Steak Sauce Suggestion

[captainlee]

Every try Pik A Pepper?? Got a taste of that in New Orleans,years back.

[jerrybell]

I use A-1 in that recipe. I also like to use A-1 on leftover steak or in a burger sauce for leftover burgers. The A-1 has a good savory flavor that works well in most any homemade sauce that benefits from that.

[Mosca]

Here’s the thing. In the recipe, it actually addresses this question:

“About the steak sauce. There are many different brands and they all have different flavor profiles, but what we want here is the meaty depth of savoriness that they call umami, so use whatever you have on hand.”

Now, Meathead wrote this recipe at least 15 years ago, probably more: “Published 6/16/2014” but that’s when it hit the website. And I’m certain it’s changed, at least a little: “Last modified 8/12/2024.”

EVERY TIME YOU MAKE THIS SAUCE IT WILL BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. Not a huge amount, and it will always be recognizable, but it just doesn’t always come out the same. Did you use clover honey this time, and orange blossom honey last time? And did you use 1/4 cup of honey, 3/4 cup, or somewhere in between? Just how big is a medium onion? Did you use dark brown sugar last time, or light brown? Are you SURE? Lea & Perrin’s Worcestershire, or something else? How old is your chili powder? And right along those lines, did you use A-1, did you use Heinz 57, did you make Brigit Binn’s sauce, Peter Luger’s, WHAT?

Point being, it doesn’t really matter. The author, Meathead, SAYS it doesn’t matter. Buy one at the store… make your own… leave it out completely… whatever.

I remember discussing this sauce at some point, and that Meathead (sorry to tag you twice, but I want to make sure I’m paraphrasing you correctly here —>) said that it uses a technique called layering, where you have several sources of acid, of sweet, and of umami; and what happens is that the vinegar layers with the lemon juice, the mustard and ketchup bring sweet and umami, the steak sauce, etc… everything contributes a base quality and an aromatic nuance to the whole.

Make it once or twice, then riff on it. I like it with less honey, more chili powder, the tamarind paste added, and I buzz the onion in the food processor, but strain it out at the end. I’ve reached for the A-1 and I didn’t have any, I think I subbed Bragg’s Liquid Aminos. No that wasn’t it; Maggi Sauce, that’s what I used. I’ve added a couple tablespoons of Memphis Dust, that was really excellent. Heck, just use any pork rub you have in the spice rack.

Back to SheilaAnn: I use A-1 because it’s the classic. But whatever you reach for will be fine. (I don’t think Peter Luger’s will work as well though because I think it has horeseradish in it.)

[klflowers]

Heinz 57. I occasionally use it on a steak. I mostly use it in other concoctions I come up with. But then again I like pineapple on pizza and ketchup on hot dogs so my palate must be suspect.