Hoisin sauce is a sweet and sour and spicy condiment mostly used to prepare typical dishes of Asian cuisine. It has a rather intense taste and goes very well with stir-fried meats and vegetables. It can also be used to dip spring rolls or any other food that can be enriched with oriental-inspired flavors. If you want to experiment, try mixing the sauce with ground beef to make spicy burgers or use it to glaze baked chicken wings.
Ingrediants
Stir-fried Beef with Hoisin Sauce
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of dry sherry
- 2 tablespoons of sesame seed oil
- 1 large clove of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
- 250 g of lean loin, to be cut into thin slices following the veins
- 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil
- 1 large carrot cut into sticks
- 100 g of snow peas, cut lengthwise in half
- 140 g of sliced mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons of hoisin sauce
- Chinese noodles to serve the dish (optional)
Doses for 2 servings
Chicken with Hoisin Sauce Prepared in a Slow Cooker
- 120 ml of hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons of tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- 1 tablespoon of peeled and chopped fresh ginger
- 2 cloves of minced garlic
- A pinch of freshly ground black pepper
- 1 kg of boneless and skinless chicken breast or thighs
- 2 tablespoons of water
- 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
- Steamed rice for serving chicken (optional)
Doses for 4 servings
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Experiment with Hoisin Sauce
Step 1. Make a dip for Vietnamese spring rolls
The sweet and sour taste of hoisin sauce makes it perfect for dipping your favorite Vietnamese spring roll variations. You can serve it on its own or mix it in equal parts with the peanut sauce if you want to make a more traditional roll dip.
- You can very well experiment with the amounts of peanut sauce and hoisin you mix to get a custom blend!
- Hoisin sauce can be made at home, but you can also buy the canned or jarred variant, which is sold at oriental food stores.
Step 2. Mix hoisin sauce with ground beef or turkey to make oriental-inspired burgers
Once the sauce is made, proceed to prepare and grill the burgers as usual. Hoisin sauce adds a pretty intense note, so start with a small dose and experiment until you find the proportion you like best.
If you want to add an oriental-inspired twist to the burgers, try adding chopped fresh ginger, chopped spring onion and a pinch of red pepper flakes to the meat before forming the burgers
Step 3. Use the hoisin sauce to glaze the baked chicken wings
You can use it on its own to make a simple icing or try adding a small amount to your favorite icing to give it a pungent touch. Brush the glaze over the chicken wings and place them on a tin lined with foil. Bake them at 200 ° C for about 40 minutes.
If you have decided to follow a specific recipe for preparing chicken wings, stick to the suggested temperature and cooking times
Step 4. Add hoisin sauce to your favorite stir-fry dish
Hoisin sauce goes perfectly with all stir-fried foods. Pour it into the wok as you cook beef, chicken, pork, tofu or vegetables to add a spicy, sweet and sour touch. Try using it to partially replace the soy sauce required by the recipe or use both.
The sauce can also be served separately with the cooked dish by pouring a drizzle on the plate or dipping the food inside
Step 5. Use it to dip fried potatoes or chicken wings
Hoisin sauce can add an oriental-inspired note to all the foods you normally like to accompany with dips. Serve it with fried potatoes, chicken wings, nuggets, fish sticks, and any other salty food that you usually accompany with a dip.
Buy hoisin sauce in a jar if you want to use it for dipping food. The bottled variant usually has a diluted consistency and does not offer the same result
Method 2 of 3: Prepare Stir-fried Beef with Hoisin Sauce
Step 1. Combine the soy sauce, sherry, oil, garlic, and ginger in a bowl
Measure 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of dry sherry and 2 tablespoons of sesame seed oil. Pour them into a shallow bowl or plate. Peel and chop a large garlic clove and finely chop 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger. Incorporate both of these ingredients into the blend.
- Mix the ingredients well to get a homogeneous mixture.
- If you don't have fresh ginger, you can easily replace it with 1 teaspoon of ginger paste, a jarred product available in many supermarkets.
Step 2. Add the beef to the mixture and let it marinate for at least 20 minutes
If you haven't bought loin already sliced, cut it into thin slices with a sharp knife following the grain of the meat. Arrange the slices evenly in the marinade bowl. Cover it with a lid or a sheet of cling film and put it in the fridge so that the meat can absorb the various flavors.
If you have more time and prefer a stronger taste, you can marinate the meat for more than 20 minutes. However, avoid marinating it for more than 24 hours
Step 3. Heat the pan or wok and toast the sesame seeds
Get a large, thick-bottomed skillet or wok. Put the pan on the stove by setting the stove to high heat and let it heat up. Add a tablespoon of sesame seeds. Stir the seeds every 2 minutes as they roast in the pan. Once golden, pour them onto a paper towel or clean plate.
Temporarily set the sesame seeds aside
Step 4. Heat the sunflower oil over high heat in the skillet or wok
Measure 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil. Pour it into the pan or wok and put it on the stove. Adjust the flame to maximum. Let the oil heat up until it bubbles.
Step 5. Add the meat slices and marinade to the hot sunflower oil
Remove the marinated meat from the fridge. Remove the lid or cling film from the bowl and gently move the slices of meat into the hot oil using tongs. Pour the remaining marinade on the plate over the meat.
Make sure you put the meat in the hot oil gently to prevent it from splashing
Step 6. Saute the meat in the pan for 3-4 minutes
Stir it from time to time during cooking. Once it is evenly browned on all sides, lift the slices from the pan with a slotted spoon and place them on a clean plate. Leave any leftover juice and marinade in the saucepan.
Temporarily set the meat aside
Step 7. Also sauté the carrot and snow peas for a few minutes
Cut a large carrot into sticks and add it to the boiling pan. Skip it for about 2 minutes. Add 100 g of sliced snow peas and sauté them with the carrot for about 2 minutes.
To make sticks, cut a thin slice on one side of the carrot. Place it on the cutting board with the cut side facing down. Cut it lengthwise into slices about 3 mm thick. Stack the slices on top of each other and cut them horizontally to make sticks
Step 8. Return the meat to the pan and add the mushrooms
Carefully arrange the slices of meat in the pot or wok along with the vegetables. Cut the mushrooms into slices and put them in the pan as well. Stir the ingredients well until everything is mixed evenly.
Step 9. Add the hoisin sauce and stir-fry everything for another minute
Measure 3 tablespoons of your favorite hoisin sauce and pour it over the meat and vegetables in the pan. Skip the whole thing for about 60 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat.
Step 10. Sprinkle a handful of sesame seeds on the dish and serve immediately
Stir-fried beef can be best enjoyed when hot, so plate up right away. If you wish, serve it with your favorite Chinese noodles. Sprinkle a handful of toasted sesame seeds on each serving and enjoy your meal!
If you have leftovers, store them in the fridge using an airtight container. Make sure you eat them within 3 days
Method 3 of 3: Prepare Chicken with Hoisin Sauce Using a Slow Cooker
Step 1. Pour the sauces, honey, ginger, garlic, and pepper into a slow cooker
Measure 120 ml of hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoons of tamari or soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of honey. Pour them into a large slow cooker. Chop 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger and 2 cloves of garlic, then add them to the pot along with a pinch of black pepper.
- Mix everything well to mix the ingredients evenly.
- The slow cooker must have a capacity of at least 4 liters.
Step 2. Cut the chicken and put it in the pot
Make 1 kg of boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs. Cut it into pieces of about 4 cm. Add it to the other ingredients inside the pot. Mix everything well to mix the ingredients evenly.
Step 3. Set the pot to low (to Low) and cook the dish for 3 to 4 hours
Put the lid on the pot and plug it into the socket. If you are in a hurry, set it to maximum power (on High) and cook the dish for an hour and a half or 2.
Use an instant-read thermometer to check the chicken's core temperature and make sure it is at least 74 ° C
Step 4. Move the chicken to a bowl and simmer the sauce in a saucepan
Transfer the cooked chicken from the pot to a bowl using a slotted spoon. Use a large spoon or ladle to scoop out the remaining sauce in the pot and transfer it to a small saucepan. Adjust the heat to a moderate temperature and simmer the sauce.
Step 5. Mix cornstarch and water
Measure 2 tablespoons of water and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, then mix them in a small bowl. Stir the mixture slowly until the cornstarch dissolves completely in the water.
Step 6. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the saucepan and cook for 1 minute
Pour the mixture over the sauce you are simmering in the saucepan. Stir gently until it thickens. This process should take approximately 1 minute. Once the sauce has reached the desired consistency, remove the saucepan from the heat.
Step 7. Serve the chicken immediately accompanying it with the sauce
If you like, make some steamed rice and serve it with the chicken. The sauce should be served separately, so that guests can pour the desired amount into their plate.
