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How to Make Worcestershire Sauce

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How to Make Homemade Worcestershire Sauce #nourishedkitchen

As a die-hard DIYer, my pantry is filled with little things I make myself: ketchup, mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, flour mixes.  And my freezer is always home to a few homemade items that are easy to pull out in a pinch for last minute meals: pizza crusts, pie crusts, biscuits and more.  These pantry items and kitchen staples not only help me to maintain my grocery budget while still purchasing otherwise expensive foods like grass-fed meats, raw dairy and organic produce. 

Homemade Worcestershire Sauce

Worcestershire Sauce offers a wonderful sweet-sour-salty flavor owing to its many ingredients that include traditionally fermented fish sauce and anchovies, spices and even fresh lime.  Together they blend into a wonderful simple, lovely sauce that, in small quantities, adds a lovely depth of flavor to marinades, dips, salad dressings and other sauces.

One bottle lasts a long time, because you typically use so little in each recipe.

How to Make Homemade Worcestershire Sauce #nourishedkitchen

 

 

Worcestershire Sauce
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Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: makes 1½ cups
This recipe for a simple, homemade Worcestershire Sauce may contain many ingredients, all of which contribute to the sauce's unique and complex flavor, but it really is deceptively simple to make. It comes from the book DIY Pantry by Kresha Faber which features 150 natural recipes for pantry favorites.
Ingredients
  • ½ cup malt vinegar
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup blackstrap molasses
  • ¼ cup naturally fermented fish sauce (find it here)
  • 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
  • 1 tablespoon naturally fermented soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons onion juice, or 1 teaspoon dehydrated onion
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 shallots, finely minced
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
  • 8 anchovies, minced
  • Juice of 1 lime
Instructions
  1. Whisk together the vinegars, molasses, fish sauce, tamarind paste, soy sauce, and onion juice. Set aside.
  2. Heat a small, dry saute pan over medium heat. Toast the spices until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour into a small bowl and set aside.
  3. In a small saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat; then sauté the shallots until transparent and beginning to brown, 2–3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, anchovies, and reserved spices and continue to saute just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  4. Pour in the vinegar mixture and scrape up any bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a full simmer; then remove from the heat and let cool completely.
  5. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl and stir in the lime juice. Pour into a jar or bottle for long-term storage. Will keep in the refrigerator for 1–2 months.
Notes
Excerpted from DIY Pantry by Kresha Faber Copyright © 2014 by F+W Media, Inc. Used by permission of the publisher. All rights reserved

 

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Reader Interactions

What people are saying

  1. I wonder if we could ferment this to make a longer storage product? (I like to make larger batches, to save time.) Hmmm . . . maybe it would freeze well?

  2. Malt vinegar is not necessarily gluten free….unless it is distilled. If it is brewed, it contains gluten.

    • Any suggestions to replace the malt vinegar? I cannot use anything with malt in it and no one should, really, as gluten isn’t good for anyone.
      Thank you for the post!

      • Your comment that no one should use gluten is a personal opinion, probably based on some abnormality with your own enzymes. If you know it to be true it is imperative that you cite your sources rather than playing “expert” about a current t food fad.

      • Do you even know what gluten is? You must be wildly misinformed but more likely very ignorant. If gluten was so bad for humans it would have killed us off long ago. The total population of the U.S. Is over 318 million people, of those less than 1% have celiac disease, the autoimmune response that is triggered by the protein gluten. Less than 1%, of the total population in the U.S. have true celiac disease. Then there are those with what maybe called gluten sensitivity, and out of the total U.S. population of 318+ million Americans only about 5% (roughly 18 million) have this. And scientists aren’t even really sure gluten sensitivity is a real “thing”.

  4. I just bought a grass fed local chunk of bottom round, slightly marbled with a thin layer of fat on the outer layer. I’m planning on trying my hand at beef jerky. I wonder if I add a little liquid smoke, bow do you think this would be as a marinade? Im I on a keto adapted diet. Any ideas on subbing out the molasses? I have alternate sweeteners, maybe a touch of maple flavoring? Thanks. Deb

    • I often use real maple syrup as a substitute for molasses. Just prefer the taste. And liquid smoke makes a great marinade. We smoke beef jerky this way regularly. I have a dehydrator but find we like the taste of the “smoked” products better.

    • The amount of molasses that would end up in a serving would be minimal, and nothing really comes close to the depth and sharpness it adds. That being said, if you really wanted to avoid it, I’d omit from the recipe then add an alternate sweetner at the end to taste.

    • Your ideas are all sound, altho’ using this as a base is far more expensive than jerky marinade need be. Do trim as much fat as possible unless you plan on eating the jerky within a few days as it will still go rancid, albeit more slowly than if unmarinated.

  5. So many of these recipes sound wonderful, however, it would also be a welcome idea to include vegetarian versions for those of us who eshew meat and meat products. I have looked long and wide for a good Worcestershire sauce recipe without the fish sauce and anchovies.

  6. Would coconuts aminos work instead if DIY sauce ? My son can’t handle any soy.

  8. I don’t use worcestershire sauce too often but this would make a really great homemade gift. Would love to see other recipes now.

  9. Does the fermentation process of soy sauce affect its gluten content? I’m curious why you mentioned specifically “naturally fermented soy sauce” while labeling the recipe as gluten free. As a gluten free household we avoid any soy sauce that isn’t labeled both wheat and gluten free… Was curious if you had some other information that suggested otherwise… if so would love to read it!

    • Fermentation does not remove gluten from soy sauce. But soy itself does not contain gluten and there are some very nice gluten free soy sauces on the market my personal favorite is San-J brand organic tamari gluten free soy sauce.

  10. Regards the malt vinegar, I’ll read the label and if I can’t find gluten-free, I will adapt accordingly. This is one condiment I’ve been thinking, way in the back of my mind, of trying to make at home. So many memories of it in foods as I was growing up! Thanks for posting!!!

    (I am not totally gluten-free, but I cook this way at home, well, just because I’d rather be safer, after reading Wheat Belly…)

    • If you have a soy allergy also, it is best to just use a good quality fish sauce then you do not have to worry.

  11. Can’t wait to try this:)
    I am going to use Braggs liquid aminos and see how that tastes. My brother and I were just talking about trying to make this a couple days ago. And while I can read the ingredients on the back of the bottle, it is great to have the amounts already figured out!
    Also, for the people who want vegetarian versions or gluten free versions, if you eat that way don’t you know how to sub out ingredients? Experiment a little!? Replace a protein with something you do eat? Look for a gluten free version of whatever ingredient you need, or realize that there may be some things you just have to avoid?
    I’m always impressed at the patience of many of the food bloggers I read…they spend a ton of time developing, making, photographing, and then writing about a recipe that they have perfected to what they want it to be. Many people are positive in their comments, but it always annoys me a bit to read stuff where a reader wants you to change everything for them. Many substitutions are pretty simple, sub honey or maple syrup for a sweetener, look for a gluten free vinegar, whatever. As a home cook, half the fun is experimenting! Live it up folks:)

  12. Not GF & to quote you “one bottle lasts a long time…” Yet, it’s only good in the fridge for a couple months max? That, my dear, is MOT a long time when it comes go Worcestershire sauce!

    • This isn’t a gluten-free blog, so I’m not understanding why you expect this recipe to be, my dear. And if doesn’t last long enough for you, don’t make it. Easy.

      • The reason people have been commenting about the gluten free status of the ingredients is that the recipe was originally labeled here as gluten free – I see that has now been changed to dairy free, thanks – I think that helps clarify things better, especially with the inclusion of malt vinegar and soy sauce!

  13. Heard a recipe on NPR while driving and forgot the book they quoted from. Thank you. The overwhelming opinion was once you taste homemade, you will never look back.

  14. Thanks for sharing this Jenny! One thing I can’t get past on store-bought Worcestershire sauce is the high fructose corn syrup. Love that it can be made at home with natural sweeteners, and with many ingredients already in my pantry. I can only imagine all the other simple and healthy DIY recipes Kresha has hidden in her gem of a book!

  15. Would you actually need the fish sauce…..tried it in catsup once and my family hated it. Is it for a reason or just taste???
    Tia
    Aliyanna

    • Try a different brand of fish sauce. I bought one from the Philippines and it was more potent than I was used to. Vietnamese (nuoc mon?sp) is what I prefer.

  16. Fantastic, going to try this soon!
    I have a question: are the anchovies in oil or salted?
    As it happens I have all the ingredients at hand, including a jar of anchovies in oil… 😉

    • I used anchovies packed in olive oil. I’m not sure what Kresha (the recipe developer) used.

  17. Lasting 6 months in the fridge is a long time for a non-fermented homemade condiment. Typically my homemade dressings last a week. Looking forward to making this gf. The store stuff’s ingredients bum me out. Thank you!

  18. -Tried this without the fish sauce and anchovies. -Turned out great. Hubbie loves it.

    -Did use fermented red onions that I had in the fridge–actually think I got inspired by Jenny (like usual) and had it at the ready since the winter. Tamarind paste is super tasty.
    -Check out Worchestershire sauce history on Youtube and they ferment half of their products.

    -Jenny=how to make your own malt vinegar??? would be a great next thing! That is if it is not in your fabulous book.
    -Oh yes, used apple cider vinegar and red wine vinegar that I made myself (their own cultures).

    -Jenny (second question): I think real vinegar is full of probiotics too (like sauerkraut etc.), but haven’t come across a lot of info on it. It is cheap and easy.

    Thank!!!!

  20. Hey Jenny! Super excited to make this, planning to give some to my dad for Christmas!

    Quick question, is that 8 anchovy fillets or 8 cans of anchovies? Looks like there is one anchovy per can? Thanks so much for your help!

  22. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe. I am an ayurvedic nutrition consultant/cook/practitioner and was wondering if you by chance considered using the spice “asafoetida/hing” in the sauce. It is part of the original list of ingredients and is an excellent spice for health on many levels. If you aren’t familiar with it and would like to read more, here is a good reference: http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Ferula+foetida
    Carry on well…it’s a joy to read your site and recipes!

  23. This is love. For lack of anchovies & lime I omitted them, and replaced onion juice with half a small onion. By the time I strained every morsel of sauce from the remnants in the pan, the sauce was pretty thick for Worcestershire, and tastes very HP like – I think next time I’ll just zing it all up in the blender instead of straining (except tamarind pits,) since I ate the pan remnants the same way. So much fun to make, and so delicious.

  24. I’m thrilled to find a recipe for this. I used to use Kitchen Bouquet for gravy recipes – the idea handed down from my grandmother. However, since I cannot even figure out what is in it I have quit using it. Do you have a DIY substitute for this?

    • Yes, yes, yes, this! I too grew up with Kitchen Bouquet as a must have staple, but now…. as a clean eater and avid label reader, i ditched it but don’t as yet have a substitute. Anyone got one? My primary use was for giving deeper, richer color to sauces and gravies.

  25. You have not added tamarind paste or anchovies which are the two main ingredients in the traditional Worcestershire sauce recipe. In an original recipie from 1860 I found in my grandmothers recipie book
    Tamarind paste can be purchased at Asian grocery. 1/4 cup added. Max of two anchovies per batch

  26. I’ve been very allergic to Worchestershire sauce since I was 18. I use balsamic vinegar instead in everything that calls for W-sauce and instead; it works and no one ever questions it.

  27. Thank you!

    I looked once many years ago for a recipe to make my own Worchestershire sauce as well as Hoisin Souce. They only things I’ve ever found was that it would be “impossible” bc the recipes are closely guarded by larger companies. I’m going to give this a try!

    Do you know a resource for homemade Hoisin (spelling?) Sauce? I’d purchase a book to get if the recipe was totally worth while!

  28. Thanks for this recipe Jenny! Although, would I be able to buy a batch from you, shipped in a small glass bottle or jar? I’m a student living in a college dorm, so getting half of these ingredients would mean not using the rest of it (I hate wasting food), and would be inconvenient if I did anyway, for space and frequently moving purposes…

  29. Hi, I’m allergic to anchovies so can I use fish oil instead (homemade one I’m not alérgic to). If I do replace this do I need to take anything else out or can I just substitute the anchovies with my fish oil. Thanks

  30. Hi,

    What can I use in place of malt vinegar. Unfortunately malt vinegar is not gluten free :(. Love the recipe otherwise. Hope I will be able to try it.
    Thanks!