Get To Know The True Mirin: How Do You Use It?

May 27, 2024by Bokksu Staff

If you’ve eaten traditional Japanese dishes, there’s a big chance that you’ve had mirin, whether you were aware of it or not. Mirin is the unsung hero of Japanese cooking, bringing subtle umami flavors to a variety of Asian meals. If you’re a fan of making authentic Asian cuisine, mirin is a must-have ingredient for your pantry.

Let’s dive into the components, uniqueness, substitutes, and uses of mirin in a modern kitchen.

The Essence of Mirin: Japan's Sweet Rice Wine

If you are a Japanese food enthusiast, you've likely heard about Mirin. You'll find various types of mirin in Japanese markets and Asian grocery stores. Many Japanese dishes use this indigenous rice wine.

But what exactly is mirin? At its heart, mirin is a Japanese sweet rice wine that is a kitchen and pantry staple. Like sake, mirin is crafted from rice, but it stands out with a much lower alcohol content and a higher sugar concentration, bestowing it with a sweet taste. For comparison, mirin has an alcohol content of 14%, while sake has a 20% alcohol content.

This Japanese sweet rice wine enhances the depth of any cuisine, adding sweetness and umami. It mostly serves as an ingredient in marinades, sauces, and glazes used to make teriyaki, ramen, donburi, sukiyaki, tempura, and Asian hot pot dishes.

Mirin is a product of the fermentation of a mixture of steamed glutinous rice, shochu (distilled rice liquor), and rice koji (cultured rice) for 40 to 60 days. The following are the three main types of mirin:

Hon mirin: This type of mirin is produced via the saccharification fermentation process. As a result, it has an alcohol content of 14% and can be enjoyed as an alcoholic beverage.
Shio mirin: This is a type of fermented seasoning that contains 2% salt. The salt content keeps manufacturers and distributors from having to pay alcohol tax on the mirin.
Shin mirin: This is a mirin-like seasoning that contains less than 1% alcohol but tastes very similar to the real deal. It’s typically made using artificial processes.

Despite its popularity, most of the mirin products you’ll find are not actually mirin. Many of them are actually aji-mirin, which tastes like mirin but has less alcohol and more salt. Kikkoman Manjo Aji-Mirin is incredibly popular among lovers of Asian cooking, even though it’s not actual mirin.

One mistake people make, however, is to try to use other rice-based condiments, such as cultured rice vinegar, in place of mirin without making adjustments. Read on to find out why this isn’t the best idea.

The Difference Between Mirin and Cultured Rice Vinegar

Mirin and cultured rice vinegar are often mistaken for each other due to their similar appearance and base ingredients. However, they are distinct in nature. It's crucial to understand the difference between true mirin and rice vinegar to ensure the authenticity of your dishes.

The primary difference between mirin and cultured rice vinegar is that mirin is a sweet and alcoholic condiment, while cultured rice vinegar is more sour or acidic and contains considerably less alcohol. Some rice vinegars contain no alcohol. This is primarily due to the fact that, unlike mirin, rice vinegar does not contain shochu, a type of distilled alcohol. Hence, mirin exudes sweetness with a hint of alcohol, whereas rice vinegar combines sweetness with a tart edge.

Mirin and cultured rice vinegar also differ in terms of appearance. While mirin has a light brown color, the rice vinegar is colorless or pale yellow. Mirin also has a much stronger scent compared to the mellow scent of cultured rice vinegar.

Exploring Mirin Substitutes and Mirin Sauce

While mirin is a unique ingredient, there are times when you need to replace it with a substitute. Some common mirin substitutes include aji mirin, dry sherry, sweet marsala wine, white wine, and vermouth. However, for those keen on authenticity, a true mirin is irreplaceable.

We’ve provided some tips to help you get the most out of each mirin substitute.

Aji mirin: This is the best cooking substitute for mirin. It’s low alcohol content makes it ideal for the kitchen. Typically made with rice, starch syrup (or corn syrup), and water, it can serve as a mirin sauce. With the Kikkoman aji mirin, no adjustments are needed, so feel free to use it as a direct substitute for mirin.
Dry sherry: Dry versions of sherry wine have a similar acidity and flavor depth to rice wine. However, be careful while adding it to your cooking, as too much could overpower the flavors. Start with a teaspoon and then adjust upward from there.
Sake: The Japanese rice wine may be made for drinking rather than cooking, but with a little adjustment, it's a great mirin substitute. You’ll need to sweeten drier sake with a little sugar, a slice of apple, or some white grape juice. Alternatively, you can use Morita Organic Cooking Sake, which is a special rice cooking wine specifically made for the kitchen.
Rice vinegar: It’s fine to use sweetened rice vinegar, like that used for sushi rice, as a substitute for mirin. Otherwise, you need to add sugar or sweet juice to compensate for its tartness.
Sweet marsala wine: This has an identical flavor profile to mirin in terms of umami, acidity, and alcohol. But it’s not as sweet, so be sure to add some sugar to it when substituting.
White wine: The only types of white wine that can’t make good mirin substitutes are moscato wine and ice wine. Most of the others will do great with some sugar dissolved in them. Avoid using white wine only.
Vermouth: Just like with white wine, vermouth needs to be sweetened with some sugar to pass as a viable substitute. You don’t need this extra step if you’re using sweet vermouth, which already contains sugar syrup.
Fruit juice: Try some apple juice or white grape juice, but only use about half the quantity of mirin required by the recipe. Feel free to add some tartness with a few drops of lime juice, lemon juice, or other citrus juice.
Sugar: This is the simplest of all mirin substitutes. Each teaspoon of sugar can replace the sweetness of a tablespoon of mirin.

Morita Organic Cooking Sake

What is cooking sake? Usually used in sauces and marinades, cooking sake rice wine is great for enhancing distinctive ingredient flavors and neutralizes the unpleasant smells of meats and fish. Though it’s often used alongside its Japanese cooking cousin, mirin, cooking sake is higher in alcohol and less sweet. This premium organic cooking sake will certainly take your cooking that extra step. It’s made entirely from organic rice, carefully brewed, rich in umami flavors, and has a full-bodied fragrance.

16.9 oz

The Multifaceted Uses of Mirin in Japanese Cooking

Mirin's sweet flavor beautifully contrasts with saltier sauces, especially those with soy sauce bases, such as teriyaki sauce. Its high sugar content acts as a tenderizer and imparts a glossy sheen to sauces, making it an excellent addition to marinades. From steaming foods like steamed glutinous rice with a splash of hon mirin to grilling fish topped with mirin-boshi sauce (soy sauce, mirin, and sugar), the possibilities are endless. Whether you're whipping up sukiyaki, a simmered stew, or stir-frying udon, mirin is your go-to ingredient to elevate the dish.

Beyond marinades, mirin has many other great uses. We've listed a few of them here:

Steamed Food

Use dashi or your stock of choice (veggie, chicken, fish, etc) and add a splash of mirin to make the steaming liquid. Or get a little fancier by jazzing it up with a squeeze of lime, a few slices of fresh chopped ginger, and a bit of soy sauce. You can use this delicious base to steam fish, veggies, and meats.

Grilled Fish

A traditional Japanese fish dish is mackerel, which is grilled and topped with mirin-boshi, a sauce made of soy sauce, mirin, and a little sugar. This simple marinade will work well with any fish, not just mackerel. Just make sure to marinate whatever fish you choose for at least 20 minutes before cooking. If you don't have a grill at home, you can even use a broiler to cook the fish.

Steak

Toast garlic in oil until evenly browned and fragrant. Add 1 part mirin to 2 parts sake (in tablespoons). Then add 2 tablespoons of butter for every tablespoon of sake. Cook your steaks to your preference and spoon your sake-mirin butter sauce over the steaks to finish.

Sukiyaki, a Simmered Stew

Sukiyaki is a perfect wintertime dish that warms the soul and spirit. Nothing brings people together like crowding around a simmering pot of stew. You'll also love it because it's a one-pot meal, which means easier prep and clean up. Just grab some thinly sliced cuts of meat, noodles, cut veggies, and mushrooms, and let them cook in a shallow pot of dashi and sukiyaki sauce (mirin, sake, sugar, and soy sauce).

Stir-Fried Udon

Stir fry the meat of your choice (chicken, ground pork, beef, etc). Then add in thinly sliced vegetables like cabbage, carrots, and onions. Next, toss in some frozen udon noodles with a noodle sauce of soy sauce, oyster sauce, mirin, brown sugar, and rice wine vinegar. Voila! You've got an easy and delicious meal.

Bokksu Market: Your Gateway to Authentic Japanese Ingredients

You might be wondering if you can find quality mirin at your local grocery store. You don’t need to stress. Bokksu Market lets you order groceries online from the comfort of your home. You'll find all the essential Japanese cooking ingredients and products you need, from snacks to sauces and spices to even some cookware.

Once you start using mirin, it will quickly become a cooking staple in your household to round off a dish and give it a boost of complexity. So, what are you waiting for? Grab a bottle and start cooking some delicious Japanese dishes.

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