourself with no matter what you cook.

Both these sauces look similar on the surface — deep brown, thick, and viscous — and they have similar but not identical flavor profiles that will be familiar to fans of East Asian cuisine. While hoisin and oyster sauce play roles as ingredients in other recipes, they are both also used straight up for dipping or to be drizzled over meat and vegetables. While there are quite a few similarities between the two, the base ingredients of the sauces lend each one a distinct flavor, and thus they aren't perfect substitutes for each other. Hoisin sauce and oyster sauce are both versatile, but they have classic uses, like Chinese BBQ for hoisin and garlic noodles for oyster, that are distinct from each other. Most importantly, they are both essential pantry ingredients for all different styles of Chinese cooking.

Hoisin sauce is a sweet and savory Chinese sauce that is sometimes called China's version of ketchup or barbecue sauce, although its flavor is closer to the latter. Hoisin's base is fermented soybean paste with added flavors, giving it a strong umami base. Other ingredients can vary, but include chiles, vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, sweeteners like brown sugar and sweet potato, and Chinese five spice powder. The end result is a sweet, tangy, complex, and very pungent, and while it is similar to American barbecue sauce, it's saltier and richer. The name hoisin actually comes from the Chinese words for seafood, and the sauce may have originally contained seafood ingredients, but modern versions no longer do and are usually vegan.

A true all-purpose condiment, hoisin sauce can be used as marinade for meat, added to stir-frys and rice dishes, or for dipping any kind of Asian appetizer like egg rolls or scallion pancakes. Two of the more famous uses that Americans might be familiar with are Peking Duck and pork char siu. With the duck, it often gets used as a side for dipping, but for the Chinese barbecue char siu, it's a key part of the marinade. Because of its similarity to barbecue sauce, a great place to start are recipes like ribs or grilled chicken, although remember that it's more potent than the barbecue sauces you're probably used to, so you may need to dilute it with water when substituting it in.

This is one case of truth in advertising, because the base of oyster sauce is oysters. According to legend, the sauce was created in the 19th century when an absent-minded cook accidentally left oyster soup cooking so long that it reduced to a sauce. Modern versions are made with boiled oyster broth, oyster brine, or oyster extract. Beyond that, it doesn't have the wide variety of additions that hoisin sauce does, usually just being made with salt, sugar, MSG, and thickeners like cornstarch, but despite the name, oyster sauce doesn't taste very seafood-y. It has a slight briny flavor, but it leans more toward being salty and savory with an intense umami depth. While oyster sauce can be a little sweet it is not as sweet as hoisin sauce usually is, and lacks the flavor of added spices. However the cooking process, which caramelizes the sauce, still creates a condiment with incredible depth.

Like hoisin, oyster sauce gets added to sauces and stir-fry recipes, which is its most popular use. Beef and broccoli, fried rice, and drunken noodles are all great recipes where it's used. It can also be drizzled as a savory addition to vegetables, used as a dipping sauce, and turned into a marinade for meat. In fact one dish where it does sometimes crossover with hoisin is char siu. While the briny flavor is not a great substitute for hoisin, it shares that sauce's intense flavor, so use oyster sauce with a light hand.