The Flavor-Packed Ingredient That Gives Steak An Umami Twist

Although this fishy condiment isn't the first ingredient that comes to mind for steak night, anchovy paste is a secret weapon for a better-tasting cut of steak.

Anchovy paste is anchovies, oil and salt ground to a creamy puree and packed into a tube. It has a delicate, umami-shaded flavor that serves as a rich, savory accent to steak.

Before searing your steak, rub anchovy paste and olive oil on its surface to create a flavorful base that intensifies during cooking and deepens the steak's umami depth.

Anchovy paste also works well in beef marinades, and you can even use it to fashion a savory compound butter for melting over your steak like a decadent crown.