Is Japanese BBQ Sauce at Costco worthy of space in your cart?

As I wandered the aisles the other day, something caught my eye: Bachan’s Japanese BBQ Sauce. I’ve heard a lot of chatter about this condiment but had yet to try it. In my cart, it went.

If you’re a fan of Japanese cuisine, you might have already tried or heard of Japanese BBQ sauce. This savory and slightly sweet sauce perfectly complements grilled meat, vegetables, and rice dishes. While finding authentic Japanese BBQ sauce at your local grocery store can be challenging, Costco now offers a favorite cult brand, Bachan.

Here’s everything you need to know before buying Bachans BBQ Sauce at Costco.

What Is Bachans?

The simple answer to what Bachans is is a Japanese Barbecue sauce. Created from ingredients similar to teriyaki sauce, it’s a salty and sweet condiment, marinade, and dipping sauce.

Bachan’s creators pride themselves on using quality ingredients and producing a product free from preservatives, thanks to a cold-fill packaging method. 

Other manufacturers process sauces at high temperatures before bottling, which causes flavor loss. To counteract this, manufacturers add natural flavoring and preservatives. Bachan’s cold method results in no flavor loss.

The ingredient list for Bachans Japanese BBQ Sauce is not extensive and is full of familiar ingredients.

Bachan’s contains the following ingredients: Non-GMO Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt), Cane Sugar, Mirin (Water, Rice, Koji Seed, Sea Salt), Tomato Paste, Organic Ginger, Green onion, Organic Rice Vinegar, Organic Garlic, Sea Salt, Organic Toasted Sesame Oil.

Salt is listed several times; this gives a big clue as to how it tastes.

Costco carries 34-ounce bottles for $9.89 in the condiment aisle, which is a great deal. We’ve found 17-ounce bottles for $7.98 in the local grocery store. That’s 45% cheaper!

Is Bachans Worth Buying?

This sauce is worth adding to your Costco shopping list if you want a no-fuss sauce that works with many dishes. Do NOT buy this if you are sensitive to sodium or dislike soy sauce’s flavor.

Overall, I like this sauce. Do I LOVE this sauce like many others? No.

The first thing you’ll notice about this sauce is its consistency. It’s not thick like American BBQ Sauce; it’s thinner and slightly runny. I thought this might affect how well it worked as a dipping sauce, but it didn’t. I still wish it were a little thicker, but mixed with a cornstarch slurry in stir-fries or mayo for dips fixes that.

It’s not as sweet as American BBQ sauce or as tangy as teriyaki. It tastes more like soy sauce with hints of ginger and some smokiness. While there are seven grams of added sugar, we didn’t find the taste overly sweet. As for heat, it has no kick or spiciness. Adding a little sriracha will quickly change that and allow you to control the heat. 

Bachan’s is NOT the same as Japanese katsu, teriyaki, or American BBQ Sauce.

The bottle design is excellent. The top eliminates a mess and makes it easy to use. I wish more condiments had incorporated this lid.

The bottom of the container has a best-by date printed. The company indicates the shelf life is 18 months post-production. This long shelf life gives you plenty of time to use it before it expires.

What Is Bachan’s Japanese BBQ Used For? 

1. Marinade — Chicken, pork, fish, shrimp, or beef; the sauce complements everything. It does take time to impart flavor. We’ve found that it takes about four hours for beef, pork, and chicken and 30 minutes for fish and shellfish
2. Condiment — Add flavor to various dishes. Change your standard pulled pork and top it with Bachans or mix it with a bit of mayo for a great condiment on a turkey or roast beef sandwich. 
3. Dressing — Mix with oil and vinegar for an excellent sauce for noodles.
4. Dipping Sauce—Use it for veggies and meat, especially Bare Nuggets and dumplings. To thicken it, mix it with mayo (Japanese Kewpie is excellent, but any will work).

Bachan’s BBQ Sauce Recipes

1. Bachan’s Stir Fry 

Cook your favorite protein (pork, chicken, beef, tofu), and add chopped vegetables. Top with Bachan’s and serve over rice or plain ramen noodles. If you like your sauce thicker, add a cornstarch slurry during the last minute or two of cooking. Mix one tablespoon of cornstarch and one tablespoon of cold water per one cup of sauce and add to your pan or wok; cook until thick. 

2. Bachan’s Fried Rice

It can be used instead of soy sauce in fried rice. It even replaces soy sauce in Hawaiian Fried Rice, a family favorite. 

3. Costco Meatball Topping

Mix with a bit of sriracha and pour on this freezer staple. 

4. Asian Meatballs

This is an excellent topping for Amylu Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs for a savory treat. You can dress them with the sauce for even more flavor.

5. Spam Musubi

If you want a unique meal full of flavor, try Bachans in Spam Musubi. It’s salty and savory and delicious. Use Bachans in place of the marinade in the Favorite Family Recipes version. 

What Do You Think?

Have you bought Japanese BBQ Sauce at Costco before? Did you like it? How did you use it? Let me know in the comments below; I’d love to read more.

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