A jar of Hoisin Sauce can open up lots of possibilities for a quick or even slow cooked meal. It especially makes a fantastic dipping sauce. It’s available at some supermarkets but definitely at Asian supply Stores.
Hoisin sauce is occasionally known as Chinese barbecue sauce and it is a shiny thick dark sauce with a almost pungent sweet and salty taste used in Chinese and Vietnamese cooking for stir fries, as a meat glaze or additive to a marinade and as an addictive dipping sauce. As with most recipes there are variants from brand to brand. As a general rule it contains soy sauce, fermented soybean paste, vinegar, sugar, garlic, sesame paste and oil, sometimes Chinese five spice , black pepper and dried sweet potato and sometimes chilli. Don’t forget the preservatives too.
The preservatives and sugar can worry some people, but the biggest thing you need to watch is that it contains gluten both from the fermented bean paste and soy sauce. I have no issue with the occasional jar of sauce, especially when it involves lots of fresh vegetables and produce. But, if you want to make a home-made version there’s a couple of recipes here and here
The trouble with Hoisin sauce is that you don’t need very much of it. That means a jar lurking in the fridge with delicious left over Hoisin Sauce going to waste. So, along with the two easy and most importantly quick dinners I have coming up this week using hoisin sauce, here are some other ideas for using it up.
Hoisin Sauce forms part of that delicious peanut sauce we dip our Vietnamese rolls into. I love this sauce. Here’s a rough recipe for it. Adjust to suit your tastes.
Hoisin Sauce for dipping and other things to make with Hoisin Sauce
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/3 cup peanut butter
- 1/3 cup water
- 3 Tablespoons lime juice
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
Notes
What else can you make with Hoisin Sauce?
Steamed or Stir fried Bok Choy with Hoisin and garlic
Noodles with Pork, Hoisin and crushed peanuts
Sticky Hoisin and Five spice ribs with sweet potato chips
Roast Hoisin, honey and soy Chicken wings
Crispy skinned Pork belly with hoisin and Chiakang black Vinegar
Hoisin and Ginger skewered Prawns
Chicken, Hoisin and Lemongrass Meat Balls with Soy, Sesame, Cabbage salad
Glazed Hoisin Salmon with lime and Sesame Paste
Slow Cooked Pulled Pork with Hoisin
Crispy duck and pancakes with Hoisin
Cashew Chicken with Sriracha, ginger, deep fried garlic and Coriander
Hoisin Seared Scallops with pickled ginger
Hoisin glazed BBQ Chinese Pork Fillet
Stir fried Beef strips with Asparagus, hoisin and pumpkin
Try these recipes too!
Hoisin Chicken with Coconut rice
Hoisin Salmon Meatballs and Asian broth
We always have a jar of it in the fridge. It’s so versatile as you’ve shown!
I love Hoisin sauce but rarely use it. The last jar I bought was used once and spent the rest of it’s shelf life feeling very neglected! I might have to go and buy another jar now that you’ve given me so many ways to use it (Hello Duck Pancakes!) and I’ll be swinging by later in the week for that quick chicken recipe! Yum!
I relate to not needing much of it – this is a sauce that always seems to end up lurking in the fridge for ages! New recipes for it are thus always welcome. I like the idea of pairing it with peanut butter!
Agreed – I tend to go through hoisin sauce fastest in summer when I make a truckload of rice paper rolls – my favourite dinner on a hot night!