A Blind Taste Test To Determine The Best Steak Sauce

A blind test to determine the best steak sauce you can buy? Sign me up! As a true steak fan, I couldn't wait to put my tastebuds to the test to determine which of the steak sauces out there would truly reign supreme. I grew up visiting steak houses almost every weekend and continued that tradition even into adulthood. As such, I was eager to see whether the steak sauce I've held dear for years would maintain its status as the ultimate vinegary-sweet condiment or if a new contender would rise to claim the throne. And to whet your appetite, the results surprised me. 

In this post, I'll take you with me on my journey to determine which steak sauce is best. We'll look at nutritional information, ingredients, and, most importantly, how each sauce tastes. I love a good balance of tang and sweet, though I'm always game for new twists on an original. With that in mind, pull up a seat and join me as I slather on the details about which steak sauces I think you should check out and which ones would be best to avoid.

Not only is the price of Kroger Universal Steak Sauce low at only $3.99 per 11.5-ounce bottle, but the flavor is subpar as well. Kroger Universal Steak Sauce goes for $3.99 at my local Pick 'n Save and has 15 calories, 2 grams of sugar (1 gram of added sugar), and 3 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon. Kroger Universal Steak Sauce contains monosodium glutamate, dextrose, and caramel color but does not contain high fructose corn syrup, which is always a relief.

Still, despite being a bit lower in sugar than some of the other picks on this list, you'll find Kroger Universal Steak Sauce at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to flavor. Even when performing a blind taste test, I could easily decipher this one as a generic brand — it tasted like an off-beat version of the many "real" steak sauces out there.

Now, don't get me wrong, there are plenty of store-brand foods and condiments that can outperform brand names, but that simply isn't the case here. The taste of the sauce was confusingly sweet with an unpleasant bitterness. The spices felt muddled and it also had an overall watery flavor. I probably wouldn't have minded the flavor as much if I hadn't sampled it alongside so many other strong steak sauce contenders, but as it stands, Kroger Universal Steak Sauce was the worst in the lineup.

Compared to the other steak sauces, Heinz 57 stands out, but not in a good way — at least, not in my opinion. Beginning with the details, it's priced a little higher at $6.99 at my local grocer for a 10-ounce bottle. A single tablespoon contains 20 calories, 3 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of carbohydrates. It includes quite a few additives like caramel color, preservatives, and high fructose corn syrup all of which aren't uncommon in the steak sauce realm.

I know I'm not going to score any points with the Heinz 57 steak sauce fans out there, but this pick just didn't do it for me. Granted, I've never had Heinz 57 before, though as a former waitress, I had heard plenty about it. I went into it blindfolded, and as soon as it hit my tastebuds, the first thing I did was shriek. It was just so ... tomatoey. Nothing like that peppery, sweet and sour tang I love from other steak sauces. Sure, it might work well as a marinade, given that it contains many of the ingredients that steakhouse chefs recommend for steak marinades, but I wouldn't use it as a sauce on its own. Despite how unpopular my opinion might be here, my conclusion still stands — Heinz 57 sauce simply isn't a great steak sauce. 

I could smell Primal Kitchen Organic Steak Sauce coming even while blindfolded, and not in a good way. This organic steak sauce comes in an 8.5-ounce bottle for $6.49 on Amazon. It contains 10 calories per 1 tablespoon, 1 gram of sugar (0 grams of added sugar), and 2 grams of carbohydrates. It has several interesting components, including balsamic vinegar, orange juice, sage, ginger, and others. Ultimately, the only thing I appreciated about this steak sauce grab was its attempt at using cleaner ingredients compared to some.

Now, don't get me wrong, Primal Kitchen Organic Steak Sauce isn't gross — it just isn't my cup of tea. The sauce tasted like it smelled — pungent, sour, and just plain weird. It wasn't very sweet, which is expected given that there's only 1 gram of sugar in a serving, but I also kept picking up hints of alcohol. My best guess is that it is the "organic wine vinegar" and "concentrated grape musk," both of which are components of the balsamic vinegar noted on the label.

All in all, with its odd combination of ingredients, Primal Kitchen Organic Steak Sauce felt scattered and left me walking away more annoyed than pleased. Overall, this organic steak sauce is a pass for me.

I love ordering Texas Roadhouse to go but was shocked when I realized I didn't care for the flavor of the chain's steak sauce. Texas Roadhouse "Classic" Steak Sauce goes for around $5.49 and is one of two Texas Roadhouse branded steak sauces I've seen available at my local mart. In a single tablespoon, there are 20 calories, 3 grams of sugar (2 grams of added sugar), and 4 grams of carbohydrates. Texas Roadhouse Classic Steak Sauce doesn't contain high fructose corn syrup but does contain caramel coloring. Other than that, expect water, vinegar, and a few spices.

It wasn't that this steak sauce was horrible; it just wasn't what I expected. Its flavor isn't very sweet, but instead is umami with a strong emphasis on pepper. I'm stunned that neither black pepper nor peppercorns are exclusively listed among the ingredients; that's how strong the peppery flavor is.

With its thicker texture, dark brown color, and potent taste, I think Texas Roadhouse "Classic" Steak Sauce would work well to enhance the flavor of a steak or burger, especially if it's smothered in something creamy (like Pepper Jack or a good bottled store-bought ranch) to help balance its flavor. Overall, if you love the flavor of black pepper and don't mind missing out on the sweet savor of traditional steak sauces, you might actually dig this one.

When I tasted Whole Foods 365 Organic Steak Sauce, I knew it was organic; its flavor was a dead giveaway. This organic steak sauce comes in a 10-ounce bottle and goes for around $3.39 at the time of publication on Amazon. It has 10 calories, 1 gram of sugar (less than 1 gram of added sugar), and 2 grams of carbohydrates. As is usually the case with Whole Foods organic food options, this steak sauce features squeaky clean ingredients, with no high fructose corn syrup or monosodium glutamate in sight. Instead, expect tomato purée, vinegar, water, molasses, allspice, and more when sampling this steak sauce.

Though I love the ingredients, I could definitely tell this was a healthier version of traditional steak sauces. The flavor wasn't terrible. But it was a bit too weak for my liking. If I had to put my finger on exactly what it tastes like, I'd say it tastes like A.1. Sauce which has been diluted with water with a slight emphasis on garlic. Again, it isn't bad — just not my favorite. Even so, I still love the fact that Whole Foods Steak Sauce has cleaner ingredients than most, so for that reason, I can't hate it too much.

A.1. Thick and Hearty Steak Sauce can be found on Amazon in a 15-ounce bottle for $5.99 at the time of publication. Though it pales in comparison to the original, it's still pretty darn good. The steak sauce contains 25 calories in a single tablespoon of the sauce, along with 5 grams of sugar (5 grams of added sugar) and 6 grams of carbohydrates. The sauce contains tomato paste and vinegar, along with high fructose corn syrup, orange peel, crushed orange purée, raisin paste, and others, and honestly, it's probably these fruits that give A.1. its extra punch of flavor.

With that said, A.1. Thick and Hearty Steak Sauce is rather enjoyable. Its flavor is robust, tangy, and sweet. Even so, I was shocked when I did a blind taste test of this one. Being the A.1. fan I am, I just knew that this had to be the original flavor and that the other A.1 sauce I tasted (the true original) was the "thick and hearty" version. However, the opposite is true. The original packed so much more flavor than its "thick and hearty" counterpart. Also, there was nothing particularly thick about it; it just seemed like a less tangy and less spicy version of classic A.1. sauce. All in all, while this sauce still has a place in my fridge, it still comes second to its saucy, bold, spicy older brother.

I must say, I'm impressed. Considering how much I loathed Kroger's version of generic steak sauce, my assumption would be that my taste buds could discern what I thought would be Walmart's weak attempt at steak sauce, too. Boy, was I wrong!  Priced at only $2.78, Great Value Steak Sauce is not only affordable but also pretty darn tasty.  It comes with 15 calories, 1 gram of sugar (less than 1 gram of added sugar), and 3 grams of carbohydrates. Surprisingly, there's no added high fructose corn syrup here. And monosodium glutamate? Non-existent. 

Upon tasting Great Value Steak Sauce, my tongue was hit with unexpected bold flavor. I actually thought I had stumbled upon one of my beloved A.1. sauces, only to find out it was Walmart dishing up the goods this time around. What I love about this sauce is several things: it's affordable, contains decent ingredients, isn't overly sugary, and, best of all, tastes great. It tastes nearly identical to A.1.'s original sauce, though A.1. does have a slightly more potent taste, if I'm honest. Either way, I'd buy this again in a heartbeat, especially when funds are tight. Way to go, Walmart! 

If you're a fan of grilled onions, I'd say Braswell Vidalia Onion Steak Sauce is a safe bet. This uniquely flavored steak sauce can be found on Amazon for around $10.90 at the time of publication and features 20 calories in one tablespoon of sauce, along with 5 grams of sugar (4 grams of added sugar) and 5 grams of carbohydrates. One thing I love about Braswell Vidalia Onion Steak Sauce is that despite its potent flavor, it contains hardly any additives — just plenty of spices and, of course, yummy Vidalia onions to make the flavor pop.

And pop it does! The brand did a great job of emulating the rich flavor of caramelized onions (which you can make in your instant pot, by the way). It's a little on the sweeter side but still packs delightful tang with plenty of garlic. The onion flavor is well-executed, but its potency means you'll need to truly love onions to appreciate it (and I do). I could see myself eating this sauce on a wide variety of food items, from chicken, burgers, steaks, and even cheesesteaks. It'd also be the perfect pick for when you want onion-y flavor but don't have any actual onions on hand. Simply slather on this sauce, and you won't even notice the difference.

Peter Luger Steak Sauce is such an interesting pick, but I think its flavor will prove polarizing, depending on what you want in a sauce. Peter Luger Steak Sauce can be found on Amazon for $12.59 at the time of publication and comes with 30 calories in a single tablespoon of sauce, along with 4 grams of sugar (2 grams of added sugar), and 7 grams of carbohydrates. It sports the typical tomato and vinegar ingredient combo but also features high fructose corn syrup and anchovies — good to know for those of you who may wish to avoid these ingredients.

Peter Luger Steak Sauce surprised me. Tasting this one while blindfolded was a shock to the tongue; it doesn't taste like any of the others, which proved to be a good thing. The sauce reminds me of a (stay with me ...) very high-quality cocktail sauce. Weird, I know, but trust me, it's so good. That said, if you don't like the flavor of a cocktail sauce, I can almost guarantee you won't like Peter Luger Steak Sauce. And for its price point, I'd say be careful before splurging on this one. I think it's delicious, but I'm not entirely sure this flavor will float the boat of a steak sauce traditionalist.

I'm an avid A.1. fan. but considering that I sampled 10 sauces, I never would've guessed that I'd return to my former love — the original A.1. sauce — which you can find on Amazon for about $6.35 per bottle. It comes with 15 calories, 2 grams of sugar (2 grams of added sugar,) and 3 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon. Like the other variety, it too contains interesting ingredients like raisin paste and crushed orange purée, though there's no high fructose corn syrup in this bottle thankfully.

As I mentioned before, the taste testing of both the "thick and hearty" version of A.1. and the original threw me for quite a loop. But in the end, A.1. Original Steak Sauce proved to be the king of the sauces simply because its flavor is so impeccably done. It isn't too sweet, lends the perfect amount of tanginess, and yields a very subtle peppery taste that makes my mouth water. When drizzled over steak, this unstoppable flavor combination takes meat to new heights. It's not watery, isn't overly thin, but is simply a very well-executed steak sauce.

All in all, out of all the others, A.1. is still the one that captures my heart.

Although there were several scrumptious steak sauces on this list, I found myself most drawn to the classics. Even so, there are some steak sauces that deserve a special shout-out, especially given the fact that my taste buds were largely underwhelmed by the majority. Peter Luger Steak sauce, for example, is one that will always have a special spot in my fridge. I could see its unique flavor working on a variety of meat types, not just steak. The only thing that gives me pause is its price point — especially since its ingredients aren't the cleanest.

Braswell Vidalia Onion Steak Sauce is yet another that surprised me during my blindfolded taste test — it was one of the few that pulled off being different in a yummy way. Outside these options, I mostly found myself either repulsed or unimpressed by the watery, pungent, or generally confusing flavor of many of these sauces. As such, I'd advise that if you've found yourself a good steak sauce, be sure to hold on to it. You may end up like me and not find many of the others worth your time.

I sampled each steak sauce using a blindfolded method. I prefer steak sauces that contain a good balance of spices with just the right amount of tang and that aren't too sweet. I also have an affinity for clean ingredients, although that wasn't necessarily a determining factor in whether I ranked a steak sauce high or low — at least not this time. And though I was mainly concerned with flavor this time around, if certain controversial ingredients, such as high fructose corn syrup or monosodium glutamate, were present within the sauce, I made sure to make a special note.

As always, pricing and availability of the sauces mentioned on this list are subject to change.