WINE WITH…Steak with ‘The Best Sauce in the World’

Much has been written lately about the savory East-meets-West amalgam of soy sauce and butter, which was described as a “sublime combination” by Sam Sifton in the New York Times. Wolfgang Puck and Roy Choi are among those who champion this particular pairing of creamy and pungent tastes, but it is famed chef/restaurateur Jean-Georges Vongerichten who really brought it to the forefront of gastronomic attention. In fact, we read some time ago that Vongerichten’s favorite sauce is a mixture butter, soy sauce, Tabasco, ketchup, vinegar, and lime juice. He called this Thai inspired combo “the best sauce in the world” and said it is particularly good on grouper. We decided to try it ourselves one evening despite the fact that we had no other information than what the basic ingredients were. Everything else was a question: How much butter and soy sauce? Wine vinegar or balsamic? Since we seemed to be out of Tabasco, would it be okay to substitute cayenne? Should we cook the sauce, or marinate the grouper in it? For that matter we had a steak in the fridge; would it work instead of the fish?

And so we forged ahead, inventing as we went along. The result: Yes, this is indeed one of the best sauces anywhere. Rich, complex and savory, packed with umami and balanced sweetness, acidity and spice, it would probably be delicious on anything, from pork to green beans.

Steak with “The Best Sauce in the World”

Serves four

2-4 rib-eye steaks, two to three pounds total
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons softened good-quality unsalted butter plus 1 tablespoon
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

An hour or so ahead of time, salt and pepper both sides of the steak and refrigerate it until ready to cook. In a small bowl blend together the butter, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar and cayenne. The mixture does not have to be perfectly smooth and amalgamated as it will all fuse together in the cooking.

About 10 minutes before cooking, heat a sturdy skillet (we used cast iron) until it just begins to smoke. Add the olive oil and extra tablespoon of butter to the pan and quickly add the steaks, working in batches if necessary. Sear on both sides, turning them occasionally, until done to your likeness (about 5 minutes total for medium rare depending on thickness of the meat).

Remove the steaks to a serving dish and wipe the skillet out with a paper towel. Reheat the pan and add the red wine. Over high heat, boil the wine down, stirring constantly, until it is reduced to about half. Lower the heat to medium, and stir in the butter/soy mixture. As soon as the sauce is bubbly and thoroughly incorporated, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Spoon the sauce over the steaks and serve immediately.