Can Teriyaki Sauce Go Bad? All the Secrets About the Product You Wanted to Know

Teriyaki is an irreplaceable part of many Asian dishes. This sweet and piquant product is quite durable and it can live on the cabinet shelf for two years if we keep it correctly. Refrigerate your teriyaki for keeping it fresh longer, and note that it will still be edible even pst its expiry date!

Do you want to know whether old teriyaki is still ok to intake?

Today, the answer will be discovered! 

Related: Does Balsamic Vinegar Go bad?

How to Store Teriyaki Sauce?

We are used to the idea that condiments must be stored on the cupboard or a cabinet shelf. In fact, this is the optimal option since most sauces need the same deposit environment.

Since teriyaki is mostly made of soy sauce, their storage requirements are pretty much the same.

  1. Let the unopened bottle remain in a cupboard or on the cabinet shelf
  2. Make sure the bottle stays away from the sources of heat or direct sunlight
  3. Place the condiment tank into the dry and cool place

A frequent point of concern exists regarding whether to refrigerate teriyaki or not.

Well, it hangs upon for what period of time we are going to make use of the condiment.

If we are sure that the whole tank will be utilized during the next few months, there is no point in refrigerating it. Just place the tank to the cabinet. Since teriyaki contains a lot of salt which is a typical organic preserving agent, the product is well-protected from spoiling.

However, if the expected term of use will be longer, then refrigeration makes sense since it will support the condition of the product longer. The homemade condiment is also better to keep chilled.

Related: Does Tahini Go Bad? Expiration Date Guideline

How to Store Teriyaki Sauce
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Store It In an Airtight Glass Container

To extend your Teriyaki’s lifespan and preserve the taste and flavor of this unusual sauce, it is recommended to store it in an airtight glass container.

An airtight lid will prevent other smells from mixing with the flavor of Teriyaki, and the glass is also sturdy enough (unlike plastic, for example) to not let other odors sneak into the container. This way, your sauce can be stored for for up to two weeks in the fridge.

Store It In an Airtight Glass Container
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Freeze Sauce

If you buy too much Teriyaki or you make too much of it, you will definitely face the necessity of preserving the sauce. However, refrigerating it won’t allow you to keep the sauce edible long enough! The maximum shelf life you can achieve is two weeks. But what if you need to keep your Teriyaki for longer?

In this case, freezing is your savior! Simply store the Teriyaki sauce in an ice cube tray and then pop out each cube of sauce and add it into your favorite recipes. Alternatively, you can store the sauce flat in freezer bags, or in a plastic container.

However, it might be more difficult for you to use it in smaller portions afterward. When stored in the freezer the sauce will last for up to 3 months.

Freeze Sauce
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Can You Freeze Teriyaki Sauce?

Some consumers often wonder whether freezing teriyaki is fine. Well, the condiment itself can be simply exposed to frost and it hardens pretty well. But why would you do this?

Teriyaki is known for its long lifespan which normally means that no special measures are needed to keep the product fresh. Indeed, a store-bought bottle of this Japanese sauce can safely live on the cupboard shelf for a year or even more!

How to Store Teriyaki Sauce
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Nevertheless, when it comes to a homemade product, everything is a bit different. Since homemade teriyaki doesn’t contain those artificial preservatives that the commercially made one has, keeping it fresh may be rather challenging!

That is why frosting is the optimal variant for preserving your handmade product.

We advise everyone to choose ice cube forms for that.

  1. Fill the forms with the condiment
  2. Toss them into the freezing camera and let them stay there until the condiment is solid
  3. Remove the forms and pop the hardened condiment out
  4. Sort them into the frost-friendly packets that can be re-sealed
  5. Return the new packets back to the freezer

That’s it! As it can be seen, freezing your homemade teriyaki is not a big deal! 

Related: How Long Does Hummus Last?

How Long Will Teriyaki Sauce Last?

We have noted that this condiment has a pretty long lifespan. Many people often worry when their foodstuff passes the best-by date but in fact, there is nothing to worry about.

This date only shows for what period of time the product will be at the best quality, but your teriyaki can be safely consumed even past this term.

Due to a large amount of salt that works as a natural preserving agent, this foodstuff will stay usable even after a year past its best-by date!

Can You Freeze Teriyaki Sauce
Photo by Agto Nugroho on Unsplash

Another good thing about this product is that the condiment won’t lose its aroma and taste during the extended storage.

However, it was all true for the unopened bottle. If you already unscrewed it, it will stay consumable for a year if being refrigerated. In case you leave it on the shelf, be ready that its lifespan will decrease.

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And by the way, note that teriyaki stays consumable longer when it is stored according to the storage requirements so it won’t turn bad!

How Long Can Teriyaki Be Stored After Opening?

If you like to use Teriyaki sauce in your dishes, you probably wonder how to store it longer, especially if the bottle is already opened. Its shelf life in an opened container will depend on where you keep it. Teriyaki sauce will only last for about a week if stored in an unsealed container at room temperature. 

However, if you store it properly in the fridge, even an opened bottle of this sauce can last up to 3 months! If you want to extend its lifespan, note that the Teriyaki sauce can also be frozen. In this case, it will last for up to 6 months in a clean, airtight container.

How to Store Homemade Teriyaki Sauce?

If you are worried about how well your homemade Teriyaki can be stored, there is no need for stress. Homemade teriyaki sauce stores great! To store your DIY teriyaki sauce, place it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

This way, you can keep either freshly made sauce or leftovers you want to use next time.

How to Tell If Teriyaki Sauce Is Bad?

Nevertheless, even such a durable foodstuff can become bad if we break some of the prescribed storage rules.

How Long Will Teriyaki Sauce Last
Photo by Daniel Apodaca on Unsplash

If the tank was exposed to heat, light, or the surroundings where you keep it is too moist, be ready that the condiment may decrease its quality.

To be absolutely sure, check your teriyaki:

  1. if the product smells bad
  2. if its taste is off and unpleasant
  3. if any traces of mold inside the tank are found

discard such a product since it is impossible to use it anymore.

Even though such dramatic changes are highly unlikely to take place, you’d better check the tank of teriyaki regularly to notice the first signs of spoiling at the right time. 

Conclusion

Now you know whether Teriyaki sauce can go bad and what to do to keep it delicious and ready to consume longer. We shared a few helpful tips on storing and preserving this condiment, as well as explained how long it lasts and how to tell if it’s bad or not.

You also know how to store homemade Teriyaki correctly. With that in mind, this Asian sauce will always be ready for you to add to your culinary masterpieces!

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Read next: How Long Does Salsa Last?

32 thoughts on “Can Teriyaki Sauce Go Bad? All the Secrets About the Product You Wanted to Know”

  1. Hello! Is anyone here familiar with Asian cuisine?! We have ordered some teriyaki chicken today and there’s still too much left. How long does teriyaki chicken last in the fridge? Shall we chill it at all? Maybe it’s better to freeze?

    • Hey! I always refrigerate the leftover chicken no matter teriyaki or not! My experience shows that it will stay good for 3-4 days. Only cover it properly to avoid drying out!

  2. Is it OK to use expired teriyaki sauce? I have half a bottle but it was bought last year!

    • This sauce lasts quite long and stays edible past the expiry date. If it smells and tastes fine, feel free to use it.

  3. Hey guys! I need help from you people! How long will teriyaki last in the fridge? I have some sauce left and don’t want to throw it away. P.S. The bottle is opened. Thanks!

    • Hello! If you refrigerate it, the sauce will last for nearly a year. Only keep the bottle tightly closed after you use the sauce!

  4. Can you get food poisoning from soy sauce? I used some of mine which is pretty old and now I don’t feel quite well. Maybe old soy sauce is not ok to eat?

    • Old soy sauce, if it was stored correctly, can’t cause food poisoning. However, if the product has signs of spoilage (e.g. mold, off odor, or weird taste), then certain symptoms may occur. We advise you to check your product for any signs of spoilage described above.

  5. Good day everyone! I’m not a pro at the exotic dishes but I do need a hint! I’ve got some teriyaki chicken left and I’d like to keep it. It’s just that I have no idea how to store it better. Will it survive for a couple of days? How long does cooked teriyaki chicken last in the refrigerator at all?

    • Hey there! As far as I know, this dish will be fine for 3-4 days more after it was cooked. Make sure you cover it properly, otherwise the meat will dry pretty fast!

  6. How do you know when soy sauce is bad? Is there a way to recognize when it is off?

    • Normally, soy sauce is very durable. But if it was stored improperly, certain signs of spoilage may occur, e.g. mold, off odor, weird taste or even the change of the color.

  7. I decided to dive into Japanese cuisine and bought a full load of different cooking stuff like sauces, spices, etc yesterday. And there’s that Teriyaki sauce as well. But now I’m wondering how to keep it. Does bottled teriyaki sauce go bad?

    • Well, yes, it does go bad like any other foodstuff! Of course, it’s quite durable stuff since an opened bottle of Teriyaki can remain consumable for a year if refrigerated! And even if you keep it unchilled, you can expect the sauce to last for half a year for sure. But spoilage will begin sooner or later anyway.

  8. My Teriyaki expired a week ago or so. But it looks and smells fine, and the texture and taste of the sauce is alright. Is it ok to use expired teriyaki sauce in such a case?

    • I am sure it is ok if you use it. See, Teriyaki can be safely consumed even past the expiry date, so since yours is only a week past that term, and it shows no signs of spoilage, I would say it is fine to consume it.

  9. Yesterday I found an unopened bottle of Teriyaki that must be pretty old judging from how it looks. I’m pretty sure it’s about 6-8 months old. Does unopened teriyaki sauce go bad? What do you think?

    • If you stored it right and the sauce was kept away from heat and light in a cool and dry place, it is more likely to be still fine. You can open it and sniff or give it a taste. If the flavor and taste are fine, then use it with no doubts. Teriyaki is rather durable, you know, so unopened sauce is able to retain its quality for a year or even longer.

  10. How long does homemade teriyaki sauce last? Is it the same durable as a store-bought alternative?

    • No, it’s not that long lasting! Homemade Teriyaki will last for a maximum of two or three weeks if you keep it in the fridge. Compare it to a store-bought alternative that can remain fine for months, and you will see the difference!

  11. What happens if you don’t refrigerate teriyaki sauce after opening? Will it cause sooner spoilage? The sauce was bought in a store and I keep it in a kitchen cabinet so it’s out of reach of heat and light, but still – is it possible that it will degrade faster?

    • No, it’s hardly possible, as for me. Since it’s being stored properly (according to what you described), I’d say your Teriyaki will easily last for several months.

  12.  I’m not good at storing exotic sauces and spices, but a friend of mine brought me a bottle of original Japanese Teriyaki recently. I haven’t opened it yet and I’m keeping it in the fridge for now. So here’s the question: how long can teriyaki sauce be refrigerated?

    • I’m pretty sure you can store it for nearly a year without worries about the quality or safety of the sauce. That’s if the sauce is opened. In your case, the term will be even more extended. See, Teriyaki is quite a long-lasting sort of seasoning so don’t bother about its term of use.

  13. Does teriyaki sauce go bad if not opened? And where is it best to store it in this case? 

    • Oh, this stuff is pretty long-lasting! I remember I stored a bottle of teriyaki for about 3 years! But this is only possible if thai sauce is properly stored.

  14. Can teriyaki sauce make you sick if you use it softly after the best by date expires?

    • I don’t think it will make you sick. Once I used teriyaki that expired several week before, and the sauce was still good! But of course, if your sauce expired long ago, I think you’d better discard it.

  15. made my own DIY teriyaki for the first time! But now I have a question: how long does homemade teriyaki sauce last in the fridge? What’s the optimal storage term?

    • Hello. Homemade teriyaki sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks to keep its best quality and taste/flavor.

  16. Hello everyone! I hope you someone can help me here. Can you freeze homemade teriyaki sauce, guys? Did anyone try to do this? How did it work?

    • Hello there, teriyaki maker! Yes, teriyaki sauce can be frozen. You just need to let it cool to room temperature, then store in a freezer-safe container. This way, your teriyaki sauce can be frozen for two to three months.

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