This Fruity Sauce Sounds Wrong For Steak, But It Totally Works

When it comes to steak sauces and accompaniments, the classic choices are designed to complement the meat and are almost always rich in umami flavor, just like the steak itself. These include roasted mushrooms, buttery Bearnaise sauce, horseradish, blue cheese, peppercorn sauce, tangy chimichurri, and of course, delicious A-1 sauce. So it might surprise some people that a fruit-forward sauce can actually be wonderful with a juicy, savory steak, specifically if it's made with raspberries; this is just one unusual steak topping that actually works.

Raspberries have a delicate sweetness, so the natural sugars won't overpower the richness of steak. They're also pleasantly tart, which balances out the fattiness of steak beautifully. And, because the berries are juicy, they make for a nice sauce consistency. The idea of steak with raspberry sauce is to not make the sauce too sweet; after all, this isn't for dessert purposes, but for flavor enhancement. For instance, our 5-ingredient raspberry sauce recipe is better suited for ice creams and baked goods rather than a ribeye.

With that said, some sugar is okay to use as it does help to thicken sauces. In fact, if you don't have fresh raspberries, you can even make a sauce from raspberry jam. Combining it with other savory elements like Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, herbs, garlic, spices, and red wine adds layers of flavor and interest, creating a steak sauce you'll reach for time and time again.

Because a steak sauce with raspberries can be sharp and tart, it's particularly good with fattier cuts of beef, like ribeye, pricey Wagyu, brisket, skirt steak, and short ribs. This isn't to say that it wouldn't be tasty with leaner cuts, but it may balance out the texture and richness of fattier cuts better. If you prefer leaner steaks, like filet mignon, top sirloin, or flank, try a thicker barbecue sauce made with raspberries. 

Even better might be a compound butter with the berries. To make, combine softened butter with some crushed raspberries, or a little raspberry jam, plus some minced garlic, chopped thyme or rosemary, and some salt; serve your steaks with a round or dollop of the butter. The rich butterfat is excellent for adding richness to otherwise lean steak.

You could also play around with different berries, if you enjoy the way your raspberry steak sauce comes out. Blackberries have a similar sweet-tart flavor and can be used just like raspberries in sauces. You could also try blueberries, which taste great when combined with balsamic vinegar, or mix in some grainy mustard. Cherries, too, make an excellent sauce for red meat, and they taste amazing when combined with red wine and some butter for richness.