What is Oyster Sauce, Where to Buy It, Recipes to Make with It (2024)

FAQs

What dishes do you use oyster sauce in? ›

Oyster sauce: 18 to 24 months; 3 to 6 months. Peanut butter: 1 year when stored in refrigerator and 3 to 4 months refrigerated after opening (natural); 6 to 9 months when stored in pantry or 12 months stored in refrigerator, 2 to 3 months in pantry or 3 to 4 months refrigerated after opening (commercial, stabilised).

Oyster sauce can be found at specialty Asian grocery stores or international or Asian sections of local grocery markets.

A salty sauce created from oysters and used often in Asian cuisine, oyster sauce contains little calories, no fat, and a healthy dose of calcium for bone strength. The sodium content comes from its soy sauce component, something individuals on a low-sodium diet should take note of.

Oyster sauce is a sweet and salty condiment made primarily from oyster juices, salt, and sugar. It also boasts umami, which is a savory, tangy flavor. It's commonly used in Asian cuisines, including Chinese and Thai dishes, for stir-fries, meat marinades, and dipping sauces.

Condiments containing egg or milk such as mayonnaise and creamy salad dressing, or those with other fast-spoiling ingredients such as oyster sauce should be kept refrigerated. Being among one of must-haves in Thai kitchen, a used bottle of oyster sauce stored in Thailand's room temperature may be prone to get moldy.

Oyster sauce has an exceedingly high amount of salt and sugar that would make it difficult to spoil. Modern Oyster sauce only has an “essence” of shellfish or fish solids. But if you're in the U.S. most health departments freak out if the product isn't outside the “danger” zone of between 40°F and 140°F.

Once the sauce lid is opened, you should always refrigerate the sauce instead of leaving the sauce out on the kitchen countertop where warm conditions can easily form bacteria. If the sauce is refrigerated, the oyster sauce or hoisin sauce can be kept for up to three to six months.

Sweet soy sauce or teriyaki sauce are the best options. Stir Fries - When it comes to adding umami depth and spice to stir fried dishes like ramen and rice noodles, we recommend soy sauce or black bean paste as the perfect oyster sauce alternatives.

Often used as a cooking ingredient, oyster sauce has a richer and more intense taste than hoisin but it does not have the sweetness. If you want to cook with an oyster sauce substitute, hoisin sauce works fine if you like a sweet, tangy flavor.

Why is it called oyster sauce? ›

In 1888, a restauranteur named Mr. Lee Kum Sheung from Southern China was boiling a pot of oyster soup and forgot about it until the soup was simmered down to a thick gravy. He tasted it and discovered an irresistible, delicious new flavour. Since then, he started selling this as 'Oyster Sauce'.

The presence of magnesium and potassium also help to lower blood pressure and iron helps carry oxygen to blood cells. Oysters are also high in potassium, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids which help reduce the overall risk of stroke and heart attack. They are also effective at lowering blood pressure.

Oyster sauce with reduced sodium levels provides the same rich and savoury taste while helping to maintain healthy blood pressure. Consuming low-sodium oyster sauce can be part of a balanced diet, offering oyster sauce health benefits without excess sodium.

Oyster sauce is a thick glossy brown sauce with a syrupy consistency and is most often used in Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese dishes. Rich and deeply savoury, it adds so much umami to meat and vegetable dishes… although I'm a big fan of adding it to fusion pasta recipes, too!

Because it combines sweet and savory flavors, hoisin sauce is different from the saltier oyster sauce. Hoisin sauce is sweeter than its counterpart, so oyster sauce would not give your cooking the same fragrant, sweet taste.

Flavor Profile: Oyster Sauce offers a sweet and salty flavor with an earthy undertone, while Fish Sauce is known for its prominent salty and nutty taste with a fishy aroma. The sweet flavor of Oyster Sauce is due to the caramelization process, contrasting with the salty flavor and fishy notes of Fish Sauce.

In the kitchen, oyster sauce is often a glaze or an addition to stir-fries, while fish sauce is more of a background player, enhancing soups and marinades with its briny depth. Understanding these sauces is crucial for anyone diving into Southeast Asian cuisine.

Some oysters will taste like cucumbers or melons, while others can have seaweed, earthy, or even copper flavors. Again, this will vary depending on where and when the oysters were grown. The mouth feel of any oyster will also greatly affect the taste and experience.