Give Roast Beef Sandwiches A British Twist With This Tangy Condiment

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Crafting the perfect roast beef sandwich involves plenty of important decisions. One is the cut of beef you choose; another is what you put on top. For the former, something lean like eye of round always hits the spot; and as for the latter, we have a few ideas. You could use a traditional creamy, spicy horseradish sauce, go po'boy-style with gravy, or take a cue from across the pond and add one of the U.K.'s favorite condiments, HP Sauce, for a flavorful upgrade to your sandwich.

HP Sauce is a brand of British brown sauce made with tomatoes, malt and spirit vinegars, molasses, dates, tamarind, and various spices. It has a sweet, tangy, slightly spicy savor that Brits like to pair with a wide variety of dishes, from bacon butties (a type of sandwich) to chips (french fries), but it works particularly well with meats like beef and pork. HP Sauce's punchy, piquant flavors cut through the meat's fattiness, giving your roast beef sandwich an extra umami punch. It also has a long history, going back at least 120 years; it's practically a British institution and a staple condiment there. If you can't find any at your local grocery store, you can easily procure products like HP Sauce's Top Down Squeeze Bottle online.

HP Sauce's history dates back to the Victorian era, with the official story starting with a Nottingham grocer named Frederick Gibson Garton; he whipped up the first batch of this tangy brown sauce sometime between 1884 and 1899 (sources vary on the exact date). Garton would eventually dub the sauce HP after the Houses of Parliament, upon learning the sauce had become popular in the restaurant within the complex. Debt-ridden, Garton eventually sold the sauce's name and recipe to Edwin Samson Moore of the Midlands Vinegar Company, who made HP Sauce famous.

It's easy to see why HP Sauce works so well on roast beef sandwiches. But while people often compare HP Sauce with American A1 Sauce, the British condiment is a touch sweeter, thicker, and tangier because of the addition of tamarind. Be warned: a little goes a long way, and you don't want to overpower the meat's flavor. 

Other additions to a roast beef sandwich with HP Sauce could include Swiss or cheddar cheese and/or sliced onions, or you could take inspiration from the U.K.'s chippy butty by adding french fries and butter to the roll. If you're looking to expand your roast beef sandwich routine, giving it a British upgrade with HP Sauce is just the ticket.