The Ingredients That Give A1 Sauce Its Tangy Flavor

Steak sauce is a classic way to amp up the flavor of your beef, chicken, pork, or other meats, and there's no brand more iconic than A.1. The complex mix of flavors includes a bold combination of savory, sweet, and smoky along with the perfect tang to complement your steak. Many have wondered what's behind the unique flavor profile, but the answer is no secret. Three tangy ingredients are found right on the ingredient label: vinegar, tomato puree, and orange puree.

By volume, the tangy ingredient that makes up the largest part of A.1. sauce is the tomato puree, which is listed first. FDA rules require ingredients to be listed in descending order, with the largest (in this case, the tomato puree) first. Made from tomato paste and water, it forms the base of the sauce and imbues it with a rich, slightly sweet, slightly acidic flavor.

Vinegar is next on the list and is known for providing a particularly pungent tanginess. This comes from the acetic acid that comprises it. It also loosens up the tomato puree, creating the liquidy, saucey consistency familiar to those who've used it. While this ingredient is shared by the somewhat similar Worcestershire sauce, A.1. is not the same thing. (For instance, Worcestershire contains other tangy ingredients like anchovies and tamarind extract; A.1. does not.)

The final (and most unexpected) tangy ingredient is crushed orange puree. Though it's included in lesser amounts, the bright and citrusy addition goes a long way toward developing the familiar A.1. experience. However, this is a break from the original A.1. recipe, with older versions using marmalade made from Seville oranges, which are more bittersweet.

Crushed orange puree is somewhat subtle and can be hard to replicate for those trying to make their own steak sauce. This is among the reasons Mashed's copycat A.1. sauce recipe achieves a similar result using everyday orange juice, which provides a different but far more convenient citrus boost.

As you can see, it's not just one magic ingredient that provides that one-of-a-kind A.1. flavor. What makes A.1. steak sauce so delicious is how these tangy ingredients and the numerous other tasty additions combine, creating the world-famous sauce that carnivores know and love.