If you are curious about whether or not A1 Steak Sauce is compatible with the ketogenic diet, read on
The correct response is that no, it is not.
When you are on the ketogenic diet, you must refrain from consuming it at all costs.
Even if it does not include a considerable amount of carbohydrates, the fact that it contains corn syrup that has been heavily processed renders it incompatible with the keto diet.
Alternative toppings
Caper sauce is an excellent topping for steaks, chops, chicken, and fish. It’s very keto kosher. It involves blending capers, a garlic clove, some grapeseed oil, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of Colman’s Mustard Powder. Proportions can vary according to taste. As you can see there is no sugar and no starches in the mixture.
Cilantro sauce is another excellent relish for meat and fish. Very popular in South America, it’s a basic blend of finely diced cilantro, a pinch of salt, some diced hot peppers, and a squeeze of lime juice. Don’t put it in your food processor, but mash it all together in a bowl and let sit to marinate for at least an hour. It should be served at room temperature.
Onion sauce is a traditional relish to go with beef. Simply saute a mess of onions in butter for ten minutes, until they are soft and light brown. Let them cool and run them through your food processor with a pinch of salt and some parsley for a stead sauce that compliments a ribeye beautifully.
The reason that toppings are so popular with steak is that modern cooking methods have changed. In the past a steak was heavily seasoned prior to going on the grill or in the pan. The seasoning was considered all the relish a good cut of beef would need, and so no sauces were offered to go along with it. This all changed about fifty years ago when French cooking schools began preaching the gospel of searing meat to keep in the juices without the least bit of salt or anything else to ‘corrupt’ the charred membrane thus formed on the outside of the steak. This sealed in the savory juices completely, but left the meat itself a bit bland to most people. Especially the English and the Americans. And so steak sauces began to flourish to restore some of the lost tang and sweetness that has been lost in the process.
Not that there weren’t steak sauces much earlier. But they were seen as only for the toughest, cheapest cuts of meat. In fact, tomato ketchup was originally used to cover up the taste of hamburger meat that was starting to turn.
Marinade
Of course to keep to a keto diet and still enjoy a really savory steak you can always marinate it ahead of time. Bottled teriyaki marinade is a mess-free way to do it. Or you can combine orange juice, lemon juice, fish sauce, papaya pulp, and malt vinegar, for an easy marinade. The papaya will break down the muscle and any gristle, so your steak will be extremely tender as well as extremely toothsome.
Why are there usually anchovies or sardines in steak sauce?
Sardines and anchovies are your best bets when it comes to little fish that are incredibly flavorful. But only slightly keto kosher. So keep your eye peeled on the ingredients of any bottled sauce you want to use on a keto diet.
It is understandable that some people could confuse these two greasy little swimmers because they both have the ability to add substantial umami to your recipes or just to the top of a cracker.
Sardines and anchovies are similar in many ways, but they are not the same.
So how do you distinguish between them?
They are different species that reside in various habitats.
These are two different species of fish, first and foremost.
Sardines and anchovies are both little fish, however sardines are noticeably bigger than anchovies, and they often inhabit different waters.
Anchovies enjoy it warmer, although sardines tend to prefer moderate waters.
While anchovies have some freshwater and brackish water species, sardines are exclusively a saltwater fish.
Although commonly referred to as herring or sprat, sardines are more closely related to herring in the fish kingdom.
Both graze on plankton and attend large-scale schools.
Anchovies have a bluish green tint but sardines are a genuine silver color.
Anchovies are more frequently used as a supplemental flavoring component or garnish while sardines are typically a much more primary ingredient in recipes that call for them.
They are not quite interchangeable when it comes to cooking.
Sardines can be substituted for anchovies in a pinch at a 1:1 ratio, but the reverse cannot be done because anchovies typically have a much greater flavor and extreme saltiness.
Anchovies will be a little too dominant in a meal that asks for sardines, especially if the recipe calls for a lot of sardines.
