Once a year Trader Joe's Island Soyaki hits shelves. Yes, it sounds a lot like soyaki but this one is much more tropical in taste.
Taste and review
It's July and it's been hot as anything. So, cooking is not high on my priority list. So consider this review a continuation of a previous night's scallop review.
I have my fair share of marinades sitting in my cabinet waiting to be used. So reached for this one. They do sell a similar-sounding Soyaki marinade, but I haven't cracked that bottle open just yet.
What stands out about this marinade is the obvious island theme of this bottle. It's bright, yellow, and makes me think about the time I spent in the Caribbean.
Being that it is hotter than the Caribbean here in New York lately, this was the bottle I went for.
This dark-hued liquid looks nearly identical to the similar-sounding Soyaki marinade with at least one notable exception: pineapple.
If you want your meat to be tender, then marinade it in pineapple juice. Pineapple juice contains an enzyme called bromelain which can make meat more tender. Not all pineapple juice has this ability. If the juice is canned, powdered, or bottled the enzyme will be destroyed in the process. If it's fresh or frozen, then it is still intact.
In either case, I marinaded the scallops for about 20 minutes before putting them in a super hot pan in an effort to cook in under 5 minutes. The marinade bubbled and created a dark-colored glaze on the scallops that I had.
The flavor here is primarily teriyaki in all of its rich soy sauce flavor. But other flavors are very much there as well. Ginger and sesame were present as was the acidity from both the pineapple juice and vinegar. The sesame seeds were there but did not seem to play a major role. The sesame oil added the flavor.
Overall
This is a solid marinade. It was a bit strong for my liking as a dipping sauce, but if you are a teriyaki fan then you may like this twist on a classic.
For $3.69 it's a pretty decent-sized bottle. And if you like the taste of teriyaki you might like this too.
Product photos
The bottle of Trader Joe's Island Soyaki:
The nutritional information and the ingredients:
How to prepare:
After being used to marinate some scallops:
Would I buy this again? Yes, I would buy Trader Joe's Island Soyaki again.
Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe’s for a searchable list.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
The Bottom Line
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Trader Joe's Island Soyaki
Product Name: Trader Joe's Island Soyaki
Product Description: Trader Joe's Island Soyaki is a seasonal marinade.
Price: $3.69
Summary
Trader Joe's Island Soyaki is a seasonal marinade that makes an appearance usually in the summer months.
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Taste
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Value
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Worthy of Repurchasing
Pros
- Trader Joe's Island Soyaki is different from other teriyaki sauces on the market and slightly different than the similar-sounding Trader Joe's Soyaki.
Cons
- If you don't like pineapple, then you should skip this item.
- This also tastes very salty, so you might be better off using this sparingly if you are going to marinade something.
I also like this product. I just wish they'd find a way to use less sodium. 13 percent of your daily per tbsp is alot.
Hey Dag! Yes, I know that is a bummer. This tastes salty too. But as a marinade where I wasn't using all of it, I'd like to think most of it did not end up in the pan. But anything with soy sauce seems to always have quite of bit of sodium in it.
Yay for pineapple! I love it, so this might be just the right amount of tantalizing. Next trip is mid-August, so I'd best start a list - you've provided too many possibilities to brain retain!
Virtual hugs,
Judie
Hey Judie! I can't wait to hear and see your trip! I know you'll post lots of pictures. Thanks so much for stopping by!
I liked this one but compared to the Soyaki that’s my preference, i think the pineapple flavor here wasn’t my favorite- and I don’t ever marinade meats so the tenderizing effect is unnecessary.
I use the soyaki a lot both as a marinade (makes amazing baked tofu) and as a condiment for stir fry or dumplings etc.
How long does this last once opened in the fridge?
I don't have a solid answer for you but I did find this and hope it might be of some help: https://www.thekitchn.com/how-long-can-you-keep-opened-condiments-tips-from-the-kitchn-45971