Arguably the most American of condiments, barbeque sauce takes many different forms. And while making it at home with some tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, and onions isn’t that much of a lift, I’ve always been a sucker for a good sauce in a bottle. Maybe it’s my Midwestern roots, or maybe, like everyone else, I just like a shortcut once in a while. I’m a fan of a good bottle of sweet Kansas City style-sauce, but ever since the day that Bachan’s Japanese barbecue sauce drizzled its way onto my radar, it’s become my bottled sauce of choice.
Bachan, according to Bachan’s founder Justin Gill, is a Japanese term of endearment for grandmother; Gill’s sauce is based on his own grandmother’s recipe. It’s made without any additives and contains familiar ingredients, like sweet mirin, rice vinegar, green onion, and garlic. It’s also vegan, if that’s important to you. To keep it as close as possible to Gill’s grandmother’s original recipe, Bachan’s makes its barbecue sauce in small batches.
There are many reasons I love Bachan’s. To begin with, the sauce’s original version has a balanced, bright sweetness. Its other versions — hot and spicy, sweet honey, yuzu, a gluten-free version made with tamari — are great too; my personal favorite, miso, has a boldness that comes from both red and white miso.
And then there’s the fact that it comes in a squeeze bottle that fits comfortably in my hand, with a twist cap that’s easy to open. Since the sauce doesn’t have any thickening agents, it drizzles easily onto just about anything and everything. I’ve used it to top scrambled eggs, grain or rice bowls with salmon or tuna, crab cakes and fish, and tossed it with some shredded chicken for taco filling.
But Bachan’s is more than just a finishing condiment. It also works as a marinade — especially the miso version — for grilled or baked salmon, cod or chicken, and any type of whitefish. I just drizzle it on the raw filet, along with salt, fresh garlic, and some red pepper flakes. Bachan’s describes its miso sauce as teriyaki-ish, so it works on the same proteins that teriyaki sauce does, and gives them a nice sticky glaze that’s not too sweet or heavy.
Alternatively, a liberal coating on baked or sauteed chicken thighs or wings — applied after they’re almost cooked — produces a rich, caramelized glaze. I always do this towards the end of cooking because the sugar content can burn easily, just like teriyaki.
Can I stop raving about Bachan’s versatility? No, I cannot. Yet another way I like to use it is for flavoring vegetables. I often slice Brussels sprouts in half and toss them with any of Bachan’s sauces and roast them in the oven, or throw them in the air fryer. When the sauce gets warm in the oven, it caramelizes into a sticky sweet glaze.
On top of that, there’s very little you can’t dip into Bachan’s (maybe not crackers, but I’m not here to pass judgment on your culinary choices). I’ve used it with dumplings and raw vegetables, and even mixed it with Kewpie mayonnaise as a dip for French fries and chicken tenders.
You can find Bachan’s by the bottle in many grocery stores and on Amazon, or order directly from their website. The sauce is sold as single bottles there, or in packs of two and four. Or you can do what I did, and buy an entire gallon and have it sent right to your house.
Tanya Edwards is a freelance writer based in coastal New England. Her work has appeared in the Boston Globe, Refinery29, CNN, Better Homes & Gardens, Food Network and more.
