I tried finding the BEST Light Soy Sauce | JON KUNG

[@hellohihihithere]

14:18 the "chinese time honored brand" is just a title granted by the ministery of commerce of china to companies in china that existed before 1956. the brand name is actually DongGu东古

[@jonkung]

Thank you!!!! Pinning this.

[@hellohihihithere]

@@jonkung no problem

[@alaineth]

Time honoured comment

[@MsElfaba]

would love to see this as a series like with fish sauce, dark soy sauce, etc

[@subsonicdeathmonkey]

Same!

[@_iota]

Kimlan is my favorite, nice to see this validated by others as well

[@CPrs3394]

I think 7 is Donggu soy sauce which Chinese Cooking Demystified recommends. They mentioned they see it VERY often in restaurants kitchen in mainland China. It’s usually in a bigger bottle with a dark gold label. From what I’ve heard you about a 50/50 chance of finding it in a Chinese grocery store in a big US city. I use it as my day to day and its great for dipping or stir frying

[@JintiGoat]

I am HERE for the La Choy violence. My condolences for your pain of now havin' to work through a whole bottle that ya bought for a video.

[@steviec5636]

Loved the review video. I'd def be interested in the "superior" versions as well. And maybe mixed with a fried rice to see if it changes when cooked?

[@jeffryborror4883]

By putting yourself out there in a blind test, we all learn. And love your personal style. Thanks.

[@kidyuki1]

Love this and looking forward to hearing about the different tiers of soy sauce.

[@MrAcheivable]

Lee kum kee is awesome love their mushroom dark soy and their seasoning soy sauces they're brand is trusted by me for sure!

[@rosejustice]

This was so cool, Jon! It taught me a lot even without having soy sauce in front of me. Thank you for doing this.

[@matthiass.19]

Very nice video. I'd like to see a rice test, or at least a video about different kinds of rice. I usually just use jasmin, basmati, and black rice, but I'd like to know more about the different pros and cons and when to use them.

[@ernsstts]

was gonna ask where the kikkoman was, then you got to no.6 :/ i feel like i'm gonna get schooled again for using japanese soy sauce in chinese cooking

[@firstnamelastname9631]

Kikkoman rules!

[@fumetsuno3407]

kikkoman, lee kum kee

[@Than211]

It's not that you can't, but the end result might be slightly different than intended because ultimately, it is just a salting agent.

[@Daiker974]

​@@Than211it's not just a salty agent, it does add its complexity to the dish. Just like the wine you use in cooking

[@racker3277]

Kikkoman tends to be weaker taste when it compares to Chinese style soy sauce, most likely is Japanese one don’t have MSG added. However, my go to would normally be LKK‘s Premium Soy. But the best one IMOis gonna be Jammy Chai‘s Supreme Soy Sauce

[@zalibecquerel3463]

Pearl River Gang represent. For the love of Martin Yan, I've been trying my whole life to find a passable DARK soy sauce. Every brand I try seems to have a horrible chemical molasses taste to them, which is so annoying as it takes months to get through a bottle of dark soy sauce. The best I can do is substitute kecap manis, but that's a different thing entirely, and even some of those suck.

[@JediCoati]

Chiming in that I'd love a dark soy review next!

[@yocray2915]

What are you making with your dark soy sauce? Chinese recipes usually use dark soy sauce mostly for colour, not flavour. You'd never find a recipe that calls for only dark soy sauce without light soy sauce. Dark soy sauce pretty much always contains molasses and caramel colouring. It's like the Chinese equivalent of Jamaican browning sauce, which is basically just slightly charred caramel.

[@Daiker974]

​@@yocray2915it's also used for its complexity, if it was only for coloring you could be using it with the same amount as light soy sauce if you didn't care about the color. But no it's definitely richer than the light one and can overwhelm the over taste

[@zalibecquerel3463]

@@yocray2915 Excellent question. You know your dark soy sauce. I only use it for stir fried flat rice noodles (Hor Fun), some beef dishes for colour, and master stock, for poaching chicken. Even then, it's always a 50/50 mix of dark and light. I live on my own and go through a bottle of light soy sauce every couple of months. Takes me a year to get through a bottle of dark soy sauce. I'm aware that dark soy sauce contains caramel and sometimes molasses. Some of it is just "nasty", using military-industrial molasses rather than caramelised sugar.

[@yocray2915]

@@zalibecquerel3463 Have you tried Lee Kum Kee's premium dark soy sauce? That's what my family's been using since before I can remember. Honestly though, if you don't like the flavour, it's fine to just skip it. A lot of Chinese people only buy light soy sauce.

[@annalockwood3021]

Thank you for this comparison! I have several other bottles of soy sauce in my pantry, but hadn't really understood how different they are, and how to use them best.

[@thepidmaster]

I used to use Pearl River Bridge Soy sauce all the time. One time, I went shopping at an Asian market with my friends dad (they are from Taiwan). He saw me about to grab the Pearl River Soy Sauce and just about slapped it out of my hand and proceeded to tell me about how unsanitary the factories where it is made were and still are (was there a bit of Taiwan bias against China in there? probably... but I don't doubt that he new some actual stories). for many years now since then I have always used his recommendation, the Lee Kum Kee brand. Now I guess I have a few more I could try.

[@marksando3082]

Thanks for this. Pearl River was also my go to light soy sauce but I'm going to try Lee Kum Kee as well as Kimlan!

[@sunflowerbaby1853]

Trying different brands of commonly used products would be a great series. Try toasted sesame sauce next.

[@zalibecquerel3463]

@@sunflowerbaby1853 If you're doing this, also try the various black sesames. Word on the street us LKK is sub par, so weak you can even use it to fry in.

[@HarithBK]

i mean the norm is to have like 5-6 different bottles of soy sauce around. you have your light japanese soy sauce with the kikkoman, your light chinese soy sauce pearl river is my go to, your dark dark chinese soy sauce, your dark chinese soy sauce fortified with mushrooms as of late i have a light thai soy sauce. they all have there usage. with that said the really insulting part about La choy is that the chinese brands that are so much better are cheaper than that crap.

[@subsonicdeathmonkey]

I learned some more about soy sauce, which is always fabulous! I’d love to see more of these types of videos. Thank you 🙏

[@neverrr]

Please compare the premium versions too! Especially LKK premium vs Pearl River Bridge Gold. I have to know!

[@littlebumgorf]

i often get pearl river because the label made it seem nice but i will switch to lee kum kee from now on for cooking!! thanks jon

[@SatchmoBronson]

Super interesting! Can't wait to see the rankings of the grades. I usually buy Pearl River Gold Label so it'll be interesting to see if there's a big difference.

[@camillebeard5978]

I learned so much in this video and I have at least 4 different soy sauces in pantry at all times. I have never used the Kim Lan brand but am really curious to try now.

[@TeaBurn]

I love this video. I was happy to know that my own tastes of some of these brands were pretty much the same conclusions you came to: The western La Choy or store brand one were trash and is an insult to my taste buds, or maybe it's just geared more toward western palates...The Pearl River being not so great on it's own for dipping, being better for cooking, overall very mid...And finally Lee Kum Kee being the parent's favorite child; it's what we use most in our household for almost everything, so much so we buy the large bulky 1.9L refill bottles. Maybe that's why the only refill bottles at my local supermarket only stocks Lee Kum Kee brand, as it's one of the most popular. I'm going to have to try out the top two though 14:34, as I'm unfamiliar with Kimlan on the right, with it having that licorice extract component...very unusual. Definately going to look out for Kimlan. Whereas I'm pretty sure I had "Donggu" on the left a long time ago, only when my mother used to occasionally use it to cook. For the "Donggu" brand in particular, it's quite dark and thick, to the point it looks like it stains the inside of the bottle...Not so sure I'd put it on the same category as a light soy sauce, maybe in between light and dark sauces, or full-on dark soy sauce. It's so much darker than the rest. I'm guessing it has higher content of amino acids. Probably not something I'd want to use in every day (since I have Lee Kum Kee for that) unless I want a kind of mushroomy taste for a saute, or to dip in, once in a blue moon.

[@janem3575]

the video series I didn't know I needed. yes. series. all the sauces! and does cooking change the ones with complex flavors!

[@thefoktographer]

Can you do a taste test of the premium lines? Not willing to compromise on my soy sauce

[@martinyang5459]

Respect for doing the tasting blind! It's so easy to get swayed by our perceptions. I've been choosing Pearl River Bridge for years. I've always heard that it's a good brand. But I've never tested that belief, because what kind of nutter buys a dozen soy sauces to compare? Thanks for doing this. Could you mention the ingredients in the video or description? I would choose a soy sauce with just soy, wheat, and salt over one with added sugar and MSG even if the latter tasted better. Because I can add the sugar and MSG myself, thanks very much.

[@joshknoll5172]

Now, I want to try this myself to see which light soy sauce I prefer. Thanks for doing this video.

[@cara9648]

I grew up on Japanese soy sauce, so I don't know if I've ever had Chinese soy sauce. I'll have to get a bottle of one of the top picks and try it out.

[@frothywalrus]

When my favorite brand comes out on top! Go Kimlan! (I just chose it cause of the label and never changed)

[@dianemarieevans9145]

Great Video! I'm not a gourmet by any means, but I have never-ever liked LA Choy anything. But I'm excited to try out your recommendations! Thank you again for another great video!😊

[@CakeboyRiP]

Love this video! Thank you for helping me pick which one i need most

[@Sgettieddi]

This is very helpful. My list of only naturally brewed soy sauces that I have tried started 4 years ago. I am doing it the slow way, using an entire bottle until the next test subject. The exceptions that are just so bad I toss them. Here in SE Michigan, Kikkoman used to be the restaurant soy sauce of choice, but for the past 10 years the is a red packet I can not read. My latest taste test is the Organic Wan Ja Shan and I was hoping it would be great because it is made in the USA and is naturally brewed for "over 6 months". It burned my throat when I sipped about a half teaspoon. My favorite soy sauce was a Japanese Soy Sauce called "Take" It had a red label but I have never been able to find it again. My choices are very old school. I will not include any chemically brewed or with "Natural or Artificial Flavors, colors, or MSG.

[@HADESPAYLOAD]

This is a great comparison. Too often these are not taking into account cuisine. You go into cooking, dipping and such and application changes what you might seek. I have a clear Japanese soy with dashi wow that is amazing straight on rice so delicate flavor. You brought up good points for looking at the main ingredients. A place i stayed at in Japan made their soy with the spring water that also supplies the Onsen in Hitoyoshi. Certainly look for the small batch places they can be amazing like a beer micro brewery. I have these same feeling for fish sauce you often need a Thai fish sauce or redboat for thai dishes or they might need some tweaking. I dont know if you have done a video on dark soy or black soy? There are some that are unique and have specific applications. Dark and Black can be easily misunderstood and myself really am curious. You help me think of the application with you delivery so that was really good. Not over produced and concise. **Love Timestamps**

[@jside108]

Excited to see the taste test of the higher tier. Always want to get higher tier soy sauce but never want to spend the money. Now i will have a frame of refence.

[@ky0kami]

This isn’t what we asked for but this is what we needed

[@MWBowen403]

I love that you suffered through this by tasting awful soy sauces. Thank you for sharing Jon!

[@_mball_]

Would definitely love to see some grade level comparisons. and maybe one on korean soy sauces too

[@mxm3158]

I agree from my experience that the Taiwanese Kim Lan brand is one of the best

[@80sGuy.]

Bummer, you left out two of the top brands - Kikkoman and Maggi Seasoning! Taste wise (to me) Kimlan is a MUST have. Been using the brand for ages because of the balanced taste and flavor. I use all their varieties for Asian cooking (Light, Dark, Reg) and for seasoning. For Japanese such as like raw fish sushi, it is unquestionably or without doubt has to be Kikkoman, and there is no substitute. It is just the right choice. And for everything in between, believe it or not it is 'Maggi Seasoning'. I love the distinct flavor and it goes well especially with spam & eggs over rice!

[@mettatonneoex]

Kimlan is a Top Notch Daily option. As for a good Shoyu I would Recommend Yamasa Organic (incredible value option and good in some Chinese food)

[@DedlyLittleMello]

Your dislike of La Choy instantly made me think of not liking Green Eggs & Ham. You wouldn’t like it in a house, you wouldn’t like it with a mouse 🤣

[@_mball_]

I was waiting for "I would not like it with a duck, I would not like it with a bao" ...though I'm having a hard time rhyming chinese dishes!

[@AcornFox]

⁠@@_mball_i do not like it with pork, i do not like it with cow

[@eggsaladsamich7396]

Always appreciate the info and the heart symbol on my comment , I've been watching you for 3 years I feel like

[@bettypang4971]

I actually enjoy for a few years the Lee Kum Kee premium soy sauce ❤it pairs so well with wok Hei! Then again the same brand’s dark soy sauce is not as thick and intense as the Pearl River’s 草菇老抽 dark soy mushroom sauce 😊 so I still use the Pearl River dark but do try high heat stir fry with the LKK premium soy sauce… it is so fragrant and delicious ❤

[@DP-jaja]

This is great Big Jon!!! How about the lotus root kimchi before the fall 😂~Jajamyun Guy PS-you should moonlight doing stand up….you’re a natural! Kind of like how Nigel Ng went from stand up to Uncle Roger (reviewing food) you’d do the opposite doing stand up comedy about food, cooking, culture, etc!!!

[@ryanjv]

168 Mart has so many soy sauces. I tend to normally stick to pearl river but I think I'll get a few varieties to mix it up

[@Sgettieddi]

It is a bonus for us in SE Michigan.

[@jamesblhollands]

Thank you! This was really useful. What make are your spectacles? They're great.

[@ChurchladyHmm]

I love this! Im always at a loss for which brands to buy

[@PCRoss2469]

That was really good man, thanks

[@MariahBenson-j4t]

Oh, you a real one. I just got housing from a long struggle, and it’s time to get back into my Asian taste! I need some dark soy sauce recs unless you have that video lol

[@matsuomasato]

god I hope LKK ranks high because it's the only light soy sauce that's available here

[@tracystoermer9638]

The power of raging adhd 🤣 That is so real. This was a great learning experience! It would make a cool series to do different sauces. 👏🏼

[@Crokto]

low sodium salt is absolutely a thing haha - they replace some of the sodium chloride with potassium chloride. if salt intake is a concern for you, its one of the simplest modifications you can make to your diet for significant improvements in health outcomes. i do wonder if there are low sodium soy sauces that work the same way

[@GreekTurkey]

I was coming to comment about this: most low sodium soy sauces do use potassium chloride!

[@Ang-n9p]

I loved this!! I love these review videos

[@missmaryblack1990]

This was super helpful and interesting.

[@sayajinmamuang]

Would the organic soy sauce and kikoman taste the same? I feel like kikoman and lee kum kee have a difference in body. But i find lee kum kee not really good for fried rice more for making dipping sauces.

[@vincentnguyen3068]

I absolutely love this content!!! +1 subscriber

[@dragonhero14]

Most store brands of Soy Sauce try to be a cheaper version of Kikkoman. I do wish it was easier to navigate soy sauces types and brands. Even going into an asian grocery store and asking staff for help lends mixed results since they will only recommend a popular brand that sells well, what they grew up using, or what most non asians come into the store for.

[@zalibecquerel3463]

@@dragonhero14 Try this. Go to an Asian grocer. Stand near the soy sauce. At some point, a 90 year old grandmother will come along and grab a bottle of soy sauce. BUY THAT BRAND!!!

[@OffSheGos]

Bless this man. This is a house staple for me.

[@StrangeQuack]

This is the videi I needed! Plus gluten free soy sauce! 😭 Pearl River Bridge has a Gluten-free versiin, but it's *drumroll* low sodium 🙄🙈

[@geofsawaya394]

That’s a really good point, Jon - you’re tasting out of context (I mean, most people don’t buy the sauce to drink on its own)

[@pavilreutov1821]

You need to try the canadian china Lily soy sauce. That's my favorite

[@ChaunchoCYM]

My go to soy sauce has been Healthy Boy Brand Mushroom Soy Sauce after a former roommate introduced me to it. I put a little bit of that soy sauce + some gochujang in damn near everything I make.

[@LC_JSE]

I've never heard of La Choy or I think seen it, so lucky me!

[@benhillard919]

Will there be coverage of dark soy sauce? or am i getting ahead of myself

[@jonkung]

Oh there will be

[@SatchmoBronson]

@@jonkung let's gooo

[@1utube01]

My favorite is Kimlan I-jen! But it has to be I-jen.

[@Adamrc98]

I’ve always felt Pearl River Bridge has a pretty unpleasant chemically, alkalinity. I switched over to Lee Kum Kee when I moved in with my girlfriend because she had been Gluten Free and their GF soy sauce is fantastic. Pretty happy with it but excited to try Donggu once we’re done with the big jug we have lol I will say I’m pretty adverse to the additives though, idk

[@jieeeee]

Honorable mention: Maggi seasoning! Perfect for Cantonese steamed fish!

[@andrewyouv]

Would love to see you try different fish sauces next :D

[@zalibecquerel3463]

@@andrewyouv Red Boat. ATK and Pailin both agree.

[@ApolloandMuse]

Feel free to go into as much detail as you feel like, I love detailed videos like this. 😂 Have you tried black bean soy sauce? Pure black bean soy sauces are naturally gluten free. There’s a family run place in Taiwan that specializes in it.

[@justin2166]

Do fish sauce next.

[@meggiemegggs]

YES. His poor housemates

[@zalibecquerel3463]

@@justin2166 Red Boat. Too easy. America's Test Kitchen and Pain Linn both agree. Squid brand if you're poor.

[@erin_ly]

@5:49 Put that on a hat or other merch 😂❤

[@Ragnarok043]

another big difference with low sodium soy is that with the lower salt content they have to add citric acid to keep shelf stable which i do not like the sour taste of

[@jonkung]

I didn’t know that but it makes sense

[@I2lovepizza]

why no Kikkoman

[@TheMichaelyim]

Hi everyone! I make soy. It’s called Yamae Soy. Plss buy!

[@eggsaladsamich7396]

Thanks chef

[@PCDisciple]

This is an incredibly important video, saved

[@nrothe2898]

Dude the Alton Brown energy of this video

[@isroying]

Not sure if you read Chinese but some of the selections are not labeled light soy sauce. As a Hongkonger-American, my understanding is that the distinctions of light/dark soy sauce 生抽/老抽 is more about Cantonese cuisine. For instance, Taiwan-based Kimlan does make at least two light soy sauce products, which has been more targeted for the Hong Kong market, and available in the US. I don't think those are available in Taiwan, as Taiwan is known to Hongkongers as a place not easy to find light or dark soy sauce, their typical soy sauce offerings are mostly labeled as 醬油. The generic term of soy sauce to Cantonese people is 豉油, assumed to be light soy sauce if not specified. The Kimlan you use is not one of those light soy sauce products. Out of your selections here, only Amoy, LKK, and Pearl River Bridge are clearly labeled as light soy sauce. Donggu labeled this product as 味極鮮 (literally: tastes extremely umami), which is a relatively new term, some define it as light soy sauce with added flavor enhancement. I would consider the Kimlan and Wan Ja Shang ones as Taiwanese soy sauce. Both are Taiwanese brands and labeled as 醬油. I never (knowingly) tried La Choy or Meijer, my guess is that mainstream American market soy sauce would model it after Kikkoman, as this Japanese brand has an early start in the market. LKK has a relatively long history in the US but they didn't do soy sauce until like 20/30 years ago. In my kitchen, I have Koon Chun 冠珍 light and dark soy sauce for my everyday use, very affordable and available in many Asian grocery stores in the Bay Area, and not tasting as "laboratory" as LKK (I find LKK condiments mostly lacking in layering of flavors - mostly homogenized). Also have a somewhat premium version of Kikkoman for Japanese style dishes or stews (Chinese soy sauce would turn sour with long cooking time), and a bottle of first extraction light soy sauce 頭抽 from 大孖 or 悅和 (brought in from either HK or Canada into the US) for dipping.

[@mon6745]

Love this

[@kamahl75]

Were you in LAX Tuesday night? I thought I saw you and didn't want to bother!

[@jonkung]

I was!

[@kamahl75]

@@jonkung thanks as always for the videos!

[@jonkung]

It’s my pleasure 😊

[@DuyNguyen-mz4rq]

This is like me with fish sauces. Or tequila 😂. Also, where was Kikkoman in the test?

[@twostate7822]

Since you use an average ranked soy sauce for cooking, can you tell the difference between soy sauces once you've added ginger, garlic, oyster sauce, etc in addition to the dish ingredients? Why don't you use your premium soy sauce for cooking?

[@CatalinaDF]

Thanks!

[@jonkung]

Thank you so much Catherine!

[@DP-jaja]

React to Korean and Japanese soy sauces Jon!~Jajamyun Guy

[@oueia]

I've gotten so used to cheap soy sauce I always get caught offguard when tasting 'premium' soy sauce.

[@DedlyLittleMello]

I guess Meijer should’ve actually been called Meh-yer 😏🤣 Don’t mind me

[@C_f_Bundy]

My favorite soy sauce is Golden Mountain seasoning sauce.

[@80sGuy.]

Golden Mountain tastes similar to Maggi Seasoning, almost that is. Great for Thai cooking though.

[@racheltrudell3782]

Sadly LaChoy is naturally gluten free and easy to find for a celiac growing up. Now I’m glad there are more tamari sauces available.

[@LOLCoolJ]

Lee Kum Kee Premium is my daily soy sauce. Love the Wheatiness.

[@blipblap614]

How do I explain to my partner that the jug only says "best by 2012" to convey its future power?

[@saiganlord]

Ayyy this is great.

[@SansBalance]

What the heck is "La Choy"? I lived in U.S. for decades, and I've never seen it. Then again, I'd never look for soy sauce in Walmart or such... 😅

[@SatchmoBronson]

Yeah, I've actually never seen it either, even in Western supermarkets. I wonder if I've just been walking right past it for decades.

[@Mar-enfrance]

Kikkoman is Japanese soysauce, amd the MOST expensive. They are great in marketing and ads.

[@swyoung69]

Aloha Shoyu is da besst

[@babadukk]

I'm also surprised how low you rated Pearl River

[@jonkung]

I was surprised too

[@partituravid]

You ROCK that raging ADHD.

[@pkendall99]

where's Kikkoman????

[@jonkung]

That’s Japanese

[@peterat100]

The hydrolyzed are not naturally brewed

[@mattymattffs]

My Chinese in-laws meanwhile swear by Kikkoman because of the big bottle they can get from Costco lol

[@EbonySaints]

There's good, and then there's plenty, which is also good.