~ Please Pass the Bourbon Burger 'n Steak Sauce ~

Joe and I both love a high-quality, perfectly-grilled, rare- medium-rare steak that can hold its own on a plate without embellishments.  I'm the rare part of the equation, Joe is the medium-rare part.  That being said, we both like steak sauce too, however, our approach to saucing steak differs.  When I eat a great steak, I want the sauce in a bowl to the side.  I'm what is known as a "dipper".  Sometimes I want to savor just the succulent meat, and, sometimes I want to plunge it into the warm sauce.  When Joe eats a great steak, he wants sauce on top of it.  Joe is what's known as a "drizzler".  Joe likes each bite of steak commensurably covered with sauce!

It's June!  Start your steak-lovin' grillin' engines...

Put on your steak grillin' apron!

Choose one and grill it!

~ Mel's Top 5 Tips for: Grilling 5 Perfect Steaks ~ is in Category 10 or 15! 

... and making steak sauce is easier than deciding what to buy!

One walk through the steak sauce isle of the grocery store is proof of that.  Joe took this photo in one of our Giant Food Stores just this morning.  I won't lie, four of these have earned a permanent place on the condiment shelves on the door of my refrigerator (pictured in the Cook's Note below).  In addition to these, I do have a few go-to steak sauce recipes in my repertoire and this one is my spin on a recipe published by the Weber Grill folks!

 

3-4  tablespoons butter (3 tablespoons if using a round-sided saucier, 4 tablespoons if cooking in a flat-bottomed saucepan

1  cup finely-diced yellow or sweet onion

2  large garlic cloves, run through a garlic press

1 1/2  cups chili sauce (1 1/2, 12-ounce bottles chili sauce)

1/2  cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4  cup bourbon whiskey, your favorite brand

1/4  cup white rice vinegar

3  tablespoons Thai seasoning soy sauce

1  tablespoon Chinese hot mustard

3  tablespoons firmly-packed dark brown sugar

~ Step 1. Melt the butter over low heat. Add the diced onion and pressed garlic.  Increase heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is very soft and just beginning to brown, about 6-8 minutes.  Do not over-brown the onion or the garlic.

~ Step 2. Add all of the remaining ingredients as listed. Stir to thoroughly combine.  

Adjust heat to a slow, gentle, but steady simmer and continue to cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally...  

... the sauce will be reduced, deep in color and nicely thickened.

~ Step 3. Turn the heat off, cover the pan and allow mixture to steep for 1-3 hours, to allow all of the flavors to marry.  This is an important step. Trust me, the longer this sauce steeps, the better it gets!

~ Step 4.  Technically, the warm sauce is ready to use, but, if you don't like your sauce with a slightly-chunky consistency, which my family insists I don't mess with, feel free to transfer the mixture to the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.  With motor running, process until pureed and smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a food storage container and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.  Gently reheat on stovetop or in microwave prior to serving!  Yum-a-licious... 

Please Pass the Bourbon Burger 'n Steak Sauce:  Recipe yields 2-2 1/4 cups.

Special Equipment List:  cutting board; chef's knife; garlic press; 3-quart saucier w/lid, or a 3-4-quart saucepan w/lid; large spoon; food processor (optional); 2-cup food storage container

Cook's Note:  Always keep food safety in mind.  My post ~ "Refrigerate After Opening?"  In My Opionion... Yes! ~, is one you should read and is in Categories  8, 15 & 16.  Thanks for listening!

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commmentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2013)

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