What Is Japanese Barbecue Sauce And How Is It Different?

Barbecue is a way of life for people all across the globe. The process of grilling or smoking meat can be almost ritualistic, with opinions as to the best way to season and prepare a particular cut being as vast as the oceans are wide. While the meat is a key component of barbecue, few would argue about the centrality of the sauce. Though Americans have adopted sweet barbecue sauces as their own, there's a new game in town that's gaining in popularity — Japanese barbecue sauce.

Despite the fact that both sauces work on similarly grilled or smoked meats, Japanese barbecue sauce is quite distinct from any of the classic American regional varieties, including the ultra-vinegary East Carolina-style sauce and the tomato and ketchup-forward concoctions typical of the Kansas City barbecue scene. Instead, Japanese barbecue sauce has its own unique history, ingredients, and uses that have garnered it an almost cult-like following here in the U.S.

From its humble origins in the yakiniku grilling restaurants and street stalls of post-war Japan to the introduction and proliferation of a grandmother's recipe for this unique sauce by Bachan's Japanese Barbecue Sauce, this distinctive condiment has become big business, raking in millions of dollars annually in revenue. Let's take a look at how this umami-rich Asian-inspired sauce has found its way into the homes of families across the country, and what makes it so special.

Japanese barbecue sauce would not exist were it not for the emergence of Japanese barbecue itself. Called yakiniku, which roughly translates to "grilled meat," it evolved from Korean barbecue during the 1950s, at the beginning of a period in history known as the Japanese Economic Miracle. During WWII, when meat was being rationed, Korean migrants residing in Japan began selling grilled offal at street stalls. This was subsequently replaced with meat of all kinds once rationing ended (although organ meats are still commonly found on Japanese menus), laying the foundation for what would become modern-day yakiniku barbecue restaurants.

The Japanese style of barbecue is typically done indoors using a propane-fueled, flat, large teppanyaki griddle or a smaller cast iron hibachi grill, although Korean-style open grills are also popular in Japan. In this style of grilling, the meat itself, most often thinly sliced pieces of beef, is the star of the show. It's lightly seasoned, typically with just salt, before being cooked quickly, rather than being pre-marinated, which is more common with Korean barbecue. The aim is for the inherent flavor of the meat to shine.

A hallmark of Japanese barbecue is its simplicity and versatility. Because the meat is prepared without any frills, it's always served with a soy-based condiment, known as tare or "yakiniku sauce," along with various raw vegetables for freshness and crunch. This makes the quality and flavor of the sauce integral to the experience of enjoying yakiniku, perhaps even more so than it might be with often highly seasoned American barbecued meat.

The primary components of traditional Japanese tare, or yakiniku sauce, include soy sauce, sugar or honey, and mirin (a type of sweet rice wine). Variations on this theme exist, but this is the foundation that gives this sauce the distinctive sweet, savory, and salty flavors that set it apart from other condiments. Common additions include tomato paste, ginger, garlic, green onion, and rice vinegar, all of which help to amplify the umami-rich flavor, increase complexity with aromatics, and cut the sweetness with some acidity.

Though there are many delicious ways to use soy sauce, it's seldom the star of the show when it comes to American-style barbecue sauces. Many of these begin with a sweeter, more acidic, base of tomatoes or ketchup. Because it's made from fermented soybeans, shoyu develops a rich, complex flavor that can complement a number of foods. Beef, in particular, shares a similar amino acid make-up, making these a natural pairing.

Much of the sweetness of tare comes from mirin, which is different to sake in a number of ways. Though both are made from rice, sake is typically drunk straight-up, while mirin is reserved for culinary purposes. The process of making mirin involves the fermentation of rice over the course of a couple of months, during which the starches are converted into sugar. The resulting liquid is complex, slightly viscous, and has a lower alcohol content than sake, helping give tare its unique flavor and texture.

The moniker "Japanese barbecue sauce" did not exist until tare or yakiniku sauce was introduced to the American marketplace in 2019 by Justin Gill, founder and CEO of the iconic Bachan's brand. The name Bachan's is a term of endearment, referring to Gill's grandmother herself — ba-chan is an affectionate way to say "grandmother" in Japanese.

The sauce recipe for the now legendary "The Original" flavor, which Costco shoppers can't get enough of, is one that existed for generations before Gill's grandmother passed it along to him and his family. He spent years perfecting it before bringing it to store shelves, where it quickly became a hit.

It was dubbed "Japanese barbecue sauce" because Gill felt it would be more likely to sell if it was sold alongside other, more recognizable condiments, like classic American-style barbecue sauces, and he was not wrong. It's largely thanks to the success of Bachan's that Japanese barbecue sauce has virtually become a household name.

Considering Bachan's relatively recent introduction to the American marketplace, it has become big business. Its success was driven in part by a compelling personal story that hooks customers, clever marketing, and the expansion of consumer palates to include more international cuisine. All of this has paved the way for numerous brands to emerge under the umbrella of Japanese barbecue sauce.

A quick search will reveal offerings from a number of brands, including Kinder's, Melinda's, and Stick + Tine among others. That said, few are as popular or ubiquitous as Bachan's. According to data compiled by Jungle Scout Cobalt, Bachan's is the top-selling barbecue sauce on Amazon, representing nearly a full quarter of sales of this condiment and earning approximately $2.4 million in revenue, which is nothing to scoff at.

While numbers are important, the proof is in the pudding when it comes to reviews. One Reddit user notes, "this stuff is nearly magical in its flavor enhancement. put it on or in anything you throw in. it's fantastic." When it comes to Amazon, The Original Bachan's flavor enjoys a 4.5-star rating with over 10,000 reviews, 75% of which are 5-star reviews. Though the sauce isn't intended to be a direct replacement for American-style barbecue sauce, it is definitely becoming the condiment of choice for many.

While add-ins are common for tare or yakiniku sauce, the base for this type of sauce is usually stays consistent, with slight variations in the ratio of soy to sweetener and mirin, depending on who makes it. That said, as with American-style barbecue sauces, Japanese barbecue sauces have definitely evolved as they have become more mainstream in the U.S. As more brands have been introduced, all appealing to distinct palates and needs, each is maneuvering to carve out its niche in the marketplace for this condiment.

The Bachan brand itself boasts seven unique Japanese barbecue sauces and two dipping sauces. In addition to its Original flavor, Bachan's offers Gluten-Free, Hot & Spicy, Sweet Honey, Miso, Yuzu Citrus, and Hella Hot varieties of barbecue sauce, as well as The Original and Sweet & Spicy dipping sauces, which are thinner in texture and designed specifically for dunking your favorite foods into.

Another is Mr. Yoshida's Original Japanese Barbecue Gourmet Sweet Teriyaki Marinade & Cooking Sauce, which has experienced something of a resurgence with the popularity of this umami-bomb of a condiment skyrocketing. We definitely enjoy putting this barbecue sauce on everything we cook. While it virtually disappeared from store shelves after being bought out by the Heinz Company in 2000, it has recently been reacquired by its namesake and is making a heck of a comeback.

When it comes to Japanese soy-based condiments, there is another game in town that is perhaps more recognizable to many, namely teriyaki sauce. While both are made from similar ingredients, including soy, a sweetener, and mirin, these sauces are unique from one another and are used for slightly different purposes.

Like yakiniku, teriyaki itself is a type of culinary technique in which various kinds of meat, tofu, fish, or vegetables are smothered in sauce before being broiled or cooked in a wok. This results in a shiny, sweet coating surrounding the ingredients, which gives teriyaki sauce its moniker, with teri meaning "glossy" and yaki referring to the grilling or broiling process.

Teriyaki sauce recipes are often flavored with additional ingredients, including garlic, ginger, apple cider or rice vinegar, sesame oil, or cornstarch as a thickener. That said, the sauce itself is generally thinner and less sweet than a classic Japanese barbecue sauce. Its primary purpose is to marinate or glaze meat, tofu, fish, or vegetables, rather than to enhance these after the cooking process, though it is frequently used as a dipping sauce, especially here in the U.S.

American barbecue sauce is incredibly versatile and often shows up in the most unlikely places, however, its primary task is still marinating and glazing meats before grilling or smoking them. Japanese barbecue sauce, by contrast, is usually reserved for after the grilling process, as a dipping sauce, making it more of a condiment and less of a cooking ingredient. That said, despite its historical uses, as Japanese barbecue sauce has become mainstream, its applications have become ever more expansive. While this sauce can be (and often is) used as a marinade or added during the cooking process, this has to be done with care, and at the right time — the high sugar content of this sauce makes it especially susceptible to burning. If used as a marinade, be cautious not to expose it to too much direct heat or it can easily ruin your dish. 

The best way to use Japanese barbecue sauce is as a finishing sauce for recipes. It can be applied to sandwiches, burgers, meatballs, and noodle or rice dishes of all kinds to help jazz them up before serving. It's also great for adding flavor in unlikely places, like on scrambled eggs, baked potatoes, and homemade pizza. The sky is really the limit with Japanese barbecue sauce, as long as you know its superpowers and potential liabilities.