A really good steak does not require a sauce of any sort. But a really great sauce can enhance even a great steak. A Bearnaise sauce, a glistening mushroom sauce, and even a glug of Peter Luger's bottled steak sauce can take a juicy piece of perfectly cooked beef to the next level. When we were kids, steak at home was always accompanied by a bottle of Heinz ketchup. Of course, we were not eating expensive cuts of prime beef back then so dipping a strip of grocery store sirloin in ketchup was not frowned upon. These days, the quality of beef you can find at the grocery store is amazing. I wouldn't dream of drowning a prime filet in ketchup. BUT! When I have a pile of salty French fries next to a medium rare grilled filet... I have to admit to the occasional ketchup laced bite of beef and it is soooo perfect it makes me swoon. The food memory of that fatty, beefy, sweet ketchupy bite is intoxicating. So, here's my response to all you ketchup shamers out there: If it was good enough for my Dad it's good enough for me. Just don't buy cheap ketchup, please. And homemade ketchup is not really ketchup, for the record. It's Heinz or Hunt's or nothing. Sparingly but without apology.
