How to Use Hoisin Sauce

Co-authored by Amber Crain Reviewed by Marrow Private Chefs

Last Updated: January 11, 2024

Hoisin sauce is a sweet-spicy condiment most often used in Asian-flavored dishes. It packs a flavorful punch and works wonderfully alongside meat and vegetables in stir-fry recipes. Hoisin can also be used as a dipping sauce with spring rolls or any other dipping food that would benefit from an Asian-inspired kick. If you want to experiment, try mixing the sauce into ground meat for spicy burgers, or use it as a glaze on baked chicken wings!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Experimenting with Hoisin Sauce

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1
Make a dipping sauce for Vietnamese spring rolls. The spicy-sweet flavor of hoisin sauce makes it a tasty dipping sauce for your favorite Vietnamese spring rolls. You can serve hoisin sauce for dipping by itself, or mix it with an equal amount of peanut sauce for a more traditional spring roll sauce.
- Feel free to play around with the amounts of peanut sauce and hoisin you mix together to create a custom blend!
- You can make hoisin sauce yourself, or buy the canned or jarred sauces that are sold at most grocery stores.
2
Mix hoisin sauce into ground beef or turkey for Asian-inspired burgers. After stirring in the hoisin, proceed with creating and grilling your hamburger patties like you normally do. Hoisin sauce packs a flavorful punch, so start with small amounts and experiment until you find a ratio you like best.
- If you want to increase the Asian-inspired flavor of your burgers, try adding some freshly chopped ginger, green onions, and a dash of red pepper flakes to the meat before forming your patties.
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3
Use hoisin sauce as a glaze on baked chicken wings. You can use the sauce by itself for a simple glaze or try adding a small amount it to your favorite glaze to give it a little extra kick. Brush the glaze onto the chicken wings and arrange the wings on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake the wings at 400 °F (204 °C) for about 40 minutes.
- If you’re following a specific recipe for your wings, adhere to the oven temperature and cook time suggested.
4
Add hoisin sauce in your favorite stir-fry recipe. Hoisin sauce works wonderfully with all kinds of stir-fry dishes. Add it to the wok while making your favorite beef, chicken, pork, tofu, or veggie stir-fry dish for a spicy-sweet kick. Try substituting hoisin for some of the soy sauce in the recipe, or simply use it alongside the soy sauce.^{[1]
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- You can also serve the sauce on the side with any stir-fry meal you like for drizzling or dipping.
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Use it as a dipping sauce for French fries or wings. Hoisin sauce can provide an Asian-inspired flavor to any of your favorite dipping foods! Serve the sauce on the side with French fries, wings, chicken nuggets, fish sticks, and any other savory food you typically use a dipping sauce with.^{[2]
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- Buy jarred hoisin sauce when you want to use hoisin as a dipping sauce. The bottled variety usually has a thin consistency and won't work as well as a dipping sauce.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making Stir-Fried Beef with Hoisin Sauce

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Combine the soy sauce, sherry, oil, garlic, and ginger in a bowl. Measure out 1 US tbsp (15 ml) of soy sauce, 1 US tbsp (15 ml) of dry sherry, and 2 US tbsp (30 ml) of sesame oil and pour them into a shallow bowl or dish. Peel and crush a large garlic clove and finely chop 1 tbsp (15 g) of fresh ginger. Add both to the mixture.^{[3]
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- Stir the ingredients together thoroughly to evenly combine them.
- If you don’t have fresh ginger, feel free to substitute with 1 tsp of ginger paste. You can buy the paste in jars at most grocery stores.
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Add the beef to the mixture and let it marinate for at least 20 minutes. If you didn’t buy your sirloin pre-sliced, use a sharp knife to make thin slices with the grain of the meat. Arrange the sliced beef evenly on the bottom of the shallow dish holding the marinade. Cover the dish and place it in the fridge so the beef can soak up the flavors.^{[4]
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- If you have more time and prefer a stronger flavor, you can marinate the beef longer than 20 minutes. Don’t marinate it for longer than 24 hours, however.
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Heat up a frying pan or wok and toast the sesame seeds. Place a large, heavy-based frying pan or wok over high heat until it heats up. Add 1 tbsp (15 g) of sesame seeds to the pan. Stir the seeds around every few minutes while they toast in the pan. Once the seeds have turned golden brown, tip them out onto a paper towel or clean plate.^{[5]
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- Set the toasted sesame seeds aside for now.
Measure out 1 US tbsp (15 ml) of sunflower oil. Add it to a large frying pan or wok and place it on a burner. Turn the heat to high. Let the oil heat up until it shimmers.^{[6]
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Add the sliced beef and marinade to the hot sunflower oil. Take the marinated beef from the fridge. Remove the cover or plastic wrap from the shallow dish and use tongs to carefully place the beef slices into the hot oil. Drizzle the marinade that's left in the dish over the beef.^{[7]
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- Be sure to place the meat into the hot oil gently to prevent splashing.
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Stir-fry the beef slices for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir the beef occasionally as it fries in the oil. Once the meat has browned evenly on all sides, use a slotted spoon to lift the slices out of the wok and onto a clean plate. Leave the juices and leftover marinade in the wok.^{[8]
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- Set the stir-fried beef aside for now.
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Add the carrots and mangetout and stir-fry them for several minutes. Cut 1 large carrot into matchsticks and add it to the hot wok. Stir-fry the carrots for about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup (100 g) of sliced mangetout and stir-fry them together for about 2 minutes.^{[9]
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- To cut matchsticks, cut a thin slice off of one side of the carrot. Place the carrot on the surface, cut side down. Cut the length of the carrot into slices that are ¹⁄₈ in (3.2 mm) thick. Stack the slices on top of each other and cut through all of them to create matchsticks.^{[10]
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Carefully dump the beef slices back into the wok with the veggies. Slice the mushrooms and add those to the wok, as well. Stir the ingredients in the wok thoroughly so that everything is evenly combined.^{[11]
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Measure out 3 US tbsp (44 ml) of your favorite hoisin sauce and drizzle it over the meat and veggies in the wok. Stir-fry everything together for about 60 seconds. Remove the wok from the heat.^{[12]
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Sprinkle the dish with the sesame seeds and serve immediately. Beef stir-fry is best served hot, so plate the portions right away. If you like, serve the dish with your favorite Chinese noodles. Sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds on top of each serving and enjoy!^{[13]
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- If you have any leftovers, store them in an air-tight container in the fridge. Be sure to consume your leftovers within 3 days.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Slow-Cooked Hoisin Chicken

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Add the sauces, honey, ginger, garlic, and pepper to a slow cooker. Measure out ¹⁄₂ c (120 ml) of hoisin sauce, 2 US tbsp (30 ml) of tamari or soy sauce, and 2 US tbsp (30 ml) of honey and dump them into a large slow cooker. Mince 1 tbsp (15 g) of fresh ginger and 2 cloves of garlic and add them to the cooker with 1/4 tsp (1 g) of black pepper.^{[14]
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- Stir everything well to combine the ingredients evenly.
- The slow cooker needs to be able to hold 4 quarts.
Get out 2 lb (910 g) of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Cut the chicken up into 1.5 in (3.8 cm) chunks. Add the chicken to the rest of the ingredients in the slow cooker. Stir the contents thoroughly to evenly combine the ingredients.^{[15]
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Set the slow cooker to “low” and cook the dish for 3 to 4 hours. Place the lid on your slow cooker and plug it in. If you’re in a hurry, set the cooker to “high” and cook the dish for 1 ½ to 2 hours instead.^{[16]
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- Use an instant-read thermometer to check for an internal temperature of at least 165 °F (74 °C).
Use a slotted spoon to move the cooked chicken from the slow cooker to a serving bowl. Use a large spoon or ladle to move the sauce still in the cooker to a small saucepan. Turn the burner on to medium heat and bring the sauce to a slow simmer.^{[17]
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Measure out 2 US tbsp (30 ml) of water and 1 tbsp (15 g) of cornstarch and combine them in a small bowl. Stir the mixture gently until the cornstarch is fully dissolved in the water.^{[18]
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Pour the mixture into the simmering sauce in the saucepan. Stir gently until the sauce thickens. This should take about 1 minute or so. Once the sauce has thickened to your liking, remove the saucepan from the heat.^{[19]
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Serve the chicken immediately with the sauce on the side. If you like, make a batch of steamed rice and serve that alongside the chicken. Keep the sauce on the side and let your guests drizzle it over their individual portions as desired.^{[20]
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- Refrigerate leftover chicken in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.