Homemade Worcestershire Sauce
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats.
Malt vinegar, molasses, soy sauce and tamarind simmer briefly with whole spices, chillies, onion, garlic, ginger and anchovies, then a dark caramel is whisked in for depth and colour. The sauce matures in the fridge for 3 weeks before straining, giving a sharp, salty, gently spiced condiment for stews, marinades and dressings.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Simmer the spiced base. Put everything except the sugar into a medium saucepan: the vinegar, molasses, soy sauce, tamarind, mustard seeds, salt, peppercorns, cloves, curry powder, cardamom, chillies, garlic, anchovies, onion, ginger and cinnamon. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 10 min.
- 2
Make the caramel. While the sauce simmers, melt the sugar in a small heavy-based pan over medium-high heat and cook, swirling the pan now and then, until it turns dark amber and syrupy, about 5 min.
- 3
Whisk in the caramel. Carefully pour the hot caramel into the simmering sauce, standing back as it will bubble up and spit, and whisk until it dissolves. Simmer for 5 min more.
- 4
Mature in the fridge. Let the sauce cool, then pour it, solids and all, into a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate for 3 weeks so the flavours develop.
- 5
Strain and store. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a medium bowl, pressing lightly on the solids, then discard the solids. Pour the sauce back into the clean jar and keep it in the fridge.
Storage
Once strained, keep in the sealed jar in the fridge for up to 8 months.
Free sugars
7 g per serving
14 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 28 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- chef's knife
- chopping board
- medium saucepan
- small heavy-based saucepan
- whisk
- heatproof spatula
- 1 litre glass jar with a tight-fitting lid
- fine sieve
- medium bowl
Nutrition per serving Calculated from USDA FoodData Central
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 38 kcal |
| Protein | 0.4 g |
| Carbohydrate | 8.8 g |
| of which sugars | 8 g |
| of which free sugars | 7 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| of which saturates | 0 g |
| Fibre | 0.1 g |
| Salt | 1.38 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
1.1 g High Protein needs ≥ 5 g (20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
