What can I use as a substitute for hoisin sauce?
Is there anything I can use as a substitute for hoisin sauce that's less salty or even salt-free? This is for a sauce to go with pork steaks.
Best Answer
Hoisin has a few primary flavors: salt, sweetness, and umami. If it's a significant part of a recipe, leaving it out isn't really an option; you'll notice the lack of all three of those.
If you can find a fermented soybean paste that has less salt, that'd be the closest substitute, possibly with some added sugar. Otherwise, you'll have to look for other umami-rich seasonings, and again likely add sugar. See What is a good vegetarian source of umami flavour? for some ideas. You could also use things like bacon or anchovies since your case doesn't have to be vegetarian. Of course, anything with a distinctive flavor of its own isn't going to be an exact substitute (anchovies don't taste quite like fermented soybeans), but at least you'll have a sauce in a similar direction.
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Quick Answer about "What can I use as a substitute for hoisin sauce?"
- Bean paste.
- Garlic teriyaki.
- Garlic and prunes.
- Chili and plums.
- Barbecue molasses.
- Soy peanut butter.
- Miso and mustard.
- Ginger plum.
Can I substitute teriyaki sauce for hoisin sauce?
Teriyaki sauce naturally provides the sweetness of hoisin that some of the other sauces are missing. It is also a similar consistency to hoisin. If you plan to use teriyaki sauce as a simple 1:1 substitute, be mindful that the sweetness will usually be stronger than the original recipe.Can I substitute sweet and sour sauce for hoisin sauce?
One recommended substitution for hoisin sauce is the tried, tested, and thoroughly trusted sweet and sour sauce. The tangy flavor of sweet and sour sauce very closely mimics that of hoisin.Can I use Worcestershire sauce instead of hoisin?
Hoisin sauce and Worcestershire sauce don't make good substitutes for each other, although they can both work in a pinch. The similarity in these sauces is the combination of umami and sweet flavorings. However, Worcestershire sauce is much thinner than hoisin, and has a fruitier flavor.What is hoisin sauce made of?
Hoisin sauce is made from a combination of fermented soybean paste, garlic, vinegar, sesame oil, chiles, and sweetener.Can I substitute oyster sauce for hoisin sauce in a recipe?
More answers regarding what can I use as a substitute for hoisin sauce?
Answer 2
Unfortunately, Hoisin sauce is one of these Asian ingredients that is always salty, whether you choose brands like Lee Kum Kee (more processed) or Koon Chun (more raw). If it is included into a sauce which has many more ingredients, where Hoisin doesn't bring too much character into it, and I've seen a lot of those, I would just skip it. If not, you can always grab a recipe of the sauce on the internet, there are quiet a few, and see if you can lower the salt factor from the ingredients it is made of. Bean paste and soy sauce are there, but I also have seen molasses, miso paste, and even peanut butter.
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