Shibanuma, Yakiniku Sauce, 360ml
Japanese BBQ sauce, with a sansho kick.
Yakiniku sauce is the dip and glaze for Japanese-style grilled meat. Shibanuma's balances the deep umami of their aged soy with a bright, fruity sweetness and a fragrant lift of sansho pepper at the finish. It is oil-free, rich in flavour and versatile, equally good for grilling, dipping or marinating. 360ml.
More from Shibanuma: barrel-aged soy sauce (300g), dark soy sauce (18L), 2-year dashi soy sauce, yuzu ponzu, yakitori sauce, unagi sauce and sesame dressing.
Why Operators Choose This
- Soy depth: built on traditionally aged soy for a real umami base.
- Fruity brightness: a natural sweetness that balances the grill's char.
- Sansho finish: a fragrant, citrus-pepper lift at the end.
- Oil-free and versatile: works as a glaze, a dip and a marinade.
How to Use
- Yakiniku: as a dip for grilled beef and other meats at the table.
- Glaze: brush onto meat or vegetables as they grill.
- Marinade: coat meat ahead of cooking, or stir into a stir-fry.
- Rice and tofu: spoon over rice bowls, tofu and seafood for savoury depth.
Yakiniku (焼肉) means grilled meat, the Japanese style of grilling bite-size pieces at the table, and its sauce is a soy-based dip brightened with fruit and aromatics. The defining lift here is sansho (山椒), Japanese pepper, which brings a fragrant, citrussy, gently numbing note quite unlike chilli heat. The base is Shibanuma's own soy: Shibanuma Shoyu (柴沼醤油醸造) has brewed in Tsuchiura, Ibaraki, since 1688, eighteen generations of the same family, still fermenting in wooden barrels built in the Edo era. That soy is what gives the sauce its backbone beneath the sweetness and spice.
Learn more: Inside the 200-Year-Old Shibanuma Factory
What does yakiniku sauce taste like?
Savoury and rounded, with the deep umami of soy up front, a fruity sweetness through the middle, and a fragrant, slightly numbing sansho lift at the finish. It is richer and more complex than a plain soy dip, but lighter than a thick glaze, since it is oil-free. The sansho is the signature, giving an aromatic, citrus-pepper note that cuts through grilled, fatty meat. Sweet, savoury and aromatic at once, it is built to make grilled food taste better.
| Type | Yakiniku no tare 焼肉のたれ (Japanese BBQ sauce) |
| Brand | Shibanuma (brewing since 1688) |
| Origin | Japan (Tsuchiura, Ibaraki) |
| Net Volume | 360ml |
| Best Used As | A dip, glaze and marinade for grilled meat |
What is yakiniku sauce used for?
It is the sauce for Japanese-style grilled meat. Most often it is served as a dip into which grilled beef and other meats are dunked at the table, but it doubles as a glaze brushed on during cooking and as a marinade beforehand. Beyond the grill it works stirred into stir-fries, spooned over rice bowls, or with tofu and seafood. Its mix of soy depth, fruity sweetness and sansho aroma makes it a versatile savoury sauce.
What is sansho pepper?
Sansho is Japanese pepper, related to Sichuan pepper but distinct, with a bright, citrussy aroma and a gentle tingling numbness rather than chilli heat. In yakiniku sauce it provides the fragrant, slightly numbing lift at the finish that cuts through rich, grilled meat. It is the note that makes this sauce taste characteristically Japanese rather than like a generic barbecue sauce.
How should I store it after opening?
Keep the bottle refrigerated once opened and use within the period stated on the pack. Reseal tightly and shake before use, as natural ingredients can settle. Decant a portion for table dipping rather than returning used sauce to the bottle, which keeps the rest clean and fresh.
SKU : S0402