Costco Bachan's Japanese BBQ Sauce - Amazing Umami Flavor
Bachan's The Original Japanese BBQ Sauce at Costco
Costco sells a large 34 ounce bottle of Bachan’s Original Japanese BBQ Sauce for $9.79. The japanese BBQ Sauce can be found in the Pantry and dry goods area of the store near the other sauces and condiments such as the teriyaki sauce, salsa, and Balsamic Glaze.
Bachan’s describes this sauce as a umami-filled, teriyaki-ish sauce that can be used as a marinade or a sauce.
Bachan's Tradition
Bachan means grandmother in Japanese, and this sauce recipe has been passed down for generations.
To stay true to the original recipe, the Japanese bbq sauce is cold filled which eliminates any need for preservatives, additives, or flavorings.
Costco Cost Comparison
Costco sells the 34 ounce bottle of Bachan’s Japanese BBQ Sauce for $9.79. This breaks down to $0.29 per ounce of this sauce.
This is a very unique and premium sauce, but it is on the expensive end.
Costco vs The Competition
Bachan's
Bachan’s sells the sauce on the website for $12.99. This is $3 more than Costco’s price, but what I didn’t notice immediately was that this was for a 17 ounce bottle!
Bachan’s sells their own bottle of Original Japanese BBQ Sauce that is half the size of Costco’s for $3 more than Costco’s price.
Target
Target sells the same 17 ounce bottle or Original Japanese BBQ Sauce for $8.19. This is a per ounce price of $0.48 which is nearly double that of Costco’s price.
If you love this sauce, like this sauce, or just want to try this japanese bbq sauce, then make sure you buy it from Costco.
Sometimes it does make sense to purchase smaller quantities of an item at other retailers if you are unsure of the flavor, but there is essentially no reason to purchase Bachan’s Original Japanese BBQ sauce anywhere else but Costco.
Japanese BBQ Sauce - Taste Test
This is a very interesting sauce especially because of the usage of the word BBQ. This BBQ doesn’t refer to typical American BBQ but instead to Japanese BBQ.
The flavor and texture is going to be much different and more closely resembles soy sauce.
This can be used as a marinade, but oftentimes when marinating meats, you will use a lot more sauce than you have to. Economically, you are going to be better off using a less expensive marinade.
Do keep in mind, from other online reviews that I have read, this does make for a great marinade, but you will be going through the bottle rather quickly.
I did cook some tilapia with the Japanese BBQ Sauce and it was delicious.
This Original Japanese BBQ sauce tastes just like a sweetened soy sauce would.
The sauce has a soy sauce base which brings the umami flavor as well as mirin and added sugar to really sweeten the sauce as a whole.
I was also able to taste the sauce drizzled with some chicken thighs over a bed of rice. Chicken and rice are both great at taking on flavors and the Japanese BBQ Sauce was so delicious with this meal.
The umami flavor and the savoriness of the sauce were really able to shine through. The Japanese barbecue sauce also had a touch of sweetness that added a nice layer of favor to the dish.
Very good sauce!
Serving Suggestions and Ideas
I used this product as a sauce for protein, but this Japanese barbecue sauce can be used in many other ways.
Some additional protein options that I would have no problem using this sauce on would be duck, salmon, shrimp, ground turkey or ground beef meatballs.
Dipping Sauce
Bachan’s Japanese BBQ Sauce is a great, albeit salty dipping sauce. The slight sweetness and umami flavors would go great with other Costco favorites such as the Tempura Shrimp, Chicken Skewers, Potstickers, Spring Rolls, and the Mini Crab Cakes.
Bachan Fried Rice and Ramen
Additionally, the Japanese BBQ sauces’s flavor goes so well with fried rice or even ramen. This is a great soy sauce substitute for fried rice that really adds a bunch of umami flavor that will also liven up the dish.
When added to ramen, Bachan’s BBQ Sauce brings another layer of depth to already delicious ramen. This sauce has the ability to transform a basic ramen into something special.
This isn’t a sauce that can be used on anything, but when you find the right food combinations, the flavors can be absolutely delicious.
Bachan Japanese BBQ Sauce Nutritional Information
One serving of Bachan’s Japanese BBQ Sauce is going to be 1 tbsp or 19 grams (.67 ounces).
Each serving will contain 35 calories made up of 0 grams of fat, 8 grams of carbs (7 grams of included sugars), and 0 grams of protein.
This is a pretty typical nutritional profile for a sauce. Most sauces don’t contain much nutritional value and will just be loaded with carbs and sugar; Costco’s Japanese BBQ Sauce is no exception.
Sodium is the Killer
The Japanese BBQ Sauce is soy sauce based which leads to the extremely high sodium content. Each serving will have 520 mg of sodium or 23% of the recommended daily value.
On its own, the sodium content is on the higher end and can be a serious problem when combined with other salty ingredients.
Its extremely easy to use 1 tablespoon of Bachan’s Japanese BBQ Sauce and if you over indulge on the sauce it can be easy to go over 75% of the recommended daily sodium intake when you factor in the rest of the meal.
Use this sauce sparingly if you can help it!
Costco Japanese BBQ Sauce Review
Product Name: Bachan's Original Japanese BBQ Sauce
Product Description:
Price: $9.79
Quantity: 34 Ounces
Location Within Costco: Pantry and Dry Goods
Price Per Pound: $4.60
Summary
Bachan’s Original Japanese BBQ Sauce is delicious. The sauce can be used as a marinade, sauce, or dip and goes great with a variety of foods.
The Japanese BBQ sauce is on the more expensive end, but the price at Costco is amazing as always.
Worth a buy, and worth a try!
Overall
-
Value - 7/10
7/10
-
Convenience - 10/10
10/10
-
Taste - 8/10
8/10
-
Nutrition - 6/10
6/10
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CFDB Score - 7/10
7/10
Pros
- Great flavors
- Versatile (Sauce, Marinade, or Dip)
- Amazing Costco value
Cons
- Pricey for sauce
- High in sodium
the sauce is good, but i don’t think rave worthy. it needs to be cut, b/c as a standalone it is just a bit much. but as i said, mixed with an organic honey mustard, this can go a long way to make that beef burger worth the pain and suffering and whines of that poor heifer.