How to Make Oyster Sauce - Recipe from Scratch
This recipe teaches you how to make oyster sauce at home. You will only need a bag of frozen oyster meat, dark soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar, salt, and water to get this homemade oyster sauce loaded with tons of umami and rich savoriness.
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Small nonstick pot
- Silicone spatula
Ingredients
- 20 oz oysters (I used frozen oysters. Feel free to use fresh oysters if you are rich.)
- 500 ml water (for making oyster broth)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp water (for dissolving cornstarch)
Instructions
- Put 20oz frozen oyster meat in a large bowl, submerge them in cold water for 10 minutes. Gently wash the defrosted oyster meat with cold water for 2 to 3 times, try not to break them.
- Drain the oysters, place them in a large pot, add 500ml cold water to the pot.
- Bring the water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and keep the water simmering for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, use a ladle or a fine mesh skimming utensil to skim off the scum and foam from the broth.
- 30 minutes later, the broth should have reduced by half. Transfer the oysters to a food container. You can use them to make oyster omelette later.
- Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth-lined strainer (I used a pour over coffee dripper) into a cup. You should get about 250ml oyster broth if you don't spill any.
- Add cornstarch, sugar, salt, dark soy sauce, and water to a small bowl. Stir until well combined.
- Pour the oyster broth to a small nonstick pot, bring the broth to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, pour the soy sauce cornstarch mixture to the pot. Stir continuously using a silicone spatula for 8 to 10 minutes, until the oyster sauce has been thickened into a caramel sauce texture.
- Transfer the oyster sauce to a sanitized food container, seal and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. (Always use a clean spoon to scoop the oyster sauce. No double dipper!)