10 great steak sauces

We all love a steak...and a venison steak just tops the charts of best steaks...but what about a sauce to accompany it? Well good old bbcgoodfood.com have come up with a list of the 10 best steak sauces that you can make in less than half an hour. Perfect! We have copied them down below but Have a look at their site for more information and other delicious recipes 1. Salsa verde 15 minutes This piquant Italian green sauce doesn’t require any cooking. Chop a small bunch each of parsley, chives and mint into small pieces and mix in a bowl with 1 teaspoon of capers, two or three chopped anchovies, a crushed clove of garlic, the juice of one lemon and three tablespoons of olive oil. Mix it well and season to taste. 2. Smart peppercorn sauce 20 minutes This classic, creamy steak sauce can be ready in no time. Put 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar into a large, non-stick frying pan and bring to a simmer. Then add 150ml of chicken stock and reduce the mixture by half over a high heat. Add 2 teaspoons of green peppercorns, crushing a few of them gently in the pan with the back of a spoon. Season and reduce then stir in 4 tablespoons of double cream. Simmer for one or two minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. 3. Cheat’s béarnaise sauce 25 minutes If you like thick, creamy, mayonnaise-like sauces, opt for a tarragon-tinged béarnaise. Bypass the whole egg yolk and whisk situation by making it in a pan. Melt 25g of butter over a medium heat and add a finely chopped shallot. Cook for five or six minutes then add 1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar. Cook for another couple of minutes then stir in 100g crème fraiche, 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon of capers and a small bunch of tarragon, chopped. Reduce the heat and cook gently for two or three minutes until simmering, seaosn then serve. If you do want to try making it the traditional French way, you may find our video guide helpful. 4. Spicy chimichurri Five minutes Chimichurri is a South American steak sauce similar to salsa verde – but with a little kick. To make it in five minutes, put 1 clove of garlic, 1 red chilli, a small bunch each of coriander and parsley and 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar in a small food processor. Blitz until finely chopped then add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and blitz again. Season and refrigerate until serving. We also have a ten-minute version that’s made with green chilli. 5. Black bean & sesame sauce 25 minutes Team the umami flavour of steak with a deeply savoury, Asian-style sauce, thickened with hardy black beans. Put half a can of drained and rinsed black beans into a food processor. Add 1 teaspoon of soft dark brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of honey, 1 teaspoon of Chinese five-spice powder, 1/2 teaspoon of grated ginger, 1 red chilli, 2 teaspoons of tahini paste, 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce and 5 tablespoons of water. Blend until very smooth then pour into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook for around five minutes or until glossy and thick, stirring all the time. 6. Quick red wine sauce 20 minutes Opt for a bistro classic by making a rich, boozy jus. Pour 250ml beef stock into a saucepan and reduce by half. Then add 125ml red wine, 2 teaspoons of dark brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar. Leave to cook for another 10 minutes over a high heat or until the sauce has reduced by half again. Season to taste and serve. 7. Teriyaki sauce 20 minutes This Japanese sauce has the sweet/savoury balance honed to a tee. Make your own by mixing together 5 tablespoons of soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of sake, 2 tablespoons of mirin, 1/2 teaspoon of ginger, grated with 1 teaspoon of honey. Pour the mix into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer and cook for around five minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 sliced spring onion. Season to taste and serve. 8. Super-swift mustard sauce 10 minutes You don’t get much simpler than a two-component sauce. Mix together 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard with 100g crème fraiche in a saucepan and heat gently until simmering. Season to taste and serve. 9. Blue cheese sauce 20 minutes Steak and blue cheese is a match made in heaven, and this silky sauce can be made in ten minutes. Melt 25g butter in a pan over a medium heat then stir in 1 tablespoon of flour. Slowly add 150ml milk, stirring all the time until the sauce is smooth and all the milk has been added. Bring to a simmer and add 50g chopped Stilton or another blue cheese and stir. Cook until melted and the sauce has thickened slightly, season to taste and serve. 10. Mushroom sauce 15 minutes We’d never turn our noses up at a retro-style grilled mushroom, but this creamy sauce is a little more refined. Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a saucepan over a high heat and add 6 chestnut mushrooms, sliced. Fry for 5 minutes or until golden then stir in 1 crushed garlic clove, 2 tablespoons of brandy and cook until the brandy has almost totally evaporated. Then stir in 4 tablespoons of double cream and 1 teaspoon of wholegrain mustard. Reduce the heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for two or three minutes more then season and serve.