What is Mirin?

[garlichead]

It will be a while til I go after some real mirin, but for now, I have a couple bottles of sake and can tip some into this substitute I bought, when I use it. It's the best I'll be able to do.

Sake with added sugar would be a decent replacement for mirin for sure, probably better than these other pretenders.

 

[Rocklobster]

Sake with added sugar would be a decent replacement for mirin for sure, probably better than these other pretenders.

I made sake before, according to a home recipe, and it tasted just like Italian dry white table wine

 

[garlichead]

I made sake before, according to a home recipe, and it tasted just like Italian dry white table wine

Interesting, never compared the two. I found sake to have a distinctive taste and thinking about it, yes it's kinda wine like as opposed to a liquor.

 

[madebyyouandi]

I'm thinking that it's probably an herb or a spice. I've never used it before, but I came across a recipe that calls for it. Can someone tell me, please? I guess that I can do without it if I can't find it.

There are two kinds of mirin here in Japan, 'Hon Mirin' (true mirin) and what you might call 'regular mirin'. The former is made with real alcohol and has to be purchased at a liquor store, so the second is what most housewives use (and probably what most recipes you'll find use).

The alcohol in the mirin (and sake when called for in recipes) is said to neutralize off smells while adding a touch of sweetness, so it's used with meats a lot. It's likely that your recipe is in balance with soy sauce and sake as well. Different ratios are used for different sauces.

Over here, a white wine can be a quick sub or a dry white wine with a bit of sugar, or so says my neighbor.

 

[bburned]

there is Chinese Mirin and it isn't that sweet. just saying.

 

[GadgetGuy]

That is another mirin substitute, apparently it has Japanese flavoring added, not sure what that is but I suspect it will be better than the a

So pretty much, it's rice wine, hey? Then I've used that before, years ago! I had a large bottle of that & I've used it mainly for Chinese cooking. I had it for about 2 years until it was all gone. And it didn't spoil!! I never knew what that fancy name for it was!! Boy! Learn something new every day!!

 

[GadgetGuy]

there is Chinese Mirin and it isn't that sweet. just saying.

I think that's the one that I had before.

 

[Herbaceous]

I had trouble finding mirin the first time I came across a recipe that called for it (vegan sushi bowls), as I recall I substituted white wine with a bit of sugar added and got a decent result.

I’ve since managed to find mirin in my regular supermarket. It may be getting more commonly stocked.

 

[bburned]

I think that's the one that I had before.

I use the Chinese one more often. just a shot into a stir fry really wakes it up. or in a marinade.