You can make copycat A1 Steak Sauce with junk-free ingredients at home in no time! Homemade steak sauce that is delicious and easy!
Do you like A1 Steak Sauce? If you are anything like me, you probably have a love-hate relationship with it. On one hand, you love the taste and probably grew up with it as a staple in your house but on the other hand, you hate the low-quality ingredients that they choose to use to make it.
What if I told you your favorite steak sauce could be at your fingertips any time you want, without having to send even a penny on that pricey little bottle we all grew up loving?
All of that is about to come true with this amazing copycat A1 steak sauce recipe that has all the flavor with none of the processed and foreign ingredients.
Once you try this homemade recipe, you’ll never even think about reaching for the premade sauce ever again. Trust me!
How To Make Homemade Steak Sauce?
In a saucepan, combine all ingredients except for the orange. Squeeze the juice from the orange into the saucepan and then add in the juiced orange segments. Bring to a boil, lower light to a simmer. After a few minutes, remove orange segments and discard.
Continue simmering, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer (make sure to strain into a measuring cup or other container!).Use a spoon or spatula to push all the liquid out of the chunky bits.
Lastly, return sauce to the pan and bring back to a simmer. Reduce, stirring occasionally, until level of thickness is reached and enjoy!
What Are the Ingredients in Store-Bought A1 Sauce?
We all know that store-bought foods can be riddled with all kinds of concerning ingredients we’ve never heard of, much less want to put into our body. Store-bought A1 sauce, is unfortunately no different, with the third ingredient being corn syrup, followed by things like Potassium Sorbate, and Xanthan Gum.
Here’s the full list of ingredients: (From the Kraft Website)
Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste), Distilled Vinegar, Corn Syrup, Salt, Raisin Paste, Crushed Orange Puree, Spices and Herbs, Dried Garlic and Onion, Caramel Color, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum
Doesn’t sound too appealing? Right? That’s why I was so excited to share this copycat recipe full of ingredients that won’t leave you scratching your head searching for the definition.
If you really want to avoid those unknown ingredients and want to upgrade the flavor of your steak sauce, then it’s worth the extra time to make this copycat A1 steak sauce recipe.
I searched the internet and found many A1 copycat recipes. After trying a bunch, this homemade A1 steak sauce recipe from Two Dogs In The Kitchen caught my eye and I had to try it. After trying it out, and tweaking the recipe just a bit, I feel like it’s pretty darn close to the old original!
Not only can it be prepped in 5 minutes or under, but it also takes only 20 minutes or less to cook. That’s less time than you would spend staring at the steak sauce shelf trying to decide which one to go with. So, clearly, the time spent prepping and making this homemade steak sauce is SO worth it.
Tips and Tricks For copycat A1 Steak Sauce
- If you’re having trouble finding gluten-free Worcestershire Sauce, there are two specific brands I recommend trying out: The Wizard Sauces, Gluten-Free Worcestershire Sauce, or WAN JA SHAN Organic Worcestershire Sauce. You can also feel free to use regular Worcestershire sauce if you aren’t worried about finding one that’s gluten-free.
- When straining, don’t forget your catcher bowl/cup! You don’t want to lose all of your sauce down the drain while separating it from the no longer needed ingredients.
- You’ll want to wait for the sauce to completely cool, to really get the full flavor. The flavors will change as it cools, so, even though it might be tough, try to refrain from taking those initial taste tests.
Love Steak Sauce? Try Paring it With These Recipes!
Get out of your traditional steak sauce pairings and try your homemade sauce on some of these unique pairings!
Homemade 5-Ingredient Steak Rub
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
You can make copycat A1 Steak Sauce with junk-free ingredients at home in no time! Homemade steak sauce that is delicious and easy!
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup gluten free Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup organic ketchup
- 1/4 cup dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup organic raisins
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 2 cloves garlic smashed
- 1/8 large yellow onion cut into chunks
- 1 small navel orange or 1/2 large orange, cut in half
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In a saucepan, combine all ingredients except for the orange.
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Squeeze the juice from the orange into the saucepan and then add in the juiced orange segments.
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Bring to a boil, lower light to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. At 5 minutes, remove orange segments and discard.
-
Continue simmering, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer (make sure to strain into a measuring cup or other container!).
Use a spoon or spatula to push all the liquid out of the chunky bits.
-
Return sauce to pan and bring back to a simmer. Reduce, stirring occasionally, for an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until level of thickness is reached.
Note that sauce tastes different when warm so let cool completely before adjusting spices. Enjoy!
Recipe Makes 1.5 Cups Steak Sauce or Approximately 24 Tablespoons. Serving Size is 2 Tablespoons (12 Servings)
- If you're having trouble finding gluten free Worcestershire Sauce, there are two specific brands I recommend trying out: The Wizard Sauces, Gluten-Free Worcestershire Sauce, or WAN JA SHAN Organic Worcestershire Sauce. You can also feel free to use regular Worcestershire sauce if you aren't worried about finding one that's gluten-free.
- When straining, don't forget your catcher bowl/cup! You don't want to lose all of your sauce down the drain while separating it from the no longer needed ingredients.
- You'll want to wait for the sauce to completely cool, to really get the full flavor. The flavors will change as it cools, so, even though it might be tough, try to refrain from taking those initial taste tests.
Did you make this recipe? Tag @EverydayMaven on Instagram with the hashtag #EveryDayMaven and please give a star rating below.
UPDATE NOTES:Â This post was originally published in October 2013 and updated in June 2019 with new photos, better instructions and more helpful information.
Adapted From: Homemade A1 Steak Sauce From Two Dogs In The Kitchen
Steve says
Is this sauce whole 30 compliant?
EverydayMaven says
Hi Steve – nope, the ketchup has sugar in it!
Lisa says
I am planning on making this sauce for use on the whole30, but I’m going to make my own ketchup.
EverydayMaven says
Nice! Hope you love it 🙂
David says
Worcestershire has molasses(sugar) in it.
Paul says
No most Ketchup has High Fructose Corn Syrup and Sugar
Sarah says
Not if you make your own.
Roger says
The recipe calls for 1/8 large yellow onion, but the first picture clearly shows 1/4 of an onion. Can you clarify?
EverydayMaven says
Hi Roger – it’s 1/8 large onion for sure – I think it’s a weird angle for the photo. Thanks!
Hoot says
Lover of A1 steak sauce.
Made it the proscribed way per the recipe the first time. Killed me to toss the little bits of flavor goodies after straining.
Second time, I ran everything through my food processor until it was a puree except the orange skins. I still discarded those.
Now, it is easier to make and I don’t need to do the strainer step. I hated discarding all those little bits of goodness after straining!
Lindsay says
Great idea! I was just thinking about that. Thanks.
Chad Collins says
I do the same. The texture comes out right like A1 with the micro it’s.
Willow Coyote says
Just made this yesterday and followed instructions to the letter. It made a lovely sauce and I will put it to good use; however, it is definitely not an A1 reproduction, the only reminiscent taste element in it being the Worcestershire sauce. Thanks for a nice sauce recipe, just the same.
Susan says
Do you have to use Gluten free Worcestershire sauce?
EverydayMaven says
Only if you are Gluten Free! Just a word of caution though, get a natural brand of Worcestershire sauce if you can – the ingredients in the “traditional” brand are not that great!
Trey says
i don’t understand the gluten free thing, they have already proven that its psychosomatic several times over.
this sauce turned out really good, thanks for the recipe! not quite a-1 but it improves on the flavor, sort of like a no-name bbq sauce you find in the co-op that turns out to be better than anything you’ve had before.
Shelby says
I don’t know who “they” are but in my case “they” are welcome to stay with my niece after she has been “glutened”. Not a pretty site. And there are absolutely physical differences in me when I have been off gluten for awhile and then eat it. It is not psychosomatic. The difference in the way I feel off of gluten (and now grains most of the time) is amazing. Go off it for a month and come to your own conclusions but if you aren’t willing to conduct your own experiment then please don’t downplay what is very real to so many.
PaleoHubby says
My wife has Celiac. She does not have the good fortune of an IBS reaction to tell when she gets it. Instead gluten is like a silent poison in her body, detroying her GI and other ailments. Bc it went untreated since she was in 6 th grade, she has now developed another Auto-Immune desease. This is not in her head! Eating GF and Paleo she has gotten off the super terrible drugs prescribed. And u think that food additives are bad…. The funny thing abt Auto-Immune desease sister that once u get them, u have them for life. Her diet changes have helped her manage things better w/o expensive chemicals that shorten her life
Cat says
You sir are a loving Husband. It was an honor to read your post. I wish you and your family great health and intense happiness.
Heather says
Wow..i have changed my diet as well and because of the AIP diet I have come off 15 years of autoimmune drugs. Thank you for your post..i am in the same predicament as your wife and constantly looking for tasty additions to my strict diet.
Claudia says
And yet when I had blood tests a few years ago and my Doctor went through the results he said to me “you have started showing for autoimmune disease but that’s OK lots of people have that!” And you wonder why you can not get medical treatment on the NHS!!!!!!!!!
It amazes me how in this country people are proud of having cancer or knowing someone that does, dying their hair pink, wearing pink I have had people tell me they have it as if they have purchased a car or been on a holiday, it really is a marketing genius on behalf of the charities that they can get people who have made themselves ill through diet to brag that they have done that! I mean you never see obese people going around proclaiming look at me I have eaten my way to being barely able to move around and a massive list of weight related deseases do you?
Programmer says
this gluten thing is all about what the government has done with flour messing with it and adding in synthetic vitamins and minerals etc etc. Celiac I believe there is a problem with it. Ancient grains people. Find wheat that the government has not tainted and you might find out why people survived on these grains for millennia and suddenly all of America has a gluten intolerance. So I agree with gluten free based on what’s coming out of production, but not as far a an original species. Too many people suddenly with issues like this beyond celiacs or your normal amount of people allergic to something. Seriously, big manufacturer supplied everything for 30 plus years has caused all of this. Try growing your own vegetables, grains, and what a body needs and guess what?
Programmer says
oh, and the reason for being here, the sauce is great! Have made it many times off this site and many others with the same recipe. This site though has made the effort of helping get rid of all the gunk ingredients. Good Job!!
We end up with a pretty spicy version using home grown chilies we’ve grown and dried and ground into essentially cayenne powder. Hotter works well with this recipe. Nice website, nice pics of your recipe. Thanks.
Steve says
There is a medical test that proves you have Celiac disease… so I guess it’s all in the doctors head when he reads the test results, the lab technician when he runs the test, me when the doctor explains to me the damage it will do to my child’s intestines and my child’s mind when they feel the effects of their reactions to gluten? Please educate you’re self before you tell people that the medical disease you have isn’t real. Do you go around to people in wheelchairs and tell them to stand up it’s all in their head?
Amanda says
This recipe is currently simmering on my stove! It smells great! Can’t wait until it’s finished and the steaks are done!! Thanks for this recipe!!
EverydayMaven says
Yum! I am jealous. We had burgers for dinner and wish it was steak. Hope you liked it!