Who does not know about Worcestershire Sauce? We are sure that all food lovers are well-aware of this sauce. Also known as Worcester Sauce, Worcestershire Sauce is an amazing liquid condiment that has been fermented. The main ingredients of this sauce are vinegar, garlic, salt, sugar, tamarind extract, anchovies, and molasses. Ingredients may vary a bit depending on the recipe followed by the person who cooks this sauce.
Although it’s available in packed bottles in the market (since many companies produce it), a large number of people prefer to cook it at home. Ingredients like onions, soy sauce, and mustard powder may be used when Worcestershire sauce is prepared at home.
Those who don’t want to consume this sauce look for a substitute for Worcestershire sauce. Created by pharmacists John Wheeley Lea and William Henry Perrins during the 19th century in Worcester city in the Worcestershire County of England, this sauce is used in several ways. It can be used during cooking as well as a condiment.
Some of the common dishes in which Worcestershire sauce is used are stir-fried vegetables, salads, soups, sandwiches, stews, and more. It is widely applied to poultry, meat, and fish when they are fried, grilled, or baked. The dressing for Caesar salad is incomplete without this sauce.
As Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies, it is not suitable for vegetarians. Therefore, vegetarian people search for a substitute for Worcestershire sauce. Before you start wondering, let us tell you that anchovies are small saltwater forage fish. Belonging to the Engraulis family and Anchoa family, anchovies are native to the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Their color is either green or silver, and their body is shiny.
Use these Products as Worcestershire Sauce Substitutes
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If you cannot use Worcestershire sauce in your meals, regardless of whether you are a vegetarian or don’t have the sauce currently, you can always use its substitutes. The main point that you should consider while choosing any product is that its flavor profile should match the flavor profile of Worcestershire sauce. Choose the best possible substitute for Worcester sauce to meet your needs. We have listed below some of the options for you.
- Soy Sauce
- Oyster Sauce
- Red Wine
- Pickle Juice
- Soy Sauce + Fish Sauce + Brown Sugar
- Balsamic Vinegar + Tamarind Paste
The consistency of soy sauce is similar to that of Worcestershire sauce. The sweetness and overall taste of soy sauce make it an ideal substitute to be used in place of Worcester sauce. As far as the amount is concerned, the amount of soy sauce that you would use in your recipe has to be the same as the amount you would have used in the case of Worcestershire sauce.
If you eat non-vegetarian food, especially seafood, you might not find any problem using the oyster sauce. Its texture is thicker compared to Worcestershire sauce and some of the other sauces used as substitutes. But the texture is compensated with the sweetness and the umami taste of this sauce.
Wine lovers consume wine every chance they get. So, this substitute for Worcestershire sauce is completely perfect for those who love wine. You can use any kind of red wine for this purpose. You just need to make sure that it has a taste and flavor similar to that of Worcester sauce. You can select the kind of red wine depending on the dish.
The next on the list is not a sauce but a juice – the pickle juice! The juice in pickles has many characteristics that resemble the characteristics of Worcestershire sauce. It is fermented, sweet, vinegary (the base of Worcester sauce is Vinegar), and salty. So, you just need to take the same amount of pickle juice as you would have if you were using the Worcester sauce.
This product in the list is not a single item but a combination of three different items. They are soy sauce, fish sauce, and brown sugar. The soy sauce has a salty and tangy flavor, whereas the fish sauce has an umami taste. The brown sugar has sweetness. Thus, overall, this combination can be used as a substitute for Worcestershire sauce.
The final product in this list is also a combination just like the previous one. The items used in this combination are two – balsamic vinegar and tamarind paste. The vinegar gives this product a tangy flavor. The tamarind paste will add a sour taste to the combination. This product has a more intense taste and flavor than the Worcestershire sauce. So, the amount you need to use would be half compared to the amount you would have used in the case of Worcester sauce.
Finding a substitute for Worcestershire sauce might seem difficult as this sauce has a unique flavor. But you can try different alternatives.
Conclusion
Sure, a substitute cannot be considered the same as the original. However, even without Worcester sauce, you can make your dishes delicious by choosing the right substitute product.
