Teriyaki Sauce

I used to live in Denver and became addicted to the teriyaki steak served at a Japanese restaurant chain. After I moved to Nebraska I practiced making my own sauce and settled upon this as a suitable substitute.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 1
• Yields: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1  cup beef broth
• 1  cup water
• 1⁄4-1⁄3 cup brown sugar (may sub. white)
• 1  tablespoon rice vinegar
• 3  tablespoons soy sauce (I use Kikkomen)
• 1  tablespoon fresh ginger (sliced or grated)
• 3 -5  cloves garlic (thin sliced)
• 1  tablespoon cornstarch
•  toasted sesame seeds (optional)
•  honey (optional)

Directions

1. Combine broth, water, garlic and ginger in saucepan and simmer on low heat until liquid is reduced by half.
2. Strain and discard garlic and ginger.
3. Return reserved liquid to saucepan.
4. Allow to cool slightly.
5. Dissolve corn starch in soy sauce.
6. Add soy sauce mixture, sugar and rice vinegar to saucepan with strained liquid and bring to beginning boil- just until slightly thickened.
7. Add sesame seeds if desired.
8. I usually toast approximately 2 Tbsp. of these and add if I am making a sauce for chicken.
9. For the sesame teriyaki I use the larger measure of sugar (1/3 C.) producing a slightly sweeter sauce.
10. I have also added a few Tbsp. honey on top of the sugar for a relatively sweet sauce and even added an extra Tbsp. of rice vinegar for extra tang.
11. Feel free to adjust any quantities to suit your own personal taste.
12. Powdered ginger and garlic are very poor substitutes.
13. Take the time to select fresh firm garlic heads and ginger roots in the produce section.
14. Here's a tip for storing fresh ginger: Place your unused ginger root in a small clay pot filled with clean slightly damp sand. Each time you need a chunk dig it up, slice off what's needed and return to pot. Moisten sand on occasion and enjoy fresh plump ginger for the life of the root.