The Bourbon Sauce For Tangy And Sweet Steak Tips Every Time

If you're craving a juicy steak, try some succulent Maple Bourbon Steak Tips. This recipe by Tasting Table recipe developer Chanel Murphy-Lowe combines the meaty sensation of steak with a sweet, tangy bourbon sauce for a savory dish that comes together in under 30 minutes — and is a welcomed switch-up to your traditional cuts of steak. To balance out the sweetness of the cooked-down bourbon, Murphy-Lowe incorporates pineapple juice into the sauce for a sharp, balanced surprise.

"The special ingredient is definitely the pineapple juice," says Murphy-Lowe. "The addition of pineapple juice makes this glaze special and sets it apart from more traditional glazes. It gives the glaze a tropical flair."

To infuse the steak bites with the most flavor from this glaze, Murphy-Lowe marinates the meat in the mixture, then bastes the meat while it cooks. Basting refers to the act of moistening meat while it's cooking. In this recipe, you'll baste by spooning the marinade in the pan back onto the tips while they cook to inject the meat with the most flavor. Basting also reduces the sauce, giving it a caramelized texture.

Different bourbons can offer different flavor profiles when cooked down. When choosing a bourbon to cook with, you can follow the same rule you'd use for choosing a wine: Don't cook with any wine you wouldn't drink. It doesn't have to be your top-shelf bourbon, but make sure it's one that you enjoy the flavor of already.

For the context of this sauce, going for a bourbon that is naturally a little sweeter would complement the other ingredients present. Several bourbons have tasting notes of vanilla or caramel, both of which would fit right in with the other flavors. However, if you're worried about your sauce being too sweet, you could opt for a bourbon that focuses on spice notes such as clove or pepper; this will give your sauce a stronger warming effect, explains Murphy-Lowe. You can experiment with different bourbons to find the one you like best for this sauce, or just go with your favorite bourbon you have on hand.