We made it on our podcast—and nobody would ever believe we’d make it from scratch. But here we are.
So you don’t have to copy down the recipe, we’re including it here on our website. It’s a treasured condiment in our house: mixed with butter for a savory spread, drizzled over Asian dumplings with some rice vinegar, even used on its own as a marinade for steaks.
Plus, you can bottle into small jars and give it away this holiday as the perfect gift.
Here’s our recipe, developed over several years:
Mix all this in a large pot, such as a Dutch oven:
4 cups/950 ml malt vinegar
4 cups/950 ml distilled white (plain) vinegar
2 cups/650 grams molasses (or better yet, black treacle)
2 cups/425 ml soy sauce
1 cup/250 grams tamarind concentrate (do not use tamarind paste)
1 cup/160 grams brown and yellow mustard seeds (preferably a 50/50 combo)
2/3 cup/95 grams kosher salt
2 tablespoons whole cloves
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon white peppercorns
1 tablespoon ground dried turmeric
4 medium yellow or white onions, peeled and roughly chopped
About 30 chilis de Árbol, stemmed, seeded if desired, and chopped
12 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
24 green cardamom pods, smashed (save the seeds!)
One 4-inch/10-cm cinnamon stick
2 star anise pods
One 2-inch/5-cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
Two 2-ounce/55-gram tins of anchovy fillets (about 15), roughly chopped
Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer strongly for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, caramelize 2 cups/400 grams of granulated white sugar in a large skillet set over medium-low heat. Let the sugar decidedly melt along the sides before you stir it. You want it liquid and dark brown but not cloudy or black. Remember that the melting sugar will continue to cook even off the heat.
Once the sauce has cooked for 10 minutes, stir the caramelized sugar slowly into the simmering pot. It will roil up. Stir carefully but often to stir down the boil (but be careful of that super-heated, liquid sugar). Continue stirring until all the sugar has dissolved in the mixture.
Bring back to a full boil, then turn off the heat and cool for 1 to 2 hours.
Pour into a very large glass container. (It helps to work in the sink to avoid spills). Seal and refrigerate for at least 3 weeks or up to 3 months.
Strain into a bowl in portions through a fine-mesh sieve, a fine-mesh strainer, or a colander lined with cheesecloth. Transfer to clean containers, cover, and store in the fridge for up to 6 months or indefinitely in the freezer.
Want to see Mark make Worcestershire sauce? Check out our YouTube video here.
