Worcestershire sauce. Darkly hued. Tangy. Frequently mispronounced by non-Brits. A great addition to soups, stews, scrambled eggs, roast beef… you name it, a dash of the W can add a splash of rich, spicy flavor. So why not make your own?
Based on an old Greco-Roman fish sauce, the most famous brand of Worcestershire sauce is Lea & Perrins. They began making it available commercially in 1837, claiming it was based upon a sauce discovered in India by a British colonel. There is, however, no record of the colonel, or indeed any proven link to Indian cuisine.
A few years ago, in the back of a Saveur issue, I came across a recipe for making your own Worcester sauce. Needless to say, I saved the clipping and can now say that I have made my very own bottles of the condiment.
Homemade Worcester Sauce (recipe from Saveur)
Makes about 2 cups.
2 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup tamarind concentrate
3 tbs yellow mustard seeds
3 tbs salt
1 tsp whole peppercorns
1 tsp whole cloves
1/2 tsp curry powder
5 cardamom pods, crushed
4 chiles de arbol, chopped. If you can’t find these, use the little Thai birdseye peppers or dried Indian Japones.
2 cloves garlic, crushed
A 1-inch stick of cinnamon
1 anchovy, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 1/2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup sugar
Despite the large number of ingredients required, the process of making Worcester sauce is actually very easy.
Put all of the ingredients except for the sugar in a large pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
Put the sugar in a skillet over a medium-high heat and cook until it forms a dark amber syrup (5-10 minutes). Add to the simmering vinegar mix and cook for another 5 minutes.
Pour into a glass jar, seal, and refrigerate for 3 weeks to give the flavors a time to meld.
Drain off the solids, and bottle.
There you go. I tried a spoonful just this morning on my scrambled eggs. It is spicy, tangy, with the perfect kick. Once you’ve tried making your own, you’ll want to add it to everything!