Teriyaki and katsu sauce are well known condiments that are popularly used in Japanese cuisine.

They accompany a variety of traditional Japanese dishes where they are used as seasoning.

These are thick brown sauces that are full of sweet flavors and they also give moisture to the dish.

Teriyaki and katsu sauce are made from different ingredients and are used in different traditional dishes.

In this post we discuss the difference between these sauces as well as how they are used.

Difference between teriyaki and katsu sauce

Teriyaki sauce is a sweet, salty and glossy sauce traditionally used for glazing meat and other foods while grilling.  

Katsu sauce is a thick, sweet and tangy that is used as a dipping sauce for breaded pork cutlets.

Teriyaki sauce is made from soy sauce, sugar, mirin and sake while katsu sauce is made from soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup.

What is teriyaki sauce?

Teriyaki is a traditional Japanese style of cooking which involves grilling meat dressed with a sweet and salty sauce

The sauce used in this style of cooking is known as the teriyaki sauce

Teriyaki sauce has a sweet and salty flavor, and this sauce also has a slightly tangy taste

It is primarily used as a glaze for meats, but also for its rich flavor.

The word “teri” refers to the glossy effect of the teriyaki sauce as this sauce gives meat a glossy finishing when it is used while grilling and “yaki” refers to the broiled meat.

The teriyaki sauce is versatile and in addition to being used as a glaze, teriyaki sauce could also accompany other dishes, this  teriyaki sauce could also be used as a glaze for fish, and vegetables.

Teriyaki sauce is also used as a dipping sauce, as a stir fry sauce and a basting sauce

Some variations of the teriyaki sauce could be used as a marinade and a thicker version of teriyaki sauce could be used as a table sauce

Ingredients for teriyaki sauce

This sauce is made from is traditionally made from four main ingredients: soy sauce, sugar, mirin and sake.

The mixture of these ingredients is reduced over low heat until it becomes thick a thick sauce.

Tamari could also be used in place of soy sauce to make a gluten free teriyaki

Other ingredients that may also be added to make teriyaki sauce are sugar, garlic powder, ginger, apple cider vinegar, sesame seeds and honey.

Teriyaki sauce may be made thin or thicker by adding a slurry of cornstarch to the mixture 

When the sauce is ready, a pastry brush is used to apply the sauce on the surface of the meat, and as the meat is cooked, teriyaki sauce gives the meat a glossy brown finish.

Teriyaki can easily be made at home, it could also be store bought.

What is katsu sauce?

Katsu mean cutlets in English, it is a Japanese dish consisting of fried cutlets which are coated in bread crumbs.

Coarse bread crumbs which are also known as panko are used to coat these cutlets, and they are extra crispy.

Tonkatsu is a dish that is made up of deep fried and breaded pork cutlets, there is also chicken katsu as well as other types of katsu.

Katsu is eaten together with a sauce known as katsu sauce.

Katsu sauce is a sweet and tangy sauce that is often known as Japanese barbecue sauce or tonkatsu sauce.

This sauce is made primarily from a few ingredients which include soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup

Other ingredients such as mirin, sugar and garlic powder could be added to make the sauce.

Katsu sauce is primarily used as a dipping sauce, and it is eaten together with deep fried breaded cutlets.

In conclusion

Both teriyaki and katsu sauce are special sauces that accompany certain traditional dishes in Japanese cuisine.

In addition to these dishes, these two sauces could also be used as a substitute for other sauces such as ketchup, Worcestershire sauce or barbecue sauce

Both sauces are readily available in grocery stores, however, they are also very easy to make in the kitchen using simple pantry ingredients.