LUCKY 57 SAUCE

A friend of mine made a steak sauce one night that was equal parts Heinz 57 and A-1 sauce.  It was excellent.  I co-opted that trick and substituted Peter Luger’s Steak Sauce for the A-1.  I loved this on my roast chicken (along with the gravy from the chicken).  You can adjust the ratios of the two sauces according to whether you prefer a more catsup-based sauce or a heavily horseradish-y sauce.  But on a night when I was eating left-over roast chicken, this took it to the next level and was delicious!  (You can get the Peter Luger’s sauce at Dorignac’s — it’s also delicious on cold boiled shrimp).

According to Wikipedia: Heinz 57 is a steak sauce. Its name comes from the historical advertising slogan “57 Varieties” by the H. J. Heinz Company located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It was developed as part of a marketing campaign that told consumers about the numerous products available from the Heinz company.

Henry J. Heinz introduced the marketing slogan “57 pickle Varieties” in 1896. He later claimed he was inspired by an advertisement he saw while riding an elevated train in New York City (a shoe store boasting “21 styles”). The reason for “57” is unclear. Heinz said he chose “5” because it was his lucky number and the number “7” was his wife’s lucky number.  Heinz also said the number “7” was selected specifically because of the “psychological influence of that figure and of its enduring significance to people of all ages”. When the slogan was created the Heinz company was already selling more than 60 products.

Heinz 57 Sauce has what amounts to a ketchup base, fortified with malt vinegar, and seasoned with mustard, raisin, apple, garlic, onion, and other flavors.

Its ingredient list includes tomato purée (water, tomato paste), high fructose corn syrup, distilled white vinegar, malt vinegar (contains barley), salt, less than 2% of modified food starch, raisin juice concentrate, mustard flour, soybean oil, turmeric, spices, apple purée, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservatives), caramel color, garlic powder, onion powder, and natural flavors.

ON THE OTHER HAND, HERE IS WHAT’S IN THE PETER LUGER SAUCE:

Peter Luger steak sauce is a tangy, slightly sweet condiment that enhances the flavor of steaks. The key ingredients typically include:

• Ketchup: Provides sweetness and acidity.

• Worcestershire sauce: Adds umami flavor.

• Apple cider vinegar: Contributes acidity.

• Brown sugar: Adds sweetness.

• Spices: Such as garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.