The Secret To Texas Roadhouse's Steak Sauce Is A Fruit You Wouldn't Expect

While a well-cooked steak is ambrosial when simply seasoned, not every attempt at making the perfect succulent ribeye hits the mark. In those cases, a slathering of steak sauce can transform a misfired mignon into a scrumptiously meaty monster (in a good way!). Luckily, there are heaps of sweet and smoky store-bought steak sauces to try, featuring an array of umami ingredients that can elevate the savoriness of a sirloin in seconds. One such scrumptious condiment is Texas Roadhouse's Classic Steak Sauce, which incorporates a fruit you might not expect in its popular recipe: raisins.

If you're a diehard fan of this steak sauce you might be wondering why you've never spotted raisins in this pungent blend. That's because the recipe for this boldly rich classic sauce features raisin paste rather than individual raisins, allowing them to seamlessly blend into the smooth consistency of the sauce. This paste is combined with water, distilled vinegar, tomato puree, salt, and seasonings to imbue the sauce with a fruity taste and aroma. While corn syrup is also added to lend a counterbalanced sweetness to the vinegar (and a dash of tangy tamarind extract), it's the raisins in particular that lend it a distinct candy-ish character and depth of color that complements the savory notes of juicy beef steak. You'll also find raisins in Texas Roadhouse's Gold Sauce, which is sweeter with the addition of apples and prune juice concentrate but also slightly tangier, courtesy of a splash of lime juice.

Another popular brand of steak sauce that's made with raisins is A.1. Ranked the best bottled steak sauce by our readers, this fruity, peppery, and smoky condiment is bolder and zestier than other brands because it contains crushed orange, which lends it a brightening lift. Other well-known steak sauces, such as the HP sauce brand popular in Britain (which is colloquially known as brown sauce), acquire their sweetness from dates instead of raisins. However, they also feature a higher concentration of tamarind, which imbues them with a piquant quality that's often paired with hot bacon sandwiches to cut through the fatty meatiness of the crispy rashers.

Making your own steak sauce is an awesome way to customize your meal to your tastes if you don't want to smother your protein with additional sweetness. And the good news is that you can cobble most recipes together with a few pantry staples. There are myriad steak sauce recipes to try, such as steakhouse mushroom sauce, which combines the meaty pan juices with sherry and beef broth, or a buttery Bordelaise sauce featuring red wine, shallots, and garlic. To mimic the smokiness of a store-bought steak sauce consider adding a sprinkling of smoky Montreal steak seasoning to the pan.