All about Oyster Sauce

What is oyster sauce?

If you've ever eaten Asian food, chances are you've tasted oyster sauce. Whether it's prepared with steamed Asian vegetables, sauce or dips, it's a key ingredient in countless delicious dishes. Oyster sauce is especially used in Thai cuisine, which consists of three basic flavours - sour, salty and spicy. It adds just the right salty taste to Thai food and can be used in place of salt. It is brown to black in colour with a distinctive aroma. It is based on oyster extract cooked in a salt solution and fermented soya bean sauce. It is mainly used as an ingredient to flavour meat, vegetable and fish dishes similar to soy sauce.

History of oyster sauce

Oyster sauce was invented in Guangdong Province, China, by Lee Kum Sheung quite by accident. One day, Lee was selling tea as usual and forgot part of the oysters in the broth on the stove. After some time, he smelled a strong and surprisingly delicious aroma coming from the pot. He lifted the lid of the pot, looked inside and found a viscous bubbling brown liquid. Lee tasted the liquid and was amazed at the great taste. He began selling his new invention as a condiment and it was a huge hit with the locals. Lee then left the tea stall and founded Lee Kum Kee which is now one of the world's largest sauce manufacturers.

How is it made today?

The sauce is still traditionally made by boiling the oysters until they dissolve into a delicious thick brown sauce. A modern ‘true’ oyster sauce of good quality should then be prepared by condensing the extracts from the oyster which is the broth obtained by cooking the oysters. This opaque broth, similar in colour to clay juice, is then reduced until the desired viscosity is reached and the liquid caramelised into a thick, dark brown sauce. Nothing else should be added to the sauce, not even salt. The oyster should provide all the flavour. Unfortunately, this method is prohibitively expensive, so modern sauces have a modified production process. The best quality sauces still use Oyster Extract, but many cheaper sauces use essence. Essence is usually a synthetic and artificial flavor.

What is it used for?

The sauce can be added to other sauces or used on its own for flavouring. Sauce is used to drizzle over steamed vegetables (e.g. on Chinese broccoli in Cantonese cuisine) . The most popular way to use oyster sauce in a dish is by adding the sauce to a stir-fried dish. Due to the velvety texture of the sauce, the food to which it is added will have a glossy appearance.

Cooking with oyster sauce

When cooking with oyster sauce, it is best to use a small amount at first. It has a strong flavour that can overpower the taste of the food if too much is added. If used for frying, it can be combined with other ingredients such as mirin (rice wine), soy sauce, rice vinegar and brown sugar and then cooked briefly with vegetables and meat. 

How does it taste?

Oyster sauce tastes like a combination of soy sauce and barbecue sauce. It is both salty and sweet; the salt comes from the brilliance of the oyster, while the sweet is more refined, with hints of caramel. It is less salty than soy sauce and is full of umami flavor.

Oyster Sauce vs. Hoisin Sauce

You can easily mistake these two sauces because they are both Cantonese, dark brown in color and thick in consistency. However, they are used in different ways in Chinese cuisine and are made from very different ingredients. Hoisin sauce is vegan because it is made from fermented soybeans, along with garlic, five spice, chili powder and sugar.

Storage

Unopened oyster sauce can be stored in the pantry for one year. Opened sauce should be refrigerated and should keep for six months. Canned oyster sauce should be transferred to a sealed container and kept refrigerated.

Nutrition Facts

With only 9 calories in 1 tablespoon, oyster sauce is a good way to add a lot of flavor to a meal without increasing the calorie count. It's also cholesterol-free and has almost no fat. However, oyster sauce does not contain any significant amount of vitamins and minerals or protein and fiber. It contains a lot of sodium (492 milligrams) in 1 tablespoon.

Where to buy and our Tip:

Keep in mind that a good quality oyster sauce uses oyster extract, while a lesser quality one uses essence ( artificial flavor ). On our E-Shop you will find a complete range of quality oyster sauces, including gluten-free specials or sauces for vegetarians.