If you've ever eaten at Texas Roadhouse, you'll no doubt have tasted their signature
steak sauce. And if you just can't get enough of it, you might be wondering
just what do they put in it? The launch of Texas Roadhouse-branded steak sauces in grocery stores
means that both newcomers and longtime fans of the restaurant's signature sauce will be able to
enjoy it as often as they like. Prior to the most recent release, Texas Roadhouse's steak sauce
packaged in a nondescript black bottle, could be found by enthusiasts both online and in restaurants
However, it wasn't as widely available as it is now. Both the original restaurant-style steak
sauce and a new steak sauce are included in the retail lineup. But there may be some confusion as
to which sauce is the one that Texas Roadhouse fans already know and love
If it doesn't say Texas, it's not Texas Roadhouse. The so-called Texas Roadhouse classic steak sauce might seem like the obvious choice if
you're looking for what you'd find in the restaurant. But it actually isn't. In fact
it's an entirely new sauce that's closer to a classic A1 steak sauce than anything else
The new classic steak sauce isn't currently served in restaurants at all. It can only be
found in grocery stores. Instead, fans of the restaurant's original steak sauce should look
for the newly branded Roadhouse Gold Sauce. Connoisseurs will be able to immediately tell
the difference between the two by taste. That said, unless you're already familiar
with the special ingredients used in the original sauce, it could be hard to tell which one to choose
simply by looking at the bottle. So, what sets the Texas Roadhouse Gold Sauce apart from the
competition? If you pick up a bottle of steak sauce, whether it's A1's original steak sauce
Peter Luger's Steakhouse Sauce, or basically any other of your favorite brands, you'll almost
certainly find that tomatoes are the main ingredient. Sometimes it's tomato puree
way, crushed tomatoes or some other variation of tomatoes. Either way, it's safe to assume
that steak sauces are tomato-based. That's not the case with Texas Roadhouse's famous
steak sauce, however. Whether it was by accident or to set it apart from the crowd, the Roadhouse
Gold Sauce is made with apple butter instead of tomatoes. According to the ingredients list, the apple butter is made with the same ingredients you'd
find in traditional apple butter, including brown sugar and spices. While the bottle doesn't say
precisely what kinds of apples are used, it makes sense that the slow-roasted apples would impart
similar sweet and acidic notes to the sauce as tomatoes often do, though with a slightly less
savory quality. Otherwise, it includes similar variations of water, sugar, vinegar, and salt
to those you'll find listed on other bottles of steak sauce. It's worth noting that tomatoes do
make an appearance in the Roadhouse Gold Sauce recipe, however, as you'll find tomato paste
further down the ingredients list This is presumably added to the mix to incorporate some of that familiar steak sauce flavor as well as to provide a little bit of savory depth to balance the sweetness of the more dominant apple butter There no one way to make a steak sauce and many such sauces
glean flavor profiles from one of its next closest kin, Worcestershire sauce. It's widely
believed that Worcestershire sauce was invented around 1835, roughly a decade after the supposed
invention of steak sauce, which was said to have been crafted by the private chef of King George
IV by request of the monarch himself. Today, Worcestershire sauce is widely known and praised
for its signature umami flavor, which is largely thanks to the use of anchovies in the recipe
But you won't always find it in a bottle of steak sauce. Take, for example, the Texas Roadhouse
Gold Sauce, which incorporates a similar yet different ingredient, soy sauce. The obvious
benefit of using soy sauce instead of anchovies is that the steak sauce will be preferred by those
who are allergic or averse to a stronger fish-based mixture. Thanks to its deep character and many
flavor notes, it'll appeal to practically anyone who enjoys a more complex sauce. The slightly
bitter, salty, umami flavor of soy sauce doesn't just add complexity to the steak sauce either
It also helps to marry some of the stronger sweet and sour flavors in the Texas Roadhouse version
for a smoother overall taste. Additionally, that touch of soy sauce in the Texas Roadhouse
Gold Sauce will be all the more welcome for those who enjoy the sort of soy-marinated beef dishes
that are popular in many Asian food cultures. Some variation of orange is commonly found in
many different sorts of steak sauces. This can take the form of orange juice, orange juice
concentrate, crushed orange puree, or even aromatic orange zest or orange peels. Given how well sweet
acidic orange pairs with beef in many recipes, it's neither an unexpected nor unwelcome addition
to a steak sauce. Again, though, Texas Roadhouse's signature steak sauce switches things up by
replacing the traditional orange juice with prune juice. Shut up, Grandma! Drink your prune juice
Don't dismiss this out of hand, though. Much like orange juice, prune juice is sweet and tangy
although its tartness can be a little more biting than other fruits, more commonly found in steak
sauces. When you consider the arrangement of ingredients in the Texas Roadhouse sauces
it seems probable that prune juice is used because it complements the sweeter apple butter
Since the sauce is already sweeter because of those apples, it makes sense to choose a juice
with a more aggressive bittersweet bite, which will achieve the balance that a good steak sauce
needs. Much like orange, prune is also a flavor that pairs incredibly well with tamarind, an
ingredient commonly included in Indian cuisine, as well as steak sauces and Worcestershire sauce
Tamarind is a fruit that harnesses both sweet and tangy flavors, pairing well with many savory dishes thanks to its slightly earthy and caramel undertones The Texas Roadhouse Gold Sauce includes tamarind extract to round out the sauce flavor profile If you ever taken a look at the ingredients list on a bottle of steak sauce
then you might not have noticed that it's likely to include raisins. Sorry, raisin haters, but there
was a good reason for the use of this sometimes divisive dried fruit. And it's not just the Texas
Roadhouse steak sauces that do this either. In fact, nearly every major steakhouse producer makes
at least one product that includes raisins or raisin paste. That's because raisins add a boost
of natural sweetness and a deeper, more subdued fruit flavor compared to other potential ingredients
Raisin paste can also help to thicken a sauce, meaning that you're less likely to have a surprise
rush of juice splatter across your expensive steak or your shirt. It's also possible that
raisins were first added to steak sauce for a more utilitarian purpose. Raisin paste, which is today
commonly known to be rich in antioxidants, was once used to help prolong the shelf life of meats
in the days before modern refrigeration was available. Having risen in popularity during
the 19th century, its usefulness as a preservative was twofold, as it not only helped to slow down
decay, but also potentially masked the flavor of meats that had already begun to turn
While refrigeration dramatically changed the way we store and preserve meats, steak sauces have generally remained the same over the last 200 years, raisins and all
While many popular steak sauces take their flavor cues from Worcestershire sauce
Texas Roadhouse's famous restaurant sauce reaches a little further into the world of barbecue for inspiration
Given that Texas Roadhouse is inspired by all things Texan, a little bit of barbecue seems like a fitting choice
Even then, perhaps the most unconventional part of this steak sauce is its smoky flavor, which isn't exactly subtle
This signature smokiness isn't necessarily the same sort of rich smoky flavor you'd get from
smoking steaks over hickory or mesquite. Instead, it's the kind of smokiness you'd expect from
grilling in the backyard over a coal-fired grill with plenty of smoke and maybe a flare-up or two
Hey, Brian, you like your steak rare? That one's yours. If you're cooking your steak indoors, this steak sauce adds a touch of the outdoors
without actually requiring you to brave the elements. And while that smoky and tangy flavor might not appeal to everyone
those who do enjoy it will likely love this break from an ordinary steak sauce recipe
Everyone loves a steak every now and then, but it's probably fair to assume that most people don't eat them every single night
Ron, would you like some salad? Since I am not a rabbit, no, I do not
It's certainly not likely that you'll be cooking steak dinners often enough to blow through an entire bottle of steak sauce in a timely manner
So what should you do with the leftovers? Well, fret not, as a good steak sauce can be used to season more than just steaks. And that goes for
the Texas Roadhouse Gold Sauce too Reviewers have mentioned using it on everything from hamburgers and chicken to pork chops and sausages as well as vegetables noting how well the sauce pairs with all manner of different foods But the trick to seasoning other foods with steak sauces isn exactly a new one A1 being labeled original sauce is actually
a marketing move intended to make it more marketable as a versatile sauce, one meant to
be used on a wide range of meats and vegetables. A1 brings out all the deep down juicy goodness of
every single bite of steak or even hamburger. The Roadhouse Gold Sauce offers the same kind
of adaptability, with a slightly different flavor profile than what you'd find with a
classic steak sauce. And why not? It's nice to have options after all
Not only does Texas Roadhouse's Gold Sauce deviate from other more typical steak sauces
in the flavor department, but it can actually be used as a marinade or supplement to other sauces
As a marinade, it plays several roles. First, the acids and salts in the sauce
help to tenderize the outer surface of your proteins before cooking, which can be especially helpful for tougher cuts of steak
Additionally, the sauce helps to develop your steak's natural flavor and imparts additional complementary flavors to your meat while it marinates
Once you've cooked with this sauce, you'll be able to taste notes of apple butter, soy sauce, and smokiness that are more unified with the flavor of the meat
You'll certainly find these notes stronger than if you were only to use the sauce as a post-cooking dressing
If the smoky and tangy flavors of the Roadhouse Gold Sauce are especially appealing to you
you might consider adding it to other sauces to boost those flavors, such as mayonnaise
butter, or olive oil-based mixtures. A few drops of Roadhouse Gold Sauce mixed into a mushroom pan
sauce right before serving might just be the thing your steak has been missing
The truth is that not everyone will fall in love with Texas Roadhouse Gold Sauce
Even in Texas Roadhouse restaurants, diners typically have the option to use A1 sauce
instead of the chain zone mix. But for those dining at home, Texas Roadhouse's new classic
steak sauce more closely resembles what you'll find in a traditional bottle of steak sauce
This sauce is made with that familiar tomato and vinegar base and includes both raisin paste
and tamarind for additional complexity. The Texas Roadhouse classic steak sauce skips the umami notes of fish and soy sauce, keeping things simple with a more limited list
of ingredients, especially compared to the gold version. For those who want the best of both worlds
The Gold Sauce can be used as a marinade on your favorite steaks, while the Classic Steak Sauce can be deployed as a dressing once the steak has been cooked
Dry-aged or smoked meats don't necessarily require as much additional seasoning to amp up their flavors
but fresher meats such as chicken and pork can almost always use a boost
The Texas Roadhouse Gold Sauce manages to be both familiar and just different enough to excite steak sauce lovers everywhere
and can easily become one of the more versatile sauces in your grilling repertoire