A Legacy Born Under the Taiwanese Sun
In 1944, as the world was in the midst of great change, a small food company called San Ying Foods opened its doors in Chiayi, Taiwan. More than eighty years later, that same family-owned company — now in its third generation — produces one of the most respected lines of traditional soy sauce in Asia: O’Long (黑龍), which translates to “Black Dragon.”
What makes O’Long extraordinary is not just its age, but its unwavering commitment to a slow, old-world process. While many modern soy sauce producers rely on chemical hydrolysis and shortcuts that can turn out a bottle in days, O’Long insists on a traditional brewing method that spans 120 days of natural sun exposure and fermentation in earthenware jars. Taiwan’s subtropical climate provides the intense sunlight and warm temperatures that give their black bean soy sauce its signature depth, natural sweetness, and complex umami.
Equally important is what O’Long leaves out. Every bottle is free from preservatives, MSG, saccharin, and artificial pigments, making their sauces a clean, health-conscious choice for modern kitchens. Their entire range is gluten-free and vegan, and the facility holds HACCP, ISO 22000, and FSSC 22000 certifications.
The O’Long Product Family: Which Bottle Does What?
O’Long’s lineup is built around one core ingredient — naturally fermented black soybeans — but each product is tuned for a specific purpose. Here’s your quick guide.
O’Long Black Bean Soy Sauce (Regular) and Thick
This is the heart of the O’Long range. The Regular (清, clear) version is the lighter, more fluid expression — clean, naturally sweet, and deeply savory without heaviness. The Thick (膏, paste-like) version is the same sauce reduced to a concentrated, syrupy body that clings to food more effectively.
Best for: Braising and red-cooking (lu rou fan, three-cup chicken), stir-frying noodles and vegetables, marinating meats, and dipping.
O’Long Black Soybean Marinade Sauce (紅燒滷肉醬)
This is O’Long’s “master sauce in a bottle” — a ready-to-use blend of fermented black soybeans (douchi), aromatics, and balanced seasonings that captures the soul of traditional Chinese braising without the hours of prep.
Best for: A 30-minute marinade for chicken wings or pork ribs, one-pot braised pork belly, instant stir-fry boosts, and as a finishing glaze for BBQ.
O’Long Seasoned Soy Sauce for Seafood (蒸魚蔭汁)
Regular soy sauce poured directly onto steamed fish creates harsh, salty patches. O’Long formulated this dedicated finishing sauce with dialed-back salt, dialed-up sweetness, and a slightly thickened body that coats fish evenly rather than pooling on the plate.
Best for: Steamed whole fish (sea bass, tilapia, grouper), steamed prawns and scallops, cold silken tofu, and blanched vegetables.
O’Long Gourmet Dipping Soy Sauce (日式和風純釀醬油)
This Japanese-style pure-brewed soy sauce is mellow, clean, and aromatic — designed specifically for dipping and finishing, not cooking. Where the black bean sauces are bold and savory, this one lets delicate ingredients speak for themselves.
Best for: Sushi and sashimi, dumplings and dim sum, blanched spinach or kai lan, cold noodles, and chilled tofu with grated ginger.
O’Long Vinegar Black Soybean Soy Sauce
A two-in-one bottle: O’Long’s 120-day brewed black bean soy sauce blended with naturally brewed premium vinegar. Gluten-free and vegan.
Best for: Dumpling dipping, stewed pork, simmered fish, and BBQ basting.
O’Long Sugar-Free Black Soybean Soy Sauce
The same traditional brewing process, but with zero added sugar — ideal for diabetic-friendly, keto, or low-carb cooking without sacrificing that signature O’Long umami.
Best for: Marinating, dipping, frying, and BBQ — anywhere you’d use the regular version but want to skip the sugar.
Three Simple Recipes to Get You Started
1. Classic Black Soybean Braised Pork Belly (Lu Rou Fan)
The dish that made O’Long famous in Taiwanese home kitchens.
Ingredients:
500g pork belly, cut into small strips
3 tbsp O’Long Black Bean Soy Sauce (Regular or Thick)
1 tbsp O’Long Black Soybean Marinade Sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small piece ginger, grated
1 tbsp rice wine
1 tsp sugar (or O’Long Sugar-Free version to omit)
300ml water
Steamed rice, for serving
Method:
Brown the pork belly in a dry pan over medium heat until it releases its fat and turns golden.
Add garlic and ginger; stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Pour in both O’Long sauces, rice wine, and sugar. Stir to coat the meat evenly.
Add water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer covered for 40–45 minutes until the pork is tender and the sauce has reduced to a glossy, sticky glaze.
Spoon generously over steamed rice.
2. Steamed Fish with Ginger and Scallion — the O’Long Way
This is the recipe that the O’Long Seasoned Soy Sauce for Seafood was made for.
Ingredients:
1 whole sea bass or tilapia (about 500g), cleaned
3 tbsp O’Long Seasoned Soy Sauce for Seafood
Fresh ginger, cut into thin slivers
2 scallions, cut into strips
3 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or grapeseed)
Method:
Steam the fish over high heat for 8–10 minutes until just cooked through. Drain any accumulated water from the plate.
Lay ginger slivers and scallion strips over the fish.
Pour O’Long Seasoned Soy Sauce for Seafood generously over the fish.
Heat the oil in a small pan until it just begins to smoke. Carefully drizzle the hot oil over the ginger and scallion — the sizzle blooms the aromatics and finishes the dish.
Serve immediately with steamed rice.
3. O’Long Dumpling Dipping Sauce (Two Ways)
The Classic Taiwanese Dip:
2 tbsp O’Long Black Bean Soy Sauce (Regular)
1 tbsp O’Long Vinegar Black Soybean Soy Sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
Minced garlic and fresh chili to taste
Simply stir everything together. The vinegar-sauce combo is already pre-balanced, so this comes together in seconds.
The Japanese-Style Dip:
3 tbsp O’Long Gourmet Dipping Soy Sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
A few drops of chili oil (optional)
This mellow, clean dip is perfect for delicate steamed dumplings where you don’t want to overwhelm the filling.
How to Combine O’Long Sauces for the Best Taste
O’Long sauces are designed to work together. Here are the pairing principles that professional Taiwanese cooks use:
Rule 1: Black Bean for the Wok, Japanese-Style for the Table
This is the single most important rule in the O’Long playbook. The black bean soy sauces (Regular, Thick, Marinade) have a bold, deeply savory, almost earthy umami that stands up to high heat and long cooking. The Japanese-style Gourmet Dipping Soy Sauce is mellow, clean, and aromatic — it’s meant to be used raw at the table, not cooked.
Rule 2: Layer Regular and Thick for Braises
When braising, start with the Regular black bean soy sauce to build the base flavor during cooking. In the last 5–10 minutes, add a spoonful of the Thick version. The thick sauce has a more concentrated, syrupy body that creates a beautiful glaze without thinning out the braising liquid.
Rule 3: The Vinegar-Sauce Shortcut
O’Long Vinegar Black Soybean Soy Sauce is already a perfect 2-in-1 blend. Use it straight as a dipping sauce for dumplings, or brush it onto grilled meats in the final minutes of cooking for a tangy, umami-packed glaze. There’s no need to add anything else.
Rule 4: Seafood Sauce Is a Finishing Sauce, Not a Cooking Sauce
Never cook with the Seasoned Soy Sauce for Seafood. Its delicate sweetness and thickened body are calibrated for pouring over already-cooked fish, cold tofu, or blanched vegetables. Adding it to a hot wok will mute its subtle character and waste its purpose.
Rule 5: The Sugar-Free Swap
If you’re watching sugar intake, the Sugar-Free Black Soybean Soy Sauce is a direct 1:1 substitute for the Regular version in any recipe. The fermentation process still delivers O’Long’s signature umami and aroma — just without the added sugar.
Why O’Long Belongs in Your Kitchen
In a world of mass-produced condiments, O’Long stands apart because it refuses to rush. The 120-day sun-brewing process, the three-generation family ownership, and the absolute commitment to no preservatives or artificial additives — these are not marketing points. They are the reasons why a bottle of O’Long black bean soy sauce tastes fundamentally different from anything made in a factory.
Whether you’re braising pork belly for a weekend feast, steaming a fresh fish for a quick weeknight dinner, or simply mixing a dipping sauce for dumplings, O’Long gives you authentic Taiwanese flavor without compromise.
Shop the full O’Long collection now at MyAsianStore.com — free shipping on orders over $50.
All O’Long products are gluten-free, vegan, and free from preservatives, MSG, saccharin, and artificial colors. Certified HACCP, ISO 22000, and FSSC 22000.