Your Favourite Dark Soy Sauce

le_girl

I've just learned that Sharwoods Rich Soy Sauce has been discontinued and I'm looking for a good replacement.

It was a huge staple for me, used it for years and have never been able to find anything as nice but now don't have an option

Any recommendations for a nice rich, dark soy sauce that may be similar? Supermarket or asian market brands?

When the Sharwoods one started disappearing recently I tried the Lee Kum Kee brand from my local asian market and also Aldi's own brand and found both tasteless in comparison. I know that Kikkoman is popular but to me it's very watery (it may be a light soy?).

Sharwoods rich soy sauce to me had a much richer (for lack of a better word), more intense, maybe saltier taste than the other's I'd tried.

I'm open to trying any recommendations!

Alun

I buy "Pearl River Bridge" soy sauce from my nearest Asian store. It's a very common brand so you should have no difficulty finding it. Never having used Sharwoods version I can't comment on how it might compare taste wise though.

onlinemonkey

You can get kikkoman soy sauce in tesco or have a look for Meridian Shoyu Soya Sauce which is my favorite.

loulou87

I buy Tamari sauce instead (from any good health food shop)
It's delicious and much better for you than soy sauce

the beer revolu

loulou87 wrote: »

I buy Tamari sauce instead (from any good health food shop)
It's delicious and much better for you than soy sauce

If you're not intolerant to wheat, how is it better for you?

L1011

Always use pearl river myself. Surprised it's not more widely sold in supermarkets but every Asian store has it

rubadub

L1011 wrote: »

Always use pearl river myself.

Looking at images of this online I have got it before and thought it was grand. I was overwhelmed by the selection so used to stand back and see which brand all the Asians were buying themselves.

CJhaughey

There is a light and a dark version of Pearl River just be sure you get the correct one.
Silver and red label is the light and Red and black label is the Dark one.

The Hill Billy

I like Pearl River dark myself. I find it a lot more rich than the other dark soy sauces.

Alun

rubadub wrote: »

Looking at images of this online I have got it before and thought it was grand. I was overwhelmed by the selection so used to stand back and see which brand all the Asians were buying themselves.

I always ask the owner of the Asian store I use here in Bray which is the best of anything I buy in there and this has always worked for me. As an example he has anonymous brown cardboard boxes at the back of the shop full of unmarked polythene bags of egg noodles which are far superior to any of the branded ones on the shelves.

le_girl

Thanks everyone. I've made a list and will start with the dark Pearl River and do some taste tests vs the few drops I have left of the Sharwoods!

dibkins

Pearl River was my favourite. I can't have it any more due to gluten:/ Now i use Kikomon tamari which i was happy to learn is really great. It isn't dark, but it has a lot of the flavor of the PR one if a little weaker and saltier.

Mellor

the beer revolu wrote: »

If you're not intolerant to wheat, how is it better for you?

And considering Tamari is essentially Japanese Soy Sauce, I highly doubt there's a significant "health" difference

Mrs Fox

Habhal's sweet soy sauce (red) is my favourite and one that my family has been using for decades. You can easily find this in Asian shops. It's dark and slightly thicker, but not as thick/sickly sweet at ketjap manis. I use this for stirfries, marinade, dips, etc. If a recipe requires soy & sugar or honey in it, you may omit them as it's sweet enough.
The green one is salty and thick, I'm not a fan. I'd rather go for Pearl's as suggested by others.
Having said that, I do have a bottle of tamari in my press and I do use it a lot. I'm not intolerant to gluten, nor do I think it's absolute evil, but It's one of those things I'm limiting my intake on so I don't feel like a blowfish.

Dubl07

When I'm in a hurry in Dunnes I always go for Amoy Dark Soy over Blue Dragon's version. The latter is dire.

Uncle_moe

THat's because Blue dragon is soy flavoured. Not real soy sauce, my guess is there are a few brands doing this. Always notice the tang off bad ones.

rubadub

Uncle_moe wrote: »

THat's because Blue dragon is soy flavoured. Not real soy sauce, my guess is there are a few brands doing this.

Never heard that before, similarly be careful of sesame oil, lots are just veg oil with some sesame and possibly extra flavouring.