5khours

Are Worcestershire, A1 or HP BBQ sauces?

mjm

Ah no, Tonkatsu sauce is in no way shape or form BBQ sauce. BBQ sauce on Tonkatsu would be possible especially some of the vinegar based ones not so much the mustard, tomato or molasses based ones though. but the opposite is not true.

robyng

Well I know some people will use 100% Worcestershire on a variety of things. Other people like me use it as an ingredient in a variety of sauces - both BBQ and non-BBQ. An example of the latter is a Louis sauce (a cold "pink" sauce that I serve over chilled crab or shrimp). No way a Louis sauce is a "BBQ sauce".

The original A1 is something some people put on steak - burgers and the like (I personally don't use the stuff). I guess some people might think it's a BBQ sauce - but I don't. A1 has some other flavors which purport to be BBQ type sauces. I've never tried them.

I've never had HP sauce - and it seems to come in a variety of flavors:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP_Sauce

So I don't know what it is or what it tastes like. Do you recommend it - in any flavor - to use in/on anything (it's probably available in the "UK food" section of my local grocery store)? Robyn

robyng

What in your opinion are the ingredients in a traditional "tonkatsu sauce"? The recipes I've found all look like BBQ sauces to me. Robyn

5khours

Please..... Tonkatsu sauce is not BBQ sauce. It's like confusing mustard with Hollandaise sauce. Similar color .....that's all. (OK I'm exaggerating but they really are different).

BuildingMyBento

Bulldog all the way...

robyng

I ran across that stuff before. Must taste better than it sounds. Ingredients = Water, Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Distilled Vinegar, Apple, Salt, Tomato, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (Contains Soy), Cornstarch, Prune, Carrot, Spices, Caramel Coloring, Onion.

Is this a typical tonkatsu sauce recipe? Robyn

mjm

Not a matter of opinion. Finding it is about as hard as finding ketchup in the USA. Try it. The closest approximation is Worcestershire Sauce. And that is still an approximation. Any Asian foods supermarket in the US will have it as well, that may be a good option to get a sense of it before arrival.

I suspect that after trying it you will note the differences for yourself. Since all food experiences are so much better enjoyed empirically, I recommend this rather than trying to describe it here.

abmj-jr

These days, any large supermarket will have it in the ethnic food aisle. I get mine at Von's but everybody carries one brand or another. Of course, the bottled stuff we get here will not be as good as that served at a good Japanese restaurant but it gives the idea.

BuildingMyBento

I brush my teeth with toothpaste, I dip my tonkatsu in Bulldog. No big deal here.

Worcestershire is heavier on the salt. Tonkatsu sauce seems to combine all of the standard tastes except bitter, but you're right, empirically is the only way to do it.

5khours

For more info than you probably want on Tonkatsu sauce.

http://tastyislandhawaii.com/2009/12...auce-shootout/

robyng

Not too much information - I enjoyed reading the piece. We have a large Asian grocery store here - and I'll pick up a couple of different bottles next time I'm there. Try them out. Robyn

robyng

And I am now the proud owner of a bottle of Bull Dog brand sauce (the one labeled Tonkatsu sauce - the store had about 4 kinds of sauce under this brand name). Will give it a try in the next couple of weeks when I figure out what to put it on (I'm not making tonkatsu at home).

FWIW - I asked the cashier at the store whether she uses the stuff - and she said all the time - on lots of things. She said it was like BBQ sauce - but sweeter and more tangy. OTOH - I don't know what kind of BBQ sauce she was comparing it with (since she's Chinese American - she could have been referring to Chinese BBQ sauce). Robyn

jib71

If you can get Japanese breadcrumbs, it's not so hard to produce your own take on tonkatsu. I don't think you'll get the full effect of that sauce unless you're pouring it over proper crispy, spiky fried stuff. If you pour it over a limp schnitzel it will probably taste very wrong.

The listed ingredients of mass produced products are always off-putting ... HP sauce used to print a french translation of the ingredients on its bottles. Among the list of ingredients in French was "preservatifs". Of course, that might not be the only reason that it's not a household brand in France.

robyng

I was thinking perhaps on some grilled ribs or chicken. Or maybe even an oven baked pork chop. The last with perhaps with a "shake and bake" type of coating (possibly store bought - possibly home made). If you want to clean up my kitchen after I pan fry something - I'd be glad to make tonkatsu for us and you .

OTOH - I'll probably taste the stuff before I eat it with anything - just to make sure I don't need a backup - just like I'd do with anything new - including things I'm making from scratch myself. Won't open it now - there are no preservatives listed on the ingredients.

FWIW - the nutritional info isn't that bad for something like this - except for the sodium (which is par for the course for most things in this category). No fat - low in carbs.

BTW - I don't know where most of you think that others of us live. I get the impression you think we're hicks in the sticks. If I can find Bull Dog sauce in my local Asian grocery (and it wasn't the only "Tonkatsu sauce" there) - which is about a mile away from my local Whole Foods - don't you think I can find Japanese breadcrumbs? That's a staple even in the most hick US grocery store these days. Robyn