I’m not the meatiest of carnivores. I’m in it for the toppings.
I’m most interested in a steak when it is topped with a ludicrous amount of A-1 sauce and/or bleu cheese. Hamburgers with exactly toooo much cheddar cheese. Yes, please. I’ll sign up for lobster because of the clarified butter. And most every East LA taco truck is amazing because of its seasoning, sauce, and salsas.
Join me in saucing just about anything and everything.
My refrigerator is filled with a menagerie of little jars filled with sweet, sour, and spicy sauce concoctions. Butter too… obviously lots of butter.
Steak is a special occasion in my refrigerator. Because it’s Summer. Because I’m experimenting with being a grown-up lady who grills over charcoal. Because I made a fancy-pants Homemade Steak Sauce… it’s a very special occasion. STEAK!
Serving suggestion: on grilled skirt steak, in abundance, like a BOSS.
The amazing thing about homemade steak sauce is that it’s much more than the sum of its parts.
Sure it’s ketchup and Worcestershire, beef broth, and a surprising amount of instant espresso powder… but it doesn’t taste specifically like any one of these ingredients. I think it might be a little bit of magic.
Onions and garlic are cooked down with a good amount of fresh parsley. The smell? YES!
Once the onion are cooked down we add ketchup, Worcestershire, beef broth, espresso powder (!!!), salt and pepper. The mixture simmers away, covered, for about fifteen minutes.
The onions are garlic with be extra soft and tender and the flavors will be mixed and melted into something exactly right!
The espresso powder, even though it’s totally unexpected, adds quite a lot to this sauce. How to attach words to the espresso powder flavor additions is challenging. It’s hard to describe. It adds depth and intrigue. Umami. Espresso powder is that special something that, in combination with the other ingredients, makes a sauce that doesn’t taste like coffee. Weird and perfect!
I grilled these skirt steaks in the rain which I think adds extra flavor to the meat, and extra bad-assedness to my grilling skills.
Or is it bad-assery?
This sauce is tangy, slightly sweet, earthy, and utterly delicious. Next time I might add extra heat with crushed red pepper flakes. It’s also delicious on chicken, grilled vegetables, and leftover steak and eggs. It’s also lovely to share with a neighbor, if you happen to be the friendly sort.
Adapted from The Lemonade Cookbook.
Steak and everything else sauce! Definitely don't skip the espresso powder and add a bit of crushed red pepper flakes for added spice!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced (about 3/4 cup)
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely diced
- 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 3/4 cup beef broth (or water)
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes until the onions are softened and translucent. Add garlic and parsley and sauté for 2 more minutes, until softened and fragrant.
- Add ketchup, broth or water, Worcestershire sauce, espresso powder, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender you can carefully transfer the mixture to an upright blender, cover, and blend until smooth. Transfer to a clean mason jar and allow to rest until cooled to room temperature. Seal with a lid and store in the refrigerator. Serve on grilled steak. Sauce will last in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Mike
That looks so awesome! Also fries are just a vehicle for ketchup, just sayin
Sarah in CA
Will be making this steak sauce very soon. But what I really want to know is what is the green sauce pan you are using. We are needing to replace very old pans. Yours looked wonderful.
Thanks!
Jenn @ A Toast to the Good Life
This looks insane. Nothing is better than a great homemade steak sauce… YUM. You can definitely use this on anything.
tara
I’m a big fan of sauces, especially melted butter! Sauce on everything!! This looks fantastic and I also kind of want to dip a potato in that sauce. In addition to the steak, obvi.
Style Bits & Bobs of M.E.
This sauce sounds so delicious! I know it must be tasty!
alittlebarefoot
i am a huge lover of steak sauce. eating steak is totally a vehicle for the sauce. this looks amazing.
Taylor
I’m not a steak fan, but I wanna try this out with chicken! It sounds delicious!
xoxo
Taylor
Libby
Juice all you want. I’m taking up saucing.
Chelsea
English professor says bad-assery. 100%. also, on board with the espresso. now I want steak…
Girl Named Allyn
Whenever I think of steak sauce (which I do like), I think back to when my then vegan sister worked at a steakhouse, and swore she could tell how low her tip was going to be according to how people ordered their steak and what they put on it. Medium-rare and nothing? Great tip! Medium-well and steak sauce? 50-50 chance of a decent tip. Well-done and ketchup? You’re screwed. Might as well pour some water in their laps.
mikaela
Truth.
Ashlyn
This post made my morning. Visiting your site is always a delight. This steak sauce looks fantastic, especially with the expresso powder.
Jessie @ Eats Revisited
I love using steak sauce on vegetables! I will definitely try this recipe out. Thanks!
dessertfortwo
You made this for a boy. Don’t think I don’t know it! ;)
joythebaker
giiirrrlll. you crazy.
Belinda Lo (Moonblush Baker)
Yes condiments are the bomb! I have been dying to find a real steak sauce recipe. The addition of coffee is so unique too. Thanks joy!
Sarah | The Sugar Hit
Put this in a sandwich, and then put a fork in me, ’cause I’m done.