Why Worcestershire Sauce Makes A Great Steak Marinade - Tasting Table (2024)

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Why Worcestershire Sauce Makes A Great Steak Marinade - Tasting Table? ›

The vinegar in Worcestershire sauce tenderizes the steak, the sugar and molasses add sweetness and a glossy sheen, and onion, garlic, tamarind, and anchovy pack a wallop of umami flavor.

Recipe blog One Good Thing notes that the vinegar in Worcestershire sauce tenderizes steak, its sugar and molasses bring both sweetness and sheen, and ingredients such as onion, garlic, tamarind, and anchovy pack a wallop of umami flavor.

"This is a flavorful and light marinade that makes chicken breasts taste awesome! It can also be used on seafood; I marinate chicken for about half a day, seafood for a couple of hours.

Vinegar leads the ingredient list and is included both for the tangy flavor and to preserve the other components of Worcestershire sauce. Anchovies add umami (savoriness). The ingredient that gives Worcestershire sauce its unique flavor is tamarind, the fruit of Tamarindus indica, or Indian date in Arabic.

Worcestershire sauce is used directly as a condiment on steaks, hamburgers, and other finished dishes, and to flavour co*cktails such as the Bloody Mary and Caesar. It is also frequently used to augment recipes such as Welsh rarebit, Caesar salad, Oysters Kirkpatrick, and devilled eggs.

As well as acid, enzymes found in fruits like pineapple, kiwi, mangoes, and papaya disrupt the molecular structure of meat's connective tissue. Adding puréed fruit to your marinade turns tough and chewy meat tender and juicy.

How long to marinate your steak depends on the size and variety of the cut you're using. Thinner cuts, such as skirt or flanks steaks, should be marinated for 2-4 hours. Tougher cuts, such as top sirloin or sirloin tip, will benefit from marinating overnight (about 8 hours).

When marinating meat, longer is not always better. And in fact, depending on certain variables, there is a point at which the quality of that meat will start to deteriorate if you marinate it for too long before cooking. Instead of flavorful, tender meat, you could end up with a mushy mess.

What country eats the most Worcestershire sauce? ›

In El Salvador, the answer is simple: Pass the Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce, por favor. Each year, El Salvador gulps down 450 tons of "la salsa Perrins," the generic name for the all-but-unpronounceable steak sauce and a score of local knockoffs.

Traditional Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies, so if you have an allergy to fish, you want to avoid this condiment or opt for a vegan version. Likewise, some brands of Worcestershire sauce may contain gluten-containing ingredients, like malt vinegar or natural flavors.

It was initially concocted by two chemists, John Wheeley Lea and William Henry Perrins, and its unique flavor quickly made it a popular ingredient worldwide. Its complex taste comes from a combination of fermented anchovies, vinegar, tamarind, molasses, onions, and various spices.

Season steaks on both sides lightly with kosher salt — Worcestershire sauce is salty, so you just need a light sprinkling here. (Note: If you are using the lemon-pepper containing salt, season steaks with it on both sides in this step and don't add any kosher salt.) That's it. Fire up that grill.

Like vinegar, Worcestershire sauce does not need to be refrigerated. Whether unopened or open it can be stored in the pantry for two years.

It can be used to give a little boost to meat stews and casseroles, pies, soups, sauces and marinades. Sprinkle it over sausages, steaks, chops and toasted cheese or use it in drinks such as a classic Bloody Mary.

What Does Worcestershire Sauce Taste Like? Much like fish sauce or soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce is known for its punchy umami flavor—that deeply savory characteristic that makes you want to add it to everything.

A typical marinade is made up of three essential components: an acid (such as vinegar, wine, or citrus), an oil (such as olive oil or sesame oil), and a flavouring agent (such as herbs and spices). These elements work together to transform the taste and texture of your dish in different ways.