How to Make Homemade Oyster Sauce in Easy Steps

Oyster sauce is a versatile seasoning widely used in Chinese cuisine. Known for its savory flavor, it is used to enhance the taste of stir-fries, marinades, and stews, among others. If you’re a fan of this succulent sauce but can’t always find it in your local grocery store, why not make it yourself? Making oyster sauce at home is easy and requires only a few basic ingredients that you can easily find in Asian supermarkets or online. With this complete guide on how to make oyster sauce, you can prepare a fresh and authentic sauce that’s sure to delight your taste buds.

Before we dive into the recipe, it’s important to note that oyster sauce is not vegan or vegetarian, as its main ingredient is oyster extract. Vegans and vegetarians can, however, use mushroom sauce, a plant-based alternative that’s similar in taste and texture. For those who are not restricted, the recipe uses oyster extract, sugar, soy sauce, and other seasoning to create a delicious sauce that’s perfect for any dish. So, grab your apron and let’s get started on making your very own homemade oyster sauce!

Making Oyster Sauce: A Step-by-Step Guide

Gather the Ingredients

Before you can make oyster sauce, you must have all the required ingredients. Fortunately, most of the ingredients for oyster sauce are readily available in grocery stores and supermarkets.

Here are the ingredients you need to make oyster sauce:

– 1 ½ cup of oyster extract or dried oysters
– 2 cups of water
– 1 cup of brown sugar
– 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
– 1 tablespoon of cooking oil
– 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
– 1 teaspoon of cornstarch
– Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the Oyster Extract

One of the key components of oyster sauce is, you guessed it, oysters! So, the first step in making oyster sauce is to prepare the oyster extract.

If you are using dried oysters, rinse them under cold water then soak them in fresh water for at least an hour. If you are using fresh oysters, you can skip this step.

After soaking, gently pat the oysters dry and place them in a pot with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let them simmer for at least 20 minutes.

Once the oyster extract is ready, strain the liquid into a bowl to remove any debris. Set the oyster extract aside for now.

Start Cooking the Sauce

With the oyster extract ready, it’s time to start cooking the sauce.

In a saucepan, heat up the oil over medium heat, then add the garlic. Once the garlic is fragrant, add the brown sugar and stir well until it melts.

Next, add the soy sauce and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer.

Thicken the Sauce

To thicken the sauce, mix together a teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of water in a small bowl to create a slurry. Once the sauce is at a simmer, pour in the cornstarch slurry and stir well.

Continue to cook the sauce over medium heat for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.

Time to Add the Oyster Extract

With the sauce thickened, it’s time to add in the oyster extract. Pour the oyster extract into the saucepan and stir well.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the sauce has reduced and darkened in color.

Cool and Strain the Sauce

Once the sauce has simmered for the necessary amount of time, turn off the heat and let it cool completely.

Once cooled, strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer to remove any solids or debris.

Store the Sauce

Once the sauce has been strained, pour it into a clean, airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to a month.

Use the Sauce

Oyster sauce is a versatile ingredient that can be used to add some flavor to a variety of dishes. It’s particularly great in stir-fries and is a popular ingredient in many Asian dishes.

Experiment with Flavors

Now that you know how to make oyster sauce, feel free to experiment with flavors. You can add in more or less sugar and soy sauce, or try different types of oysters to create a unique flavor profile.

Clean Up

After you’ve finished making the sauce, don’t forget to clean up! Wash any pots, pans, and utensils thoroughly to avoid any cross-contamination, and wipe down surfaces with a clean cloth.

How to Make Oyster Sauce: Ingredients

The first step to making homemade oyster sauce is to gather all the ingredients that you’ll need. Fortunately, most of the ingredients called for in this recipe are easy to find in your local grocery store or Asian market. Here are the key ingredients that you’ll need:

1. Oysters – The oysters are the star of the show when it comes to oyster sauce. You’ll want to buy fresh, live oysters from the seafood department of your grocery store or local fish market.

2. Soy Sauce – Soy sauce is the base of the sauce and provides the saltiness that is a hallmark of oyster sauce.

3. Sugar – To balance the saltiness of the soy sauce, you’ll need to add some sugar to the sauce.

4. Water – You’ll need some water to help thin out the sauce and to create a consistency that is pourable.

5. Cornflour – Used as a thickener to help bind the ingredients together and to keep the sauce from separating.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Now that we have our ingredients ready, let’s get started on making that delicious homemade oyster sauce. The following steps will guide you through the process to help you make the most delicious oyster sauce.

1. Shuck the Oysters – Beginning by shucking the oysters; remove the meat of the oyster from the shells then give them a thorough wash.

2. Cook the Oysters – In a pot over medium heat add the water and bring it to a boil. As the water boils, place the oysters in the pot and let them cook for about 3 minutes or until they are fully cooked.

3. Strain the Liquid – Strain the liquid from the pot into a separate bowl, using a fine-mesh strainer or a cheesecloth to remove any impurities from the liquid.

4. Add Soy Sauce – Combine the strained liquid with soy sauce in a pot and let it simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat.

5. Add Sugar – Add sugar into the pot and stir until it dissolved.

6. Mix Cornflour with Water – In a separate bowl, mix the cornflour with water to create a paste-like consistency.

7. Add Cornflour Mixture – Pour the cornflour mixture into the pot and stir for 2 minutes over medium heat, making sure that it doesn’t become lumpy.

8. Cook until Thickened – Cook the sauce until it thickens and resembles the consistency of syrup.

9. Store for Later Use – Allow the sauce to cool, and then pour it into an airtight container. Keep it in the refrigerator, and it can last for up to three months.

10. Enjoy – Now that you have your homemade oyster sauce made, you can enjoy it by using it to enhance the flavour of your favourite dishes. Use it as a dipping sauce for spring rolls, dumplings and wontons or mix it into stir-fries for an added burst of flavour.

Conclusion

Making your oyster sauce at home is easy, and as you can see from the above steps it requires few ingredients and little effort. Using this oyster sauce recipe, you have the flexibility to adjust the flavour to suit your taste buds, making it an excellent complement to your dishes. Enjoy the incredible flavour of homemade oyster sauce, and impress your friends and family with your culinary skills.

Ingredients you will need

Making oyster sauce may seem like a daunting task, but with the right ingredients on hand, it can be incredibly easy. To make your own oyster sauce, you will need:

Process for making oyster sauce

Once you have gathered all the ingredients, it’s time to start making your oyster sauce. Follow these simple steps:

1. Mix the oyster extract and sugar

In a saucepan, combine the oyster extract and sugar. Turn the heat to medium and stir until the sugar has dissolved.

2. Add in salt

Once the sugar has dissolved, add in salt. Keep stirring.

3. Mix corn starch and water

In a separate bowl, mix the corn starch and water until it forms a smooth mixture.

4. Add corn starch mixture

Once the salt has dissolved, slowly pour in the corn starch mixture while stirring constantly. Keep cooking until the mixture thickens.

5. Add soy sauce and sesame oil

Once the mixture has thickened, add in soy sauce and sesame oil. Keep stirring until everything is well combined.

Storing your oyster sauce

Now that you’ve made your own oyster sauce, you’ll want to store it properly. The best way to do this is to pour the sauce into a jar or container with a lid. Store the container in the refrigerator. Your homemade oyster sauce should last for up to two weeks in the fridge.

Using your oyster sauce

Now that you have your homemade oyster sauce, you can start adding it to all sorts of dishes. This versatile sauce can be used in stir-frys, sauces, marinades, and so much more. Get creative and start experimenting with your homemade oyster sauce today!

That’s how you can make your very own oyster sauce at home!

Now, go ahead and try making it yourself and see how it turns out. Remember, you can always adjust the flavors to your liking by adding more or less of any of the ingredients. Thanks for reading this article and I hope you enjoyed it! Be sure to check back for more recipes and cooking tips. Happy cooking!