Teriyaki Sauce

Let me tell you what Teriyaki Sauce really is, so you stop treating it like ketchup.

Brush it on meat or fish and hold that near heat, and watch what happens: the surface browns, it lacquers, it turns into that shiny, sticky glaze Teriyaki Sauce is famous for. You'll hear it too, a faint hiss and crackle as it catches and starts to stick to the pan.

Choosing one is simple: look at it in the bottle first. It should already be dark, a deep soy brown, with a bit of shine to it. Smell it. You want soy up front and a clear, rounded sweetness behind it, not just vinegar and salt. Once it's in the pan, judge the body with your own spoon — some run thin, some sit heavy, and either can be right, so go by taste and smell, not by thickness.

Now, some people say Teriyaki Sauce is only good cooked onto meat, and using it as a dip or a drizzle is a waste. No! Pour a little over hot rice, or set a bowl of it on the table for dipping, and it still tastes exactly like itself, sweet and salty, soy right up front. Treat it as fit only for the pan and you'll leave a good bottle sitting unused in the fridge door.