Tare sauce

Ikameshi (squid stuffed with rice) topped with tare sauce

Tare (垂れ or タレ, Japanese pronunciation: [taɾe]) is a general term in Japanese cuisine for dipping sauces often used in grilling (yakitori and yakiniku, especially as teriyaki sauce) as well as with sushi, nabemono, and gyoza. It can also be used to make the soup for ramen by combining it with stock and/or broth in order to add to the complex combination of flavors, and as a braising liquid for meat (e.g. chāshū).

The sauce is best described as sweetened, thickened soy sauce for grilling and flavored soy sauce with dashi, vinegar, etc., for nabemono and nattō such as ponzu but every chef has their own variation. Ingredients for a Tare sauce will also include soy sauce, sake and/or mirin, sugar and/or honey, and optional ingredients include oyster sauce and ginger. Tare is traditionally made by mixing and heating soy sauce, sake and/or mirin, and sugar and/or honey. The sauce is boiled and reduced to the desired thickness, then used to marinate meat, which is then grilled or broiled, and the final dish may be garnished with spring onions.

Shio-dare (塩ダレ, salt tare) is a clear, salty sauce that contains lemon, salt, oil, and Welsh onions.

Goma-dare (ゴマだれ, sesame tare) is a sesame seed sauce. It is used in shabu-shabu and other dishes.

Kuromitsu is sweet tare.

See also

• Soy sauce
• Tonkatsu sauce
• Japanese Mayonnaise
• Japanese Worcestershire sauce