[Meat Products] Vol. 21 No.
3 March 2011
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Matching Sauces and Meats—From Foundations to Flair
By Chris Candullo, Contributing Editor
I must confess: I am a sauce lover. At meal time, my decision tree goes something like this: first I crave the
sauce, then I decide what to eat with it. It would be a bonus if everything came with extra sauce. Whether it is
ketchup, pizza sauce, taco sauce, brown deli-style mustard or even steak sauce, it’s hard to get enough.
For many, a sauce can make or break a meal. That’s why it’s important to understand the fundamentals when
it comes to flavorful meat pairings, while not being afraid to go out on the occasional limb.
Ethnic and American standards
Thinking about how various sauces and meats pair together reminds me of the holiday season. Traditional
holiday recipes don’t deviate far from “heirloom" flavors families have grown to love, such as turkey with herb
gravy and ham with brown-sugar glaze. In fact, tradition holds a strong influence over many popular meat and
sauce pairings throughout the year and from country to country.
Some basic ground rules apply when pairing meat, poultry and seafood with sauces:
Chicken works well with almost anything, including most spices, vegetables and herbs;
Pork is another versatile protein that matches with a wide range of sauces, but the most-popular
pairing is with barbecue sauce;
Most fish pairs wonderfully with sauces based on citrus, herbs and butter;
Red meat goes great with sauces highlighting full-bodied red wines where the boldness of the
protein and the astringency of red wine combine for sensational flavor.
However, some pairings of flavors that might be considered traditional to one family or region might be seen as
unusual or even out in left field to others. It is this vast diversity in regionality and culture that gives food
developers an open canvas to create, blend and twist together an innumerable variety of meat and sauce
flavor combinations, giving us an incredible amount of inventory to develop the next big wave of “smash hit"
sauces that can be paired with meats.
Some standards have maintained strong, consistent followings in various countries around the world and at
home here in America. Although some of these ethnic sauces are just beginning make inroads with
mainstream U.S. consumers, they are as traditional as they come in their home countries. While the exact
recipes can vary, each will have some standard ingredients.
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[Meat Products] Vol. 21 No. 3 March 2011
Chimichurri . This Argentinean sauce and marinade is akin to flat-leaf parsley pesto, with supporting flavors
from garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. Chimichurri can be paired with many proteins, including beef, pork, fish
and chicken. It’s particularly common with grilled meats.
Where New, Ethnic and Sauces Meet
Mojo. Citrus (lemon, orange or lime) and garlic star in this Cuban
sauce that also includes flavors from cumin, salt and pepper. According to the 2009 “Flavor
Although mojo is a traditional marinade for pork in Cuba and Consumer Trend Report" from
Puerto Rico, it also pairs well with many proteins, including beef, Technomic, Chicago, 36% of
fish and chicken. consumers are interested in new flavors
on restaurant menus. “Considering that
two-thirds of diners find dips, sauces
Chermoula. This Moroccan delight incorporates parsley, cilantro,
and marinades appealing," as noted in
garlic, paprika, cumin, crushed red pepper, lemon juice and olive
the report, “sauces and dips are a
oil. Traditionally, chermoula is served with fish, but can also be versatile way to incorporate new flavors
paired with beef, pork, lamb and chicken. on to the menu," says Tammi Higgins,
senior manager, marketing, Kalsec,
Raita . A wonderful sauce from India, raita blends together yogurt, Inc., Kalamazoo, MI. Add in the finding
diced cucumbers, green onions and cumin. This sauce helps cool that over 55% of consumers want
off even the hottest curries. Raitas is also commonly served with greater variety in their sauce options,
kebabs, and can be paired with beef, pork, fish and chicken. and a path to innovation appears.
Various spice and seasoning blends
Harissa. This chile sauce, a common sight on everyday North
can take everyday sauces on a quick
African tables, contains cumin, red peppers (such as piri piri),
trip abroad. “You can develop an array
garlic, coriander and lemon juice. Varying the type and use level of of new offerings with a few simple
the chiles determines its spiciness. Harissa can be paired with additions to your existing base, such as
many proteins, like beef, pork, fish, lamb and chicken. tomato sauces, white sauce, cheese
sauces and even marinades," says
Hollandaise. One of the five mother sauces that Escoffier refined Higgins. “Ethnic trends such as Latin
through Carême’s work, hollandaise sauce is made with egg yolks American and Asian blended along with
and clarified butter, and seasoned with lemon juice, salt and spicy components are driving flavor
pepper. Hollandaise successfully pairs with seafood. But, as a development across a variety of
mother sauce, hollandaise can be turned into many sauces by industries." She suggests the following
altering an ingredient, thereby opening the meat pairings to easily possible routes to ethnic diversification
include chicken, lamb and beef. For example, turn hollandaise into of sauce and meat combinations:
béarnaise by adding shallots, chervil, peppercorns and tarragon.
Carne adovada—onion, jalapeño,
Grilled or roasted beef or chicken would be a perfect pairing. Take chipotle, toasted cumin, garlic and
béarnaise one step further and replace the tarragon with mint to Mexican oregano;
make a French paloise sauce that matches perfectly with lamb.
Chimichurri—parsley, black pepper,
Brown beef gravy. Although many cultures and countries have cilantro, oregano and garlic;
their versions, brown gravy is the classic all-American sauce.
Tom yam—lemongrass, kaffir lime,
Brown gravy starts with a rich beef stock that is seasoned and
sautéed sweet onion, ginger, galangal
thickened with a brown roux. Brown gravy is a natural with beef.
and garlic;
As we see, different regions and cultures have what they consider Kimchi—garlic, onion, chiles, leek and
“traditional" flavored sauces, which to others might be considered various spices.
curious. But for many, each of the above sauce and meat pairings
represents a classic recipe that has familiarity and a generally
accepted list of ingredients.
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[Meat Products] Vol. 21 No. 3 March 2011
Adding a twist
Streamlining Sauce Design
Now let’s consider some traditional pairings “with a twist." These
sauce and meat pairings are either directly derived or inspired by Packaged sauces need a helping hand
more-common sauces many have grown to love. Restaurants love when it comes to building in stability
to play in this area for their new menu items and limited-time-offer and delivering restaurant-level eating
(LTO) sections. Competition is heavy in this section, as a great quality. “Hydrocolloids, like starches,
deal of R&D and marketing resources are spent here. can offer multiple benefits such as
viscosity; pH, heat and freeze/thaw
Barbecue sauce is popular thanks in part to its versatility, with stability; improved mouthfeel; allergen
myriad types finding use with everything from chicken to pork, beef replacement; and fat reduction," says
to fish. One possible twist to this old standby is adding balsamic Steve Smith, R&D manager, Penford
Food Ingredients Co., Centennial, CO.
vinaigrette at two parts vinaigrette to one part barbecue sauce.
“Modified potato starches are
This sauce can be brushed onto any grilled protein. A tomato-
commonly used in gravies to provide a
based barbecue-type sauce featuring coffee, chipotle and maple
pulpy and fuller texture." In steam-table
pairs well with smoked short ribs, pork, chicken and beef brisket. applications, the potato starches help
Coffee and chipotle are a perfect marriage of robust flavors that sauces maintain viscosity in the face of
will make your taste buds jump, with the softening effect of real prolonged exposure to heat.
maple syrup.
Cook-in-bag methods have been widely
Coca-Cola® is not only arguably the most popular beverage in the adopted in foodservice to save time,
world, it is also used in barbecue sauces or marinades for proteins notes Smith. “Since modified potato
such as ribs and chicken. Coca-Cola enhances the sweet and starch has a lower gelatinization
savory notes because of its sugar content, while the acid and temperature compared to other
botanical sources, it is ideal for cook-in-
spices, such as clove, add a wonderful accompaniment. Co-
bag-type meat products," he says,
branded products or menu items also benefit from the brand
noting that such products generally
recognition of the soft drink. cook for a longer time at lower
temperatures, so the potato starch
A virtually unlimited level of innovation is possible when won’t break down.
considering adding a twist to an old favorite, and product and
menu developers are only limited by imagination—and how far “Modified tapioca starches can be used
consumers are willing to let you stretch the concept. in barbecue-type sauces," says Smith,
resulting in sauces with smooth
Along the cutting edge mouthfeel and a shiny appearance.
“These starches also stand up to heat,
low-pH and freeze/thaw conditions."
As unusual as the above flavor combinations may seem, they are
tame compared to some of the more “left-field" options available to When it comes to dairy-based sauces,
the most-imaginative chefs and food-creation professionals. These like those with cheese, rice starches
pairings may initially sound strange and sometimes unappealing. It work well. “Modified rice starches are
becomes the responsibility of the creator to stoke the customer’s stable in heat and freeze/thaw
imagination. I believe these radical flavor pairings represent the conditions," says Smith. He notes that
best of what food developers have to offer as we break the molds the starch’s small granule size creates
of tradition. a “smooth and creamy mouthfeel" while
providing viscosity. It can also help
replace some of a formula’s fat without
The following examples may be several years ahead of the
losing a full-fat mouthfeel.
general population’s palates. Flavor combinations like these can
usually find a home in the finest restaurants, those with talented
chefs who are known to the industry as “smash flavor" innovators.
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[Meat Products] Vol. 21 No. 3 March 2011
Some of these sample sauces are not necessarily exotic, but rather it’s the pairing that makes the combination
truly unique.
Maple curry. This sauce pairs with pork, fish or chicken. This unorthodox combination is sure to please even
the most devout non-curry lovers, with the sauce drawing its strength and boldness from the curry spice and
garlic, with a touch of cinnamon and a healthy helping of real maple syrup to soften the edges. The sauce also
performs well as a glaze after baking the desired protein with carrots, onion and diced tomato.
Peach, chipotle, Thai basil sauce. This sauce pairs perfectly with a delicate fish, as well as pork or chicken.
Add some ketchup and slather it onto smoked St. Louis-style ribs.
Peppadew coulis. These branded peppers from South Africa have been growing in popularity for years. A
Peppadew coulis (a thick purée) can be softened with a bit of honey and served with pan-seared fish, flame-
grilled pork or rotisserie chicken. Peppadew is a sweet, mildly hot pepper at around 1,200 Scoville heat units,
and is usually pickled and bottled.
Banana ketchup. This fruity combination may sound unappealing at first. However, it is wonderful with items
with an island flair and pairs well with shellfish, conch, medium-bodied fish such as mahi-mahi, and even
smoked pork and chicken.
Raspberry-chipotle sauce. Serve this sauce over smoked oysters or mussels. In this sauce, the smoky heat
of chipotle blends with the sweet sharpness of the raspberries and light supporting flavors such as garlic and
onion, and a touch of mint.
Aioli. Garlic has a prominent place in this popular sauce that, when it comes to proteins, is served with fish
and sometimes poultry. Pushing the envelope a bit allows for the addition of tomato and even Cheddar. These
ingredients add body to create a tomato-Cheddar aioli sauce ideal for pairing with pork and beef.
Asian sweet chile and strawberry sauce. This can be paired with seared salmon, tuna, chicken or pork.
Sweet chile sauce offers a sweetness that most of the population craves coupled with a driving heat—perhaps
from Thai chiles—that fools even the most heat-weary individuals. Adding strawberries to the mix incorporates
fresh support to the sauce, along with other casting flavors such as garlic, onion, black pepper and Thai basil.
A complementary sauce pairing has the ability to enhance and enrich almost any dish centered on meat,
poultry or seafood. Food-development professionals enjoy an unprecedented amount of options, from
traditional to unusual, and should never be afraid to experiment.
Chris Candullo is a product development chef for Hormel Foods and a member of the Research Chefs Association. He
can be reached at [email protected] or via hormelingredients.com.
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