Wednesday 14 August 2013

Homemade Worcestershire Sauce


After over a year of procrastinating, I finally made worcestershire sauce.  I know.  I don't blame you for thinking it.  Why on earth would I want to make something that isn't expensive to buy and is easily available.  My reason is simple.  Generally speaking, homemade anything tastes better than store bought, so I wanted to give it a whirl for my Dad.  He LOVES worcestershire sauce and I can think of no greater gift for him (a November birthday), so that alone is reason enough for me to go to the trouble.  This sauce needs to age, so that means I needed to get my game on NOW!

I first discovered a recipe for worcestershire sauce on a blog that I stumbled upon a long time ago, but I can't find the link.  I'm sorry.  I printed the recipe off and never bookmarked the site.  My bad.  After a bit of googling, I did find a few other recipes and ultimately decided to make this one (as well as the original one that I printed off from that unknown blog) so that I could compare the taste and decide which one was better. After they age, I'll be doing a little taste testing and will report my findings for you.


The original recipe that I printed off from that unknown blog is as follows:

Worcestershire Sauce

2 litres brown vinegar
600ml malt vinegar
(I used all malt vinegar as that's what I had on hand) 
220 grams caster sugar
6 green apples peeled and chopped
60 grams minced fresh garlic
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp peppercorns
25 grams ground ginger
25 grams salt
500 grams treacle
(I bought treacle at the import shop, but suspect you could use fancy molasses in lieu)


1.  Place all ingredients (except the treacle) into a large pot and boil for 2 hours, then strain through a fine sieve.  

2.  Return mixture to the pot, add treacle and return to boil.  Stir for 10 minutes.  

3.  Pour into sterilized jars/bottles and seal.
* I've put mine in freshly washed jars and have placed them in the basement fridge to age. I want to taste test them before I bottle them and seal them for gift giving.

Allow minimum of 3 weeks to age and be sure to shake before use!





Apples taking on the color of the ingredients...



Cooling in preparation to sieve



Look at that rich color!





The leavings of both recipes...  very different in quantity and composition.


The resulting sauce (the recipe posted here by me made considerably more and was much darker in colour than the one I linked to above).


My initial taste test confirms that the sauce on the right is much saltier than the one on the left.  I'm really eager to taste them again after they age...  stay tuned!




10 comments:

  1. Good on you! When I get some cider made my plan was to "make" (or watch nature make) cider vinegar. Hopefully it will be a small, intentional batch and not a 5-gallon carboy gone bad!

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    1. LOL, Bob! I've not yet made cider, but I signed up as a fruit picker with OFRE in hopes of obtaining enough for a batch :) Let's hope I don't end up with vinegar, either!!!!

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  2. I've been wanting to make some for quite awhile too as I use a lot of it in cooking but never seem to get there. Thanks for the recipe and tips, you have me all enthusiastic about it again now!

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    1. I'll be sure to let you know how they turn out... I'm going to compare them to the store bought and see how close they come.

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  3. Sherri, the sauce on the left (the saltier one), which recipe is that one? Thanks

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    1. Sandra, the sauce on the RIGHT is the saltier one and the recipe for it is the one that I linked to in my post (not the one that I typed out).

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  4. Wow I will definately be trying this recipe I love this sauce

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  5. I'll stay tuned alright, the T loves it.

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    1. Tell your T to bring you to Canada to try it!!! :) Oh what a hoot that would be!

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