The Sweet Sauce You'd Never Expect To Pair Well With Meaty Dishes

Though you may sweeten up a cut of meat with some brown sugar or a bourbon-honey glaze, fruitier sauces are typically left for desserts. However, they often contain a rich depth that's delicious with meat, as well. Berry coulis is for more than just cakes — use the sweet sauce to elevate your steaks (and other meat dishes).

The sauce features berries that are broken down over medium heat and simmered with lemon juice and sugar, giving it a tart, honeyed flavor. It's often drizzled over treats like pound cakes, chocolate mousse, apple crumble, and the like. Coulis is definitely heavenly with desserts, but its bright, tangy taste makes it a sauce that boosts the flavor of every meal, not just treats. The sweet berry sauce stands out amidst the umami protein, making its savory flavor more apparent. Tender chunks of meat taste even juicier when swirled in the silky sauce, and you can customize the coulis for whatever meat you're preparing.

Add your choice of fresh or frozen berries to a pot, along with lemon juice and sugar. Bring everything to a simmer over medium heat and stir the mixture as the berries lose their structure. Once the fruits are fully broken down, pulse them in a blender or food processor until the sauce is fully smooth. Use a sieve to strain the coulis before drizzling it over cooked meat and transferring the rest to an airtight container.

Since a berry coulis is fully customizable, you can make it with berries that best complement your choice of meat. A rich, mixed berry coulis is perfect for meat with a simpler taste, like sous-vide rib eye steak. Flavored with garlic, thyme, and rosemary, a coulis made with blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries is just the thing to elevate it. The array of juicy and rich flavors works well with herbs and alliums that season the steak, while making the meat's savory taste even more apparent.

For something with a gamier taste like roast leg of lamb, a darker berry coulis made of blackberries and blueberries would complement its depth. To elevate the meat's grassy taste, throw some piney juniper berries into the coulis. A sprinkle of sugar and lemon juice is integral to berry coulis, but you can also step it up with herbs and spices if you wish. Add some fresh basil or mint to the coulis, or give it a peppery edge with some cardamom.

To step up the mild taste of simple roasted pork tenderloin, dress it up with a cranberry-blueberry spiced coulis. The autumnal flavors elevate the slightly sweet pork, deepening its delicate taste. Add a dash of orange zest to accompany the lemon juice in the coulis, along with cloves, rosemary, cinnamon, and sage.