Alpha-Éna Beef Sauce
This started as a copycat recipe for the famous A-1 Steak Sauce, but wound up being something better.
You can search the internet and find the recipe for A-1 Steak Sauce everywhere and all are identical. But I don't really understand the need to make something identical to a sauce that is readily available, both in the grocery store and in my pantry. We're never without it and find enumerable uses for it, mostly with serving on leftover steak or with hamburger sautéed with well-caramelized sweet onions.
Be that as it may, I attempted to make a duplicate of this sauce just for the culinary experience and wound up with something just a little different; just a little better.
I spooned this delicious sauce over the slices of toasted baguette bread, and laid slices of roasted tenderloin on top. It made for a fabulous Bruschetta that had to be eaten with knife and fork.
I Declared My Sauce Alpha-Éna
Alpha-Éna is “A-1” in Greek, as a nod to the inspiration of the famous A-1 Steak Sauce. I made modifications to the copycat recipe. I didn't have raisins, which is in the original recipe, so I added a sweet Madeira wine. I used shallots instead of white onions called for in the original recipe. And I didn't strain the sauce. Why bother with getting rid of the good stuff?
The net result was something akin to A-1 Steak Sauce, but with a distinctly different flavor profile. As My Number One Fan would say, "It's the same, but different." It worked beautifully, not to mention the fragrant aroma of my kitchen while the sauce simmered away.
Alpha-Éna Beef Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup Madeira wine (you could also substitute Port)
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 1/2 tsp celery seed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tbsp Sriracha sauce (like, Huy Fong)
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 1 large shallot, finely minced
Instructions
- Combine and blend all the ingredients together in a sauce pan, and set over medium heat until the sauce begins to simmer.
- Turn the heat to low so the sauce gently simmers 30-45 minutes until it has reduced by about a third, stirring frequently.
- Allow the sauce to cool before serving will also allow it to thicken further.
