The Only Steak Sauce You'll Ever Need Is 4 Ingredients
If you've ever experimented with grilling steaks before, then you know that every detail matters. From choosing the best cuts to properly preparing your meat for the grill, cooking a good steak has become something of a science. In spite of this, though, you've probably also spent more time and effort than you care to admit in trying to find the once steak sauce to beat them all — something that lends its own unique flavor to your steak without imposing itself on it too much.
When it comes to a steak sauce, there are a plethora of recipes to choose from that sometimes get overwhelming. But to make a steak sauce that complements your steak without stealing the spotlight, simplicity is the best approach. The secret to an amazing steak sauce lies in just four ingredients which you either already have or can easily obtain. With a mix of butter, roasted garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and dry vermouth, you'll never have to search for another steak sauce again.
Create magic in your pan
It's probably not surprising that the ingredients listed above are in a recipe for a steak sauce. Butter and garlic are both reliable staples for marinades, sauces, and other seasonings. Worcestershire sauce is a beloved condiment used in many meat dishes. And dry vermouth, while it may seem atypical, is a naturally-flavored fortified white wine, and white wine is regularly used in the kitchen. However it is in the mixing of these ingredients where the magic unfolds, giving you a sharp, flavorful sauce full of character that can cut through the rich, fattiness of a juicy steak.
Creating this steak sauce is super simple. In a frying pan over low-medium heat, melt down a few heaping tablespoons of butter until it becomes golden-brown and sizzles. That's how you'll know that your butter is going to contribute a richer, nuttier, more complex flavor to your dish beyond the simple creaminess of regular butter. Next add a good splash of vermouth. You don't need much here, just enough of a splash to let the wonderful botanicals of the vermouth mingle with the nuttiness of your browned butter. While your mixture is simmering away the alcohol from the vermouth, remove the skins from your roasted garlic and whisk the softened bulbs into your sauce. Finally, fling a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce in to the mix and let the aromas and flavors of your concoction take over your kitchen.
Ingredients that play well together
Each of these four ingredients all bring their own unique flavors to the sauce without stepping on the toes of your steak. Butter, besides lending some saltiness, adds a rustic, nutty flavor once it's browned in your pan. The herbs and delicate wine notes found in dry vermouth give this sauce complexity, the botanicals adding subtle notes of bitter, floral, citrusy, herby, and even spicy flavors, depending on the type of vermouth (and the botanicals its made from). The creaminess and subtlety of roasted garlic acts adds even more robust flavors. Finally, the Worcestershire sauce — a unique condiment made from a combination of vinegars, molasses, fermented garlic and onions, and cured anchovies — will provide some unexpected tangy notes, a bit of sweetness, as well as a hearty amount of umami flavor (Worcestershire sauce's main claim to fame). It's a winning combination, that harmonizes wonderfully with a rich, umami-filled piece of meat.
The secret to victory when it comes to your steak sauce lies in simple ingredients that work well together. Kitchen must-haves like butter and garlic, the always popular Worcestershire sauce, and the vastly underrated dry vermouth will combine to give you a steak sauce that's both easy to create and satisfying to eat. And while you may have a few more things to figure out on your grilling journey — like how salting can prevent a satisfying crust – don't be surprised if you stop looking for sauce recipes after trying this one.