Like many items at Costco, Bachan's Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce can look intimidating on the shelf. After all, it is a massive 34-ounce bottle and you may be unsure of where to use it.
I recently “took the plunge” and have been surprised by how often I'm using this wonderful sauce in my cooking. Let's dive into what Costco's Japanese Barbecue Sauce is and whether you should grab a bottle on your next trip to a warehouse.
The Background on Bachan's Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce
©MomsWhoThink / Eric Bleeker
- Price: $9.99
- Package Size: 34 ounces
- Ingredients: Mirin (Japanese rice wine), soy sauce, organic ginger, organic garlic, green onion
- Production: Non-GMO Certified and made in small batches
- Flavor: Close to teriyaki sauce, but less sweet with a complex flavor blending ginger, garlic, and green onion in addition to soy sauce
- Calories: 35 per tablespoon (51 servings per container)
The word bachan means ‘granny' in Japanese. The company was founded by Justin Gill in 2019 as he tried to capture the delicious homemade sauces his grandmother makes.
To say Bachan has been a success would be an understatement. Aside from becoming a cult favorite product at Costco, Bachan's line of sauces has earned fanatical reviews across the Internet. Today, the company makes five different sauces:
- Original (Which Costco carries)
- Miso
- Hot and Spicy
- Yuzu
- Gluten-Free
If you'd like to add some spice to the Original flavor sold at Costco, I have some ideas later in this article.
What Can You Put Bachan's Sauce On?
The short answer is that you can put Bachan's sauce on just about everything. It's surprisingly versatile and I've found myself using it on a variety of dishes.
One quick dish I've been making for my family is simply making breaded chicken cutlets (you can buy it pre-prepared at most grocery stores if you're looking to save time) and quick rice or pasta, and then covering it with Bachan's Original Barbecue Sauce.
©MomsWhoThink / Eric Bleeker
The flavor of Bachan's goes particularly well with chicken. As I noted above, it's complex. It's not quite barbecue (too sweet), but it also packs a lot more flavor than something like soy sauce. I grew up in Seattle enjoying the city's Teriyaki sauces and they're probably the closest comparison to the flavors of Bachan's Original Barbecue Sauce.
Another great use for Bachan's sauce is using it as a marinade. I used Bachan's as a marinade overnight with flank steak and the results came out excellent. I've found that teriyaki sauces in general are excellent marinades for flank steaks, but after trying Bachan's I'll be using it as my main marinade in the future.
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Flank Steak with Bachan's Original Barbecue Marinade
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- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: Depends on Steak
Description
Flank steak is excellent when marinated. Japanese marinades like teriyaki are excellent as they add sweetness and complex flavors. If you're looking to save time, simply using Bachan's Original Barbecue Sauce creates an excellent flavor while also tenderizing this cut of steak.
Ingredients
- 1 Flank Steak
- Bachan's Original BBQ Sauce
- Salt and Pepper or comparable seasoning
Instructions
- Add Bachan's to your flank steak in either a large plastic bag or container and allow it to rest with the meat for at least 4 hours. Letting the Bachan's settle for at least 12 hours is preferable as it will create more tender meat.
- Cook the flank steak on a grill. I cooked mine at around 400 degrees, but techniques may change depending on the thickness of your flank steak.
- Take the steak off the grill when its center is either 130 degrees (low end of medium rare) or 135 degrees (upper end).
- Let the steak rest for about 10 minutes preferably covered in a foil. During this time it will warm another 5 degrees, taking it either to the higher end of medium rare or medium, depending on your preference.
- Slice your flank steak on a carving board. Make sure to cut against the grain (perpendicular to the grain pattern). This will make the meat significantly more tender and easy to chew.
- Prep Time: 4 Hours
- Cook Time: 20 to 30 minutes
- Method: Grilling
Some Recipe Ideas for Bachan's Japanese Barbecue Sauce
Finally, if you take the plunge to try Bachan's Original Barbecue from Costco but wish you could try flavors that aren't just their original version, you do have some options.
Many people online have been posting their modifications. For example, you can put Bachan's in a cup and add a tablespoon of garlic chili sauce to make it spicier.
Another great resource is the recipe page on Bachan's website. A few ideas that jumped out to me as easy places to use Bachan's sauce included:
- 5-Ingredient Garlic Noodles
- Ingredient Miso Chicken
- BBQ Leftover Fried Rice
- Grilled Bratwurst with Bachan's Caramelized Onions
Hopefully that last recipe shows the versatility of this sauce. While it is a bit thin (and might be the wrong flavor) to slather on a bratwust, using it to improve the flavor of caramelized onions is absolutely genius and is something I'll be trying at a Fall cookout.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©MomsWhoThink / Eric Bleeker.