Youki XO Sauce 1Kg
A kilo of XO sauce made in Japan: dried scallop, dried shrimp, garlic and chilli in oil. The trade jar from Youki.
This is Youki's 業務用 (trade) XO sauce, the 1kg jar made for restaurant kitchens. Youki Food, the Tokyo-based specialist in Chinese seasonings, makes it in Japan. Dried scallop and shrimp give it savoury depth; the chilli is warming rather than fierce. Spoon it into a wok, over noodles or onto steamed fish, and it does the work of several components at once.
More from Youki: Japanese XO Sauce in a 120g jar, Tobanjan Chilli Bean Paste (130g) and Fine Shredded Chilli, Ito Togarashi (5g).
Why Chefs Choose This
- Seafood depth: dried scallop and dried shrimp give a concentrated, savoury flavour that builds a sauce fast.
- Texture on the plate: small pieces of scallop, shrimp and garlic sit in the oil, adding bite as well as taste.
- Kitchen quantity: the 1kg jar suits a busy wok station or a menu that uses XO across several dishes.
- Made in Japan: produced for Youki at its Tochigi factory, labelled 国内製造品 (made in Japan).
How to Use
- Stir-fries: add a spoonful to greens, prawns, squid or beef at the end of cooking in the wok.
- Noodles and rice: toss through lo mein, udon or fried rice for instant depth.
- Dim sum dip: serve alongside dumplings, cheung fun or turnip cake.
- Finishing: spoon over steamed fish, scallops, tofu or eggs, oil and all.
XO sauce (XO醤, XO jan in Japanese) was created in Hong Kong in the 1980s, in the kitchens of high-end Cantonese restaurants. The name borrows from XO cognac, which at the time stood for luxury. Its backbone is dried seafood, above all dried scallop (conpoy), which was and remains expensive, and that is why XO became a byword for a premium condiment. Youki Food (ユウキ食品), based in Chōfu, Tokyo, specialises in Chinese and world seasonings for Japanese kitchens, and this jar is made by its Kanto factory in Nakagawa, Tochigi Prefecture.
Learn more: Japanese Sauces
What does XO sauce taste like?
Rich, savoury and a little sweet, with a gentle chilli warmth. The first impression is the sea: dried scallop and shrimp give a deep, almost smoky savouriness quite different from fresh seafood. Garlic and chilli follow, softened by the oil they are cooked in. The texture is part of it, with shreds of scallop and small pieces of shrimp and garlic. Heated in a wok the aroma opens up; used cold as a condiment it is more concentrated.
Product Details
| Type | XO sauce (XO醤), oil-based seafood seasoning |
| Brand | Youki (ユウキ食品), Chōfu, Tokyo |
| Made By | Kanto Youki Foods, Nakagawa, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan |
| Origin | Japan |
| Net Weight and Format | 1kg trade jar (product code 213210) |
| Storage | Cool and dark before opening; refrigerate at 10°C or below after opening |
| Best Used As | Stir-fries, noodles, fried rice, dim sum dip, finishing oil |
How much XO sauce should I use?
It is concentrated, so start small: a teaspoon to a tablespoon per portion in a stir-fry, added towards the end so the seafood keeps its texture. As a condiment, a small spoonful on the side of a plate is plenty. Taste the dish before adding extra salt or soy sauce, as XO brings its own seasoning.
Is XO sauce spicy?
Mildly. There is chilli in it, and you will feel the warmth, but it is a savoury sauce first. Most people find it much gentler than chilli oil or la-yu. If you want more heat, add fresh chilli or a little chilli oil alongside it rather than more XO.
How should I store it once opened?
Keep it in the fridge at 10°C or below, as Youki advises, and use it up reasonably quickly. Always use a clean, dry spoon. The oil may firm up when cold; let it stand at room temperature for a few minutes, or stir it into a hot pan, and it loosens again. Keep the pieces of seafood covered by oil in the jar.
SKU : S0769