Make Oyster Sauce

Oyster sauce is a popular condiment used in Chinese cuisine. Homemade oysters sauces may not have the exact same taste as commercially purchased ones, but they are easy to make and still tasty.

Ingredients

Quick Version

Makes 1/4 to 1/3 cup (60 to 80 ml)

• 8 tsp (40 ml) soy sauce
• 4 to 5 tsp (20 to 25 ml) liquid from canned oysters
• 1 to 2 tsp (5 to 10 ml) white granulated sugar

Traditional Version

Makes 1/2 to 1 cup (125 to 250 ml)

• 1/2 lb (225 g) shucked oysters with liquid
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) water
• 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) salt
• 2 to 4 Tbsp (30 to 60 ml) light soy sauce
• 1/2 to 1 Tbsp (7.5 to 15 ml) dark soy sauce

Vegan Version

Makes 2 to 2.5 cups (500 to 625 ml)

• 1.75 oz (50 g) dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) flax seeds
• 1-1/2 Tbsp (22.5 ml) vegetable oil
• 1/2 Tbsp (7.5 ml) sesame oil
• 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm) ginger, sliced thinly
• 2 cups (500 ml) water
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) dark soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) light soy sauce
• 1 tsp (5 ml) sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp (7.5 ml) salt

Steps

Method One: Quick Version

1. Reserve the liquid from a can of oysters. Collect 4 tsp (20 ml) of canning juice from a can of shucked oysters. Pour this liquid into a small bowl.
   • You will not need to use the oysters for this recipe. You can discard them or use them for another recipe. Transfer the oysters to a plastic or glass container with an airtight lid and refrigerate for up to one or two weeks.
2. Combine the canning liquid with soy sauce. Pour 8 tsp (40 ml) of soy sauce into the bowl of oyster juices. Use a whisk to thoroughly mix the liquids together.
   • You could use light or dark soy sauce, or a combination of the two.
   • Alternatively, if you do not have any soy sauce, you could use teriyaki.
3. Dissolve the sugar. Sprinkle 1 tsp (5 ml) of sugar into the liquid and whisk rapidly until the sugar is fully dissolved.
4. Adjust the seasonings as needed. Taste the oyster sauce. If necessary, add another 1 tsp (5 ml) of oyster juice and/or another 1 tsp (5 ml) of sugar. Mix well.
   • You can add more soy sauce, as well, but do so carefully to avoid making the mixture too salty. Neither the saltiness of the soy sauce nor the sweetness of the sugar should be too overpowering.
5. Use now or store for later. The oyster sauce can be used immediately, but if you want to save it for another time, pour it into an airtight plastic or glass container and refrigerate for up to one week.

Method Two: Traditional Version

1. Chop the oysters. Drain the shucked oysters and reserve the liquid. Use a sharp kitchen knife to rough chop the oysters into smaller pieces.
   • Use a container of pre-shucked oysters for this recipe instead of fresh oysters.
   • The actual oysters will be filtered out of the sauce later, so you do not need to worry about cutting them into precise sizes. Making them smaller can help release the flavor faster, though, which is why chopping the oysters beforehand is generally a good idea.
2. Combine the oysters with reserved liquid and water. Place the chopped oysters in a small saucepan with the reserved oyster juice and 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of water.
3. Bring to a boil. Place the saucepan on the stove and heat it on high until the liquid reaches a steady, rolling boil.
   • Stir the contents of the saucepan occasionally to prevent the oysters from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
4. Simmer for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, allowing the liquid to drop to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
   • Keep an eye on the saucepan during this time. You do not need to stir the mixture inside, but you should make sure that the liquid remains at a steady simmer. Adjust the heat settings as necessary.
5. Add salt. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Sprinkle in 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) of salt and stir well to combine.
6. Separate the liquid. Pour the contents of the saucepan through a sieve or strainer. Save the liquid and discard the solid ingredients.
   • If you want to save the cooked oysters, you can do so by transferring them to a plastic or glass container with an airtight lid. Place the container in the refrigerator and store the oysters for up to four days.
   • Pour the liquid portion of the mixture back into your saucepan after filtering out the solids.
7. Add the soy sauces. Add 2 to 4 Tbsp (30 to 60 ml) light soy sauce to the mixture and stir well. Pour 1/2 to 1 Tbsp (7.5 to 15 ml) dark soy sauce into the mixture and stir it in, as well.
   • Using both light and dark soy sauces will give the taste of the oyster sauce more depth, but if you only have one type of soy sauce on hand, simply use a full 2-1/2 to 5 Tbsp (37.5 to 75 ml) of that soy sauce, instead.
   • If you aren't sure about how much soy sauce to add, start by adding a smaller portion. Taste test the results and add more soy sauce if you want a stronger flavor.
8. Boil and simmer for another 10 minutes. Return the saucepan to the stove and heat it on high until the liquid reaches a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
   • Keep the lid off the pan this time. The oyster sauce should thicken as some of the liquid simmers away, but the thickening process will be hindered if you keep the lid on.
9. Use now or save for later. Let the oyster sauce cool for a few minutes before you use it. If you want to save the sauce for later, pour it into a plastic or glass container with an airtight lid and refrigerate it for up to one week.

Method Three: Vegan Version

1. Soak the mushrooms and flax seeds. Place the mushrooms and flax seeds in separate bowls. Pour water over the contents of both dishes and allow them to absorb that water for a full four hours.
   • Place the mushrooms in a dish and pour enough cool water inside to cover them by a full 1 inch (2.5 cm). Soak for four hours, drain the water, then rinse with running water. Cut the mushrooms into strips and set aside.
   • Place the flax seeds in a small bowl and pour 1/4 cup (60 ml) water over them. Let soak for four hours. The flax seeds should absorb the water during this time.
2. Heat the vegetable oil. Pour the vegetable oil into a medium saucepan or deep skillet. Warm the oil on the stove over medium-high heat.
3. Sauté the ginger. Scatter the sliced ginger in the hot oil. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the ginger turns golden-brown.
   • Remove the ginger from the oil when ready. Set it aside temporarily.
4. Add the mushrooms and sesame oil. Toss in the prepared mushrooms and drizzle in the sesame oil. Reduce the heat to medium, and stir-fry for several minutes until the sesame oil becomes fragrant.
   • You should only need to cook these ingredients for a minute or so before the heat draws out the scent of the sesame oil.
5. Add the salt and soy sauces. Stir-fry the contents of the pan for 30 to 60 seconds, blending the seasonings in thoroughly.
   • If you do not have both light and dark soy sauces, use 2 Tbsp (30 ml) of whatever soy sauce you have on hand.
6. Combine with the water and sugar. Pour the water and sugar into the pan and stir them into the rest of the contents. Cover, and let simmer for a full 10 minutes.
   • Watch the contents of the pan. You do not need to stir the mixture, but you need to make sure that it remains at a gentle simmer for the full 10 minutes. Adjust the heat settings as needed to maintain that simmer.
7. Cool. Remove the pan from the stove and transfer the mixture inside to a large bowl. Allow it to drop to room temperature.
8. Blend in the flax seeds. Pour the cooled mixture into a blender. Add the flax seeds, as well as the pre-cooked ginger, and pulse the ingredients together until texture becomes smooth.
   • You won't be filtering out any solid ingredients for this recipe, so any visible chunks left behind need to be very small and hardly noticeable.
9. Heat gently for 5 minutes. Pour the pureed sauce into a saucepan and return it to the stove. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat for roughly 5 minutes.
   • Essentially, you're just heating the sauce through during this step. You don't want it to boil or simmer.
10. Serve it now or use it later. You can serve the vegan oyster sauce now or pour it into a plastic or glass container with an airtight lid. Refrigerate it for up to one week.

Things You'll Need

Quick Version

• Bowl
• Whisk

Traditional Version

• Saucepan
• Whisk
• Sieve or strainer

Vegan Version

• 2 bowls
• Saucepan
• Small, deep skillet
• Large bowl
• Heat resistant spatula or mixing spoon
• Blender

Sources and Citations

See also

• Make Knish
• Make Soy Sauce
• Make Mahamri
• Make Flour Dumplings
• Cook Israeli Couscous
• Cook Malai Kofta
• Make Hung Curd