Thursday, August 11, 2005

Taste Panel: Steak Sauce

Try kicking up your next barbecue with a splash

HP's product edges out competition with its tang, spice and great depth of flavor.

By Judith Harris Solomon / Special to The Detroit News

Brandy Baker / The Detroit News HP New Improved Recipe Original Steak Sauce beat out five other popular brands.; Guest panelist Marlene Platt of Royal Oak is human resources manager for a local restaurant. Tasting results In a blind tasting, The Detroit News Taste Panel rated the following steak sauces on a scale of 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). 1. HP New Improved Recipe Original Steak Sauce Average score: 4.2 Price: $4.29 per 10-ounce bottle Comments: Very good flavor ... spicy with a little sweetness. Superb depth of flavor. Would stand up well to any beef product. Has a good bite. Sharp vinegar taste. Tangy. Incredibly thick. Almost too spicy. 2. (TIE) A-1 Steak Sauce Average score: 4.0 Price: $2.97 per 5-ounce bottle Comments: Wonderful tangy taste. Spicy without being overpowering. Super spicy. The vinegar base makes your eyes water. Tart but flavorful. Strong flavor. A large amount of Worcestershire. 2. (TIE) Crosse & Blackwell Imported Steak Sauce Average score: 4.0 Price: $2.99 per 8 3/4 -ounce bottle Comments: Thick, dark and rich with a real kick. Nice Balsamic vinegar taste that makes it tart yet sweet. A very tart, almost fruity flavor. Great vinegar base and nice spice notes. Beautiful color, but all I taste is vinegar. 4. Lea & Perrins Traditional Steak Sauce Average score: 3.9 Price: $3.99 per 15-ounce bottle Comments: Nice! Full body flavor. Very peppery. Bold garlic flavor with a hint of onion. Very tangy. It's like a thick Worcestershire sauce. Looks better than it tastes. 5. Lawry's Steak Sauce Average score: 3.8 Price: $3.99 per 11-ounce bottle Comments: Very good. Very robust. Has a smoky barbecue flavor with a strong vinegar base. A garlic bite. Tart. Good balance of flavors. 6. Smith & Wollensky Steak Sauce Average score: 3.4 Price: $4.99 per 12-ounce bottle Comments: Has a unique smoky flavor. Good hickory flavor. Has a lot of different seasonings. Lots of onion here. Too pale and too thin. This would overwhelm any meat. A harsh flavor. Comment on this story Send this story to a friend Get Home Delivery

Since we're currently smack dab in the middle of barbecue season, it seemed like a good time to test steak sauces.

People obviously like them because there are so many varieties available.

"A good steak sauce should enhance the flavor of the meat and not disguise it," panelist David Lawrence says.

Chris McClendon adds: "Steak sauce makes a great marinade to use before grilling, so you can get its flavor imbedded in the meat. First, I like to heat the sauce with a few chopped onions. The sweetness of the onions takes out a little bit of the sauce's vinegar taste."

Our savvy panelists also contend that steak sauce is not just for steak. Jackie Fox likes it on hamburgers and in meatloaf.

"It adds a nice layer of flavor and depth to the meatloaf," she says. Lesia Golden thinks it's delicious on chicken, and Mary Valko likes it on grilled veggies.

And here's a use that probably never occurred to you: Chili Joe Wnuk says: "I come from a Polish family. We dump everything over mashed potatoes ... even steak sauce."

The panel tasted six brands of steak sauce.

All were purchased at Hiller's Market. The sample from HP received the highest score.

Judith Harris Solomon is a Metro Detroit freelance writer. If you have a suggestion for a product to test, or would like to be a guest panelist, contact her at judyfree lance@aol.com.