Just 2 Tablespoons Of This Powerhouse Sauce Gives Steak Sublime Flavor

While many like to argue that there are some cuts of steak so delicious, so flavorful, that absolutely no sauce is needed — let's be honest, there are some serious sauce lovers out there. While there are certainly good reasons for why you won't find A1 sauce at a high-quality steakhouse, if you're cooking at home, sauces can be a quite fun and flavorful way to shake things up. You might already be basting your meat in grass-fed butter, thick olive oils, roasted garlic, and yes, even MSG, but have you ever considered hoisin?

Hoisin sauce is a Chinese barbecue-style sauce, but its history (and flavor) is much more rich and layered than that. The roots of this fermented soybean concoction have been traced back to the Hakka people of the Guangdong province in South China, and the sauce is a staple in Cantonese culinary traditions. Most store-bought versions today also include sugar, garlic, vinegar and spices, although you can certainly make your own with this classic hoisin sauce recipe. It's an intense combination that combines sweet, salty, tangy, and savory notes all in one sauce — imagine all of that infused into your steak.

Plus, thanks to the umami bomb that is fermented soybeans, hoisin sauce and steak get along very well. Their deeply savory flavors reinforce each other in a magically delicious sort of way. Hoisin pairs well with several steak cuts, particularly flank steak, skirt steak, and ribeye because their richness can stand up to the sauce's intensity. Whether using it as a quick marinade or finishing sauce, hoisin is good enough on its own, but it also plays well with other ingredients.

Hoisin is given credit for being one of the first Chinese pantry staples to go mainstream in the United States. Because it was so widely available, it became a stand-in for other sauces that were harder to find or make. You'll also see it popping up in Vietnamese restaurants today as a topping for pho or as a dipping sauce for spring rolls. So there's no reason why you can't brush the thick, sticky sauce over your beef, too.

Hoisin-glazed steak pairs especially well with sides that balance its sweetness and richness. If you want to stick with complementary flavors, some good options include an Asian-style slaw with sesame dressing, or this spicy Korean cucumber salad for a refreshing contrast. You can also branch out beyond the beef, like this sticky hoisin pork steak recipe, which calls for a quick marinade in hoisin and fresh ginger before grilling. If you wish to customize the sauce even further, there are many ways to go. If you want heat, mix in chili crisp or sriracha, or add rice vinegar if you want to turn up the tang. For a more complex glaze, combine hoisin with a touch of sesame oil and lime juice before marinating or brushing on the steak. 

This sauce has a natural affinity for meat, which means you can keep experimenting in a surprising amount of different international cuisines. And now that you know how to (not) get lost in the sauce, there are so many ways you can incorporate hoisin into your recipes at home.