How to Intensify Flavor in Sauce?

[johnmeyer]

chefjimmyj, thanks for the brand recommendation for fish sauce. A few years ago I had a lot of recipes that called for fish sauce, specifically to intensify meat flavors. However, even in small doses, it corrupted the flavor instead of enhancing it. I've always suspected that the problem was that I used 2nd-rate stuff (I just pulled a random bottle off the shelf in an Asian market). I'll try some Golden Boy and see if it works better.

 

[chef jimmyj]

John, I saw a program a few years ago where an Asian Store owner took the host around the store pointing out the best ingredients for various cuisine. She showed the most popular Fish Sauce with Vietnamese cooks, Thai cooks and a few other countries. Long story short, the Healthy Boy, also may say Golden Boy, brand was highly recommended for Newbie cooks. While it is of good quality, it had the least Funky Smell compared to some others she had. Don't get me wrong, its FISH Sauce, but it is much more mild than the Squid Brand or Three Crabs Brand seen in multiple Asian Cooking Videos. I think Salmon is too fishy tasting but can squirt this stuff directly on food at the table or even squirt it directly in my mouth. A lot of guys in the know here, like the much more expensive, super premium, Red Boat Brand as well. I have not tried Red Boat yet...JJ

 

[johnmeyer]

Long story short, the Healthy Boy, also may say Golden Boy, brand was highly recommended for Newbie cooks. While it is of good quality, it had the least Funky Smell compared to some others she had. Don't get me wrong, its FISH Sauce, but it is much more mild than the Squid Brand or Three Crabs Brand seen in multiple Asian Cooking Videos. I think Salmon is too fishy tasting but can squirt this stuff directly on food at the table or even squirt it directly in my mouth.

JJ,

Squirt it in your mouth? The stuff I used (don't remember the name) was so fishy I could barely get it past my nose to pour into the food while it was cooking. There was no way I could use it raw, like hot sauce, much less take a direct taste.

I'll order some tonight and see what it's like.

Thanks again!

John

[edit] Amazon is only selling really large bottles, and I don't want to spend $8 for more than I'll use in the next five years. I'll get it locally.

I did see that the really expensive sauce you were thinking of trying won the America's Test Kitchen taste test, but that it is about 3x the price of all the others, so it is indeed really expensive.

https://www.americastestkitchen.com/taste_tests/1625-fish-sauce

 

[jokensmoken]

I've been working on a BBQ sauce lately using a beer from a local brewery I frequent. I like where I'm headed, but one thing I'm trying to do is really intensify the flavor of this beer but also keep the sauce at the current thickness.

My thought is to just add more beer and reduce it down longer. But does anyone else have any suggestions on how to intensify this one flavor while keeping all the other flavors right where they are?

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I agree with reducing...I prefer to reduce my beer before i add it to my sauce...it cuts down the chance of scorching your sauce while reducing.

 

[forktender]

Accent/ MSG in small amounts does wonders to make the flavors pop. Also a tablespoon or two of sugar beet powder might be just what you're looking for, it's used as a flavor enhancer as well and it will add some nice color to your sauce.