If you don't have sake or aji-mirin, you can use dry white wine or dry sherry mixed with a sweetener, though neither is an exact substitute. “Dry white wine is closer than a sherry,” says López-Alt, but it brings a distinct flavor that can substantially change the finished dish. As he points out, many recipes that call for mirin also call for sake, so you may need to replace both.
Is there a nonalcoholic substitute for mirin?
None of our experts had an alcohol-free alternative they strongly recommended. Some mirin-style seasonings contain less alcohol than hon mirin, and others are alcohol-free, but they aren’t interchangeable in every application. Check the label carefully: Aji-mirin can contain alcohol, and shio mirin (salted mirin) isn't necessarily alcohol-free.
Cooking can reduce mirin’s alcohol content, but it doesn't guarantee that all the alcohol evaporates. If you’re strictly avoiding alcohol, choose a product explicitly labeled alcohol-free rather than relying on cooking time.
Be mindful of added salt, too. Some mirin-style products are salted to make them unpalatable for drinking, so you may need to adjust other sodium sources in your recipe.
How should you store mirin?
Hon mirin is remarkably shelf-stable thanks to its sugar and alcohol content. Store it tightly sealed in a cool, dark place rather than the refrigerator, where its sugars may crystallize. Storage recommendations for aji-mirin and other mirin-style seasonings vary by product, so check the label for instructions after opening.
How to use mirin
Combined with soy sauce and sake, mirin makes a silky tare (seasoning base) for ramen or, when reduced until syrupy, a lip-smacking teriyaki sauce. Try it on salmon, steak, vegetables, and more.
Mirin is equally at home in quick-cooking dishes like stir-fried udon with pork and soboro don, as well as slow braises, soups, and marinades. Its delicate sweetness complements fish and tofu, as in brothy steamed bass, and balances the tang of this versatile miso-turmeric dressing. Mirin can also be used in many applications where Western-trained cooks might reach for table sugar. “When you use real mirin,” says Shimbo, “there are many good effects.”
Put your mirin to work
These richly flavored ribs are a riff on kalbi jjim, a traditional Korean special-occasion dish.
