Summertime means time for grilling! Time to get out of the house and enjoy family and friends. And what better way to liven up a grilled meal than to add a tangy, salty/sweet sauce that goes great with everything? Common folklore says Teriyaki was born when Japanese emigrants to Hawaii combined traditional Asian ingredients of soy sauce and ginger with pineapple juice from the island and served it with grilled meat.
Teriyaki is traditionally used as a marinade for soaking meats before grilling. Unfortunately, the high sugar content of teriyaki usually results in a "burned sugar" taste when subjected to the high heat of the grill. But you can get all the flavor without an overtone of "burn" by using the marinade AFTER cooking the meat rather than before. Stay posted!
Save Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 c. soy sauce
- 1/4 c. pineapple juice
- 1/2 c. brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 t. ginger powder or 2 T. fresh grated ginger
- 1/2 t. salt
- 2 T. Ultra Gel®
Instructions
- Combine soy sauce, pineapple juice, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and salt.
- Stir with a wire whisk or fork until sugar is dissolved.
- Add Ultra Gel® gradually while stirring until completely dissolved. Allow about 5 minutes to thicken.
- If you want a thicker sauce, add additional Ultra Gel® gradually, a teaspoon at a time. If the sauce is too thick, add more pineapple juice or water. Makes about 1 cup.
Combine the soy sauce with the pineapple juice. Using a measuring cup to mix in is really handy because of the pour spout!
Add the brown sugar, ginger power, and salt and stir until the brown sugar is dissolved.
Add the minced garlic. Lazy cook's hint: The bottled, minced garlic is a great time-saver--Use 1/2 t. for 1 clove garlic.
Stir the Ultra Gel® in gradually. GRADUALLY! Lumps will always stir out eventually, but sometimes it takes more time than you want to spend, so just take it slow.
Allow to thicken for five minutes.
If you want the sauce thicker, add more Ultra Gel® 1 teaspoon at a time. If you want the sauce thinner, add 1 tablespoon at a time of pineapple juice or water.
Here's a trick--cook your meat to the recommended temperature (165 for chicken breast), then add it to the marinade in a ziploc bag and let marinate for 15 minutes, turning a couple of times to make sure all surfaces are covered. All the goodness and none of the burned taste!
Or brush on kabobs after the last turn for that salty/sweet island goodness!
Editor's note: I've had requests for the kabob ingredients.
4 chicken breasts, cut in 1" cubes (about 1 1/2 lb)
1 red pepper, cut in 1" chunks
1 green pepper, cut in 1" chunks
1 red onion cut in 1" chunks
2 c. fresh pineapple, cut in 1" chunks
Thread the meat and vegetable pieces on skewers alternately. Grill over a hot grill, turning frequently, until the chicken registers 165 degrees in the center. At the point, the vegetables should be seared and beautiful. Brush the teriyaki marinade on the skewers and let cook about 30 seconds, then turn and repeat with the other side--should be enough to put some color on the skewer ingredients, but not enough to char. Remove from the grill and serve. Add more sauce if desired.
