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See why.Fish Sauce
We gathered five products from grocery stores and Asian markets and sampled them over white rice, mixed into a simple Thai dipping sauce, and in our recipe for Vietnamese Caramel Chicken.
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What We Learned
What is Fish Sauce?
Fish sauce—which is full of glutamates that enhance flavor in food—is both a condiment and an ingredient. It gets its signature flavor from a potent source: fermented anchovies. Manufacturing methods vary among producers, but the basic process is the same: Fresh, whole anchovies are layered with sea salt and left to ferment in vats for at least 12 months. Over time, the fish breaks down and the salty liquid that forms is collected and filtered before bottling. It’s strong stuff with an intense aroma. But there’s a reason that this pungent sauce is a critical component of many Asian cuisines and is becoming increasingly commonplace in American kitchens. It boasts a rich, savory taste and a brininess that brings out depth and flavor in everything from dipping sauces and soups to stir-fries and marinades.
How We Tasted Fish Sauce
When we last tasted fish sauce, we deemed all six brands in our lineup acceptable. But recently, when we developed a recipe for chicken braised in a fish sauce–spiked caramel sauce, we noticed significant variations in saltiness and quality among brands. An update was in order. We gathered five products from grocery stores and Asian markets and sampled them over white rice, mixed into a simple Thai dipping sauce, and in our Cook's Illustrated recipe for Vietnamese Caramel Chicken.
Look For Higher Protein Content
Every brand was intensely flavored, but the best of these balanced saltiness with a complex, savory taste. Less successful brands were either overwhelmingly salty or unpleasantly “fishy.” Two brands listed “anchovy extract” instead of “anchovy” on their ingredient lists, but one was near the top of our rankings and one at the bottom, so we discounted it as a significant factor. What did turn out to be key was protein content. An independent lab confirmed that our winner contained nearly double or even triple the protein of the other products in our lineup: 20.58 percent protein by weight, compared with 11.44 percent for our runner-up and 7.44 to 8.92 percent for the remaining products. Though this sauce also had the highest sodium level, its abundance of protein kept it from tasting overly salty. Moreover, the other products tended to taste saltier, even though they actually had less sodium than our winner. This sauce was also the only one that didn’t contain sugar.
The Best Fish Sauce
Our new favorite is the second most expensive option in the lineup, but we think its “rich, meaty depth” and complex flavor are worth a few more pennies per ounce.
Everything We Tested
Recommended
Thanks to its abundance of protein, which far outstripped the other products, this fish sauce tasted intensely rich and flavorful. Despite having the most sodium in the lineup, it never tasted overly salty. Our panel detected earthy, slightly “sweet” notes for a flavor that was “complex, not just fishy.”
This product earned solid marks in every tasting. It was slightly more mild than our winner, and many tasters thought that it provided a “good base flavor” that allowed other more subtle ingredients in the dipping sauce and chicken to shine.
With slightly less sodium than the rest of our lineup, this product tasted more strongly of fish than some other products. But it still possessed “savory depth” and made a “rich,” “bright” caramel sauce for the chicken.
This fish sauce started strong and salty and became more “fishy” on the finish. Still, it was acceptable overall, especially in dips and sauces.
Recommended with reservations
With not much protein compared with our winner, this fish sauce tasted especially salty and overwhelmed many on our panel. But it also brought out the “citrusy” flavors in the dipping sauce and the pepper in the chicken.
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Start Free TrialAbsolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too. I've done this using a rimmed sheet pan instead of a skillet and put veggies and potatoes around the chicken for a one-pan meal. Broccoli gets nicely browned and yummy!
Absolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too.
Amazed this recipe works out as well as it does. Would not have thought that the amount of time under the broiler would have produced a very juicy and favorable chicken with a very crispy crust. Used my 12" Lodge Cast Iron skillet (which can withstand 1000 degree temps to respond to those who wondered if it would work) and it turned out great. A "make again" as my family rates things. This is a great recipe, and I will definitely make it again. My butcher gladly butterflied the chicken for me, therefore I found it to be a fast and easy prep. I used my cast iron skillet- marvellous!
John, wasn't it just amazing chicken? So much better than your typical oven baked chicken and on par if not better than gas or even charcoal grilled. It gets that smokey charcoal tasted and overnight koshering definitely helps, something I do when time permits. First-time I've pierced a whole chicken minus the times I make jerk chicken on the grill. Yup, the cast iron was not an issue.