Worcestershire sauce facts for kids
Worcestershire sauce in a dish
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| Alternative names | Worcester sauce |
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| Type | Condiment |
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| Main ingredients | |
Worcestershire sauce (say it like WUUST-ər-shər sauce) is a popular liquid condiment. It's made through a special process called fermentation. This means ingredients are left to change over time, giving the sauce its unique taste.
This famous sauce was created in the early 1800s in Worcester, England. Two pharmacists, John Wheeley Lea and William Henry Perrins, invented it. They later started the company Lea & Perrins, which still makes the sauce today.
Since 1876, "Worcestershire sauce" has been a general name. This means anyone can make and sell a sauce with this name. Lea & Perrins does not own the name itself.
People use Worcestershire sauce in many ways. You can put it directly on foods like steaks and hamburgers. It's also a key ingredient in drinks like the Bloody Mary. Many recipes, such as Caesar salad and devilled eggs, also use it for extra flavor. It adds a savory, rich taste, known as umami, to dishes like chili con carne and beef stew.
Contents
How Did Worcestershire Sauce Begin?
The Idea Behind the Sauce
Long ago, people made fermented sauces from fish. These sauces, like garum, were common in ancient times. However, Worcestershire sauce was made differently. There is no direct link to these older recipes.
In the 1600s, English cooks already mixed anchovies with other ingredients. They used these sauces on fish. This shows that the idea of fish-based sauces was not new.
The Invention Story
The Lea & Perrins brand started selling its sauce in 1837. It was the first sauce to be called "Worcestershire." The exact story of how the recipe came about is a bit unclear.
The original bottles said the recipe came from a "nobleman in the county." The company also claimed that a "Lord Marcus Sandys" asked them to recreate a sauce he found in India. But, historical records show that no Lord Marcus Sandys was ever a governor in India or even visited there.
According to a story from the company, the first batch of sauce was very strong. It tasted so bad that they put the barrel in their basement and forgot about it. About 18 months later, they found it again. They tried it and discovered that the long time spent fermenting had made the sauce much milder and delicious. In 1838, the first bottles were sold to the public.
What's in Worcestershire Sauce?
The first Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce had these main ingredients:
- Barley malt vinegar
- Spirit vinegar
- Molasses (a thick, dark syrup)
- Sugar
- Salt
- Anchovies (small fish)
- Tamarind extract (from a fruit)
- Shallots (like small onions, later changed to onions)
- Garlic
- Spices
- Flavourings
Special Diets and Ingredients
Many Worcestershire sauces contain anchovies. This means people with fish allergies cannot eat them. Also, vegetarians and vegans avoid them. Because of this, many brands now offer anchovy-free versions. These are often labeled as vegetarian or vegan.
Food safety rules often suggest warning labels for foods with anchovies. This helps people with allergies. Some religious groups, like Orthodox Jews, avoid mixing fish and meat. So, they might not use traditional Worcestershire sauce with meat dishes. However, some brands are made with very tiny amounts of fish, so they can be used.
Some types of Worcestershire sauce use soy sauce. This started around the 1880s. But it's not clear if Lea & Perrins ever used soy sauce in their original recipe. During World War II, due to shortages, they used a different ingredient called "hydrolyzed vegetable protein." As of 2021, soy is not listed as an ingredient in Lea & Perrins sauce.
Different Kinds of Worcestershire Sauce
Lea & Perrins Sauce
The Lea & Perrins brand is the most well-known Worcestershire sauce around the world. It started selling in 1837.
In 1897, Lea & Perrins moved their sauce making from their pharmacy to a factory in Worcester. The sauce is still made there today. The factory makes bottles for local sales and a special concentrate. This concentrate is then bottled in other countries.
Over the years, the Lea & Perrins company has been owned by different large food companies. These include HP Foods, Danone, and Heinz.
Lea & Perrins in the U.S.
The Lea & Perrins sauce sold in the United States looks a bit different. It comes in a dark bottle with a beige label, wrapped in paper. The company says this wrapping protected bottles during shipping in the 1800s. They also claim their sauce is the oldest bottled condiment sold in the U.S.
The ingredients in the U.S. version are slightly different too. The U.S. sauce uses distilled white vinegar. The versions sold in the UK and Canada use malt vinegar.
Other Names and Varieties
Brazil and Portugal
In Brazil and Portugal, people call Worcestershire sauce molho inglês. This means 'English sauce'.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica has its own version called Salsa Lizano. It was created in 1920. This sauce is a very common condiment in homes and restaurants there.
El Salvador
Worcestershire sauce is very popular in El Salvador. It's known as salsa inglesa ('English sauce') or salsa Perrins. Many restaurants keep a bottle on every table. In 1996, El Salvador had the highest use of the sauce per person in the world.
Germany
In Dresden, Germany, a sweeter and less salty version was created. It's called Worcestersauce Dresdner Art. It has fewer anchovies and is mostly eaten in eastern Germany.
Mexico
In Mexico, it is also known as salsa inglesa (English sauce).
United Kingdom, Australia
Holbrook's Worcestershire sauce was made in England starting in 1875. Today, only the Australian part of the company still makes it.
United States
Besides Lea & Perrins, another popular brand in the U.S. is French's. It was first sold in 1941.
Venezuela
In Venezuela, it's commonly called salsa inglesa ('English sauce'). It's used in many traditional dishes, like Hallacas (a Christmas dish).
Worcestershire Sauce Without Fish
Some sauces are inspired by Worcestershire sauce but do not contain fish. They taste different from the original.
Thailand
In Thailand, Gy-Nguang Worcestershire sauce has been made since 1917. It uses soy sauce for its savory taste instead of anchovies. The company makes two types: Formula 1 for Asian tastes and Formula 2 for international tastes. Formula 2 has a little less soy sauce and more spices.
Japan
In Japan, Worcestershire sauce is called Worcester (ウスターソース). Many Japanese versions are vegetarian. They use water, syrup, vinegar, and purees of apple and tomato. They are usually less spicy and sweeter.
Japanese rules define different types of Worcester-style sauces by how thick they are. Thicker sauces are called Chūnō sōsu or Nōkō sōsu. These are more like brown sauces, similar to HP Sauce, rather than the original Worcestershire sauce.
Tonkatsu sauce is a thicker Worcester-style sauce. It's made from vegetables and fruits. It's often eaten with the dish called tonkatsu.
China, Hong Kong, Taiwan
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Worcestershire sauce has been introduced to Chinese-speaking areas multiple times. These sauces have changed over time and are now different from the original.
- Spicy soy sauce (辣酱油) in Shanghai: This sauce was first made in 1933. It was later changed in 1981 and 1990. The Taikang Yellow sauce does not contain fish. It's used in local dishes like pork chops. A similar sauce is found in Taiwan as "Mailing spicy soy sauce."
- Gip-sauce (喼汁) in Hong Kong: The name might come from "catsup." Most of these sauces have a stronger savory taste. They often add soy sauce, fish sauce, or MSG. Some do not use fish at all. This sauce is common in dim sum dishes like steamed meatballs.
- Spicy vinegar (辣香酢) in Taiwan: This sauce came from the Japanese Worcester Sauce. It is also sometimes called Taiwan Black Vinegar.
See also
In Spanish: Salsa Worcestershire para niños
- A.1. Steak Sauce
- Anglo-Indian cuisine
- Fish sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Soy sauce
- French's
- Henderson's Relish – similar sauce without fish
- List of sauces
- Sarson's
