The word “glaze” is often associated with something sweet, but it doesn’t have to be.
A sweet soy glaze is one of my favorite ways to add a little sweetness to any dish.
This sweet soy glaze can also be used as an ingredient in other recipes instead of being applied directly onto food.
- What are the ingredients in a sweet soy glaze?
- How do you make a sweet soy glaze?
- What is the difference between a sweet soy glaze and a savory soy glaze?
- What dishes can be made with a sweet soy glaze?
- What is the best way to store a sweet soy glaze?
- How long does a sweet soy glaze last?
- What are some tips for making a perfect sweet soy glaze?
- What are some common mistakes people make when making a sweet soy glaze?
What Are The Ingredients In A Sweet Soy Glaze?
A sweet soy glaze consists of soy sauce, rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar), sugar, and corn syrup.
There may also be garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and ginger added depending on the type of dish you want to use this glaze on.
Soy Sauce
There are many different types of soy sauces out there.
Some brands will contain wheat while others won’t.
The brand I like to use contains no wheat at all so it is gluten free.
You can find it online through Amazon.
Rice Vinegar
If you don’t care about how your food tastes after applying these condiments, then go ahead and buy regular white vinegar.
If you prefer to get rid of excess liquid from your foods before eating them, then you should opt for rice vinegar which contains less water than white vinegar.
Honey
I love using honey because it adds a natural sweetness to any dish without adding extra calories.
Honey comes in two varieties – raw honey and refined/processed honey.
Raw honey has more nutrients than processed honey and therefore is better for you.
Just remember not to eat too much of it if you aren’t diabetic.
Corn Syrup
It might seem weird to include a product that isn’t even a fruit, but corn syrup is actually derived from corn kernels.
Corn syrup helps to thicken up your glaze and gives off a nice caramelized taste.
It is great for baking desserts!
Garlic Powder
Garlic powder is another additive to help give your food a bit of pizzazz.
Not only does it enhance the overall flavor, but it also prevents odor-causing bacteria from growing in your refrigerator.
Garlic powder is available in most grocery stores.
Be sure to read the label carefully so you know what exactly you are buying.
How Do You Make A Sweet Soy Glaze?
A simple sweet soy glaze consists of three main ingredients: soy sauce, sugar, and rice vinegar.
You will need these basic ingredients to make this sweet soy glaze, so don’t forget them!
If you want to take your cooking skills up a few notches, then check out our other sweet soy glaze recipes here at Chowhound.
1. Add soy sauce, sugar, and rice vinegar into a small pot and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat until most of the liquid boils off.
You may notice that this first step takes a while because there is quite a bit of water boiling away.
Once this happens, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let simmer for 10 minutes before adding more soy sauce if needed.
Once all of the liquid is evaporated from the pot and the glaze starts to thicken, turn off the stove.
The sweet soy glaze should now look like this:
2. Add honey, salt, and pepper to taste to the pot and stir well to combine everything together.
This next part is optional, but I find that adding additional flavors to this sweet soy glaze gives the final product a nice variety of tastes.
For example, if you would like to use fresh herbs such as basil leaves or mint sprigs, feel free to add those right into the glaze after Step 1.
If you prefer using dried spices, however, keep that stuff separate and add it only during Step 2.
When adding the seasoning, remember to always start with less than what you think is necessary, since too much added seasoning can ruin the overall balance of flavors within the sweet soy glaze.
What Is The Difference Between A Sweet Soy Glaze And A Savory Soy Glaze?
A sweet soy glaze is a type of glaze that contains sugar.
The most commonly known types of sweet soy glazes include chocolate, caramel, and strawberry glazes.
Sweet soy glazes contain sugars such as maple syrup or brown sugar, which give them their sweet flavors.
Savory soy glazes are different from sweet soy glazes because they don’t contain any added sugar.
Savory soy glazes contain salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, oregano, basil, and cayenne pepper.
These spices create the savory flavor in a savory soy glaze.
What Dishes Can Be Made With A Sweet Soy Glaze?
A sweet soy glaze can go well with pretty much anything!
You could use this on steaks, chicken wings, pork chops, fish, veggies, and even desserts like brownies and cookies (just don’t apply it too thickly).
If you want to try applying a sweet soy glaze to your meat before grilling, I recommend using it sparingly so that it doesn’t burn while cooking.
Sweet Soy Glazed Steak Tips
Steak is always delicious when coated in a sweet soy glaze.
This steak recipe uses a sweet soy glaze, which gives the steak a nice caramelized color.
The sweet soy glaze helps create a crispy crust on top of the steak, without burning it.
This sweet soy glaze works great on both rib eye and New York strip steaks.
If you prefer your steak more tender, look into marinating them first.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
Directions:
- Mix all ingredients together until completely combined.
Grilled Chicken Wings With Sweet Soy Glaze Recipe
Chicken wings are not only tasty, they’re easy to prepare.
They’re especially fun if you coat them in a sweet soy glaze before grilling them.
For these chicken wing recipes, we will be coating our wings in a sweet soy glaze, then brushing it off after they grill.
I love how this sweet soy glaze adds just enough sweetness to the chicken wings without turning them over-sugary.
Plus, since each wing receives its own unique coating, they taste different than each other, which makes every bite feel special.
Ingredients:
- 8 chicken wings
- ⅓ cup sweet soy glaze
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Black pepper
Directions:
- Cut chicken wings at joint separating wing from breast.
- Combine sweet soy glaze, cornstarch, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon water in small bowl.
- Brush wings evenly with sweet soy glaze mixture.
- Place wings on hot grill, skin side down, about 5 minutes.
- Turn wings over and brush remaining sweet soy glaze mixture on the other side.
Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Sweet Soy Glaze Recipe
Tenderloins stuffed with chives and served with a sweet soy glaze are an impressive meal that everyone loves.
When cooked properly, the pork inside will get juicy and flavorful.
This recipe serves four, so it’s ideal for entertaining.
You may notice that this recipe calls for two kinds of stuffing.
One half is ground pork, while the other contains finely chopped onion, celery, and parsley.
These two types of stuffing work really well together, creating a filling that goes perfectly with the sweet soy glaze.
It’s important to cook the pork tenderloin thoroughly to avoid undercooked meat.
Also, don’t forget to remove the silver skin on the outside before serving.
Ingredients:
- 4 pork tenderloins (about 2 pounds)
- Salt
- Pepper
- 5 cups white breadcrumbs
- 6 slices bacon, cut crosswise in half
- 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced thinly
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 stalks green onions, chopped (white part only)
- 1 bunch chives, chopped
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 ¼ cups sweet soy glaze
Directions:
- Season pork tenderloins generously with salt and pepper. Place tenderloins in large baking pan and let sit, uncovered, overnight in refrigerator.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. In separate bowl combine bread crumbs and 6 ounces of the bacon pieces.
- In another bowl combine mushroom, onion, and green onion. Season with salt and pepper.
- Drain pork from fridge and discard liquid.
- Remove fat from pork tenderloins and place on cutting board. Cut lengthwise through center of pork, stopping halfway through, leaving the center intact. Open up pork and fill with stuffing.
- Roll back up pork and secure with toothpick. Repeat procedure until all pork tenderloins are filled.
- Pat dry with paper towel and season with additional salt and pepper. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes per pound. Remove pork from oven and brush tops with sweet soy glaze.
- Bake for 10 minutes longer, or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.
What Is The Best Way To Store A Sweet Soy Glaze?
I prefer to keep this glaze in the fridge so I don’t lose too much of its freshness while using it.
However, if left out at room temperature for too long, the glaze will start to break down and become less flavorful over time.
How Long Does A Sweet Soy Glaze Last?
A sweet soy glaze will keep its original taste until it begins to get too thick.
However, if you want to use this glaze immediately after applying it, I recommend putting it into a microwave-safe bowl and microwaving it for 10 seconds at a time so that it cooks evenly.
Once done, let cool before using.
What Are Some Tips For Making A Perfect Sweet Soy Glaze?
I like to use this sweet soy glaze over meat, fish, veggies, and everything else in between.
I think it goes especially well with Asian-inspired foods such as steak and salmon.
You can find different brands of sweet soy sauces at most grocery stores these days.
If you don’t want to buy a brand, there are many homemade alternatives out there, too!
You can even buy soy sauce that’s been infused with maple syrup or sugarcane juice.
Here are some things to keep in mind while working with a sweet soy glaze:
- Sweet soy glazes will always taste better if they’re allowed to sit for a few hours before serving.
- It’s important not to go overboard with adding extra salt because we all know how much sodium we eat every day already.
- Make sure your sweet soy glaze isn’t too thick so it won’t burn your mouth (and possibly ruin your dinner).
- Try using less than half of what the recipe calls for, then adjust accordingly.
- If you try to refrigerate your sweet soy glaze after mixing it together, it may separate into two layers.
- Don’t use water when preparing your sweet soy glaze—it just makes it runny and messes up your pot/pan.
What Are Some Common Mistakes People Make When Making A Sweet Soy Glaze?
There are many different types of sweet soy glazes out there, so I thought I would go over some of the most common ones.
One thing that people tend to forget about is how much sugar they put into their glaze.
Sugar will not only give your sweet soy glaze a sweeter taste, but it will also help keep it from crystallizing (which is what happens when you cook things too long).
You want to use enough sugar to balance out the saltiness of the soy sauce.
If you have a lot of leftover glaze, don’t throw it away!
Instead, freeze it until you need it later.
Not using enough liquid
When making a sweet soy glaze, you want to ensure that the amount of liquid in your glaze matches up with the thickness of your meat or vegetable.
The more liquid you use, the thicker your glaze will become, which means that it won’t stick well to whatever you are trying to coat.
On the flip side, if you don’t use enough water, then your glaze will end up running off the sides before it fully coats your food.
Make sure to check the thickness of your glaze by dipping a small spoonful of glaze into cold water and seeing whether or not it floats.
Making your glaze very thick
If you like the idea of having a thick glaze coating your food, but feel like it isn’t going to stick well to the surface, think again.
When you are applying the glaze, try to apply the glaze in thin layers rather than all at once.
This will allow for each layer of glaze to dry completely before adding another layer.
Also, if you are working with a large piece of meat or a whole fish, lay down the first few layers of glaze while cooking, allowing them to set, then finish off with the remaining layers after everything else is cooked through.
Overcooking your glaze
While cooking your glaze, it can sometimes get a bit too thick.
As soon as you remove the pan from the heat, take a fork and gently stir it around the bottom of the pan.
This should help loosen up the glaze and prevent it from sticking to the pan.
If this still doesn’t work, simply pour it back into the pan and continue stirring until it loosens up.
How Can You Tell If A Sweet Soy Glaze
Is done baking?
If you want your glaze to be thick enough to coat all sides of whatever you’re using it on, then wait until the tops of the pan start getting dry before turning off the heat.
If not, just keep cooking for another minute or so to see how much more liquid is still inside the pan.
You don’t want it to burn, but you also don’t want it to be too runny either.
Once you know when it’s done, remove the pan from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes.
The glaze will thicken up after cooling completely—this means that it’ll be easier than ever to spread over your food.
Equipment
- 1 small sauce pan
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp sesame oil
- 40 g garlic minced
- 12 g ginger minced
- 130 g all purpose soy sauce
- 116 g honey
- 72 g dark brown sugar
- 40 g oyster sauce
- 24 g apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Sesame oil, ginger, and garlic are added to a small skillet over medium heat and cooked for approximately 30 seconds, or until the mixture turns light brown.
- Stir in the other ingredients until well-combined after adding them.
- Cook for a further 8 to 10 minutes, or until the sauce has roughly reduced by half.
- It will be rather liquid, not really covering the back of a spoon, and not quite candy-like, but it will thicken as it cools (see photo). It will be too thick if you leave it over the heat until it reaches the desired consistency.
- When the mixture has thickened to the consistency of thick honey,Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for approximately 10 minutes. Check the thickness in the shot after resting. Run a spatula or spoon through the center, and it ought should stay divided for two seconds before pooling back together.
- Apply it to the specified recipe.
Video
Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.