“Hey, I could make that myself!” If the DIY spirit is moving you, consider a foray into homemade condiments. Not only are they much simpler to make than you might imagine, but DIY-ing them allows you to personalize every batch, so it’s just the way you like it.

One of the easiest — and most delicious — places to start is with a homemade steak sauce, and we love this one for its uber-umami-ness and sweet, spicy balance. That said, follow your own taste buds: add more red pepper flakes for a hotter version, or a bit more brown sugar and molasses for a sweeter one.

The prep itself couldn’t be easier. We sauté the aromatics for a bit, then stir in the rest of the ingredients and simmer everything together for five minutes. Once the sauce has cooled, we give it a whirl in the blender, and it’s good to go. Yes, “steak” is hanging out right there in the title, but we use this sauce all over the place. It brightens up lamb chops, adds sizzle to chicken breasts, and brings pizzazz to mild-flavored fish, too.

Our tip: make a double or triple batch so you can gift a jar to the steak lovers in your life — we all need a little sauciness right now.

Yield: 16 oz

Ingredients

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 shallots, roughly chopped

5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

½ tsp red pepper flakes

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

½ cup Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup red wine vinegar

2 tsp dried minced onion

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp packed brown sugar

1 Tbsp molasses

½ cup water

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallots and garlic, and sauté until tender and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute more, stirring continuously.

3. Using a wooden spoon, add the tomato paste and cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture is brick red, about 3 minutes.

4. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the remaining ingredients, and stir until incorporated. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

5. Remove the saucepan from the heat, allow the sauce to cool for 5 minutes, and then transfer the sauce to a blender and purée until smooth.

6. Serve with your favorite steak, chop, or burger.

Calculate nutrition information for this recipe.