Steak sauce has one of the longest shelf lives. If continuously stored in the refrigerator, an opened bottle of steak sauce will remain in perfect condition for over two years. If an unopened bottle of steak sauce is properly stored in the refrigerator, it can easily last for three years without going bad. If unopened, it can also be stored in a cool dry place just as you would with any other unopened condiment.
Purchasing Steak Sauce
When going to buy steak sauce, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind. First, the expiration is the most important date printed on the bottle. Make sure you read it and try to get the bottle that has the furthest expiration date. This essentially means that you purchase a bottle that comes from a fresher batch and is likelier to last longer. The other thing you need to keep in mind is the spice tolerance of the people you are buying the sauce for. Different spice levels are available for the different spice tolerances of different people. You don’t want your guests or family to burn their tongues with the super-hot variety.
Storage
Storage in the pantry is good enough for an unopened bottle of steak sauce. Whether it’s stored in the pantry, cupboard or refrigerator, so long as the temperature is kept constant, the steak sauce will remain perfectly edible for a very long time. Fluctuating temperatures can speed up the deterioration of the quality of the sauce. If opened, it is best to store it in the refrigerator to retain its quality and flavour. Opened bottles should be returned to the refrigerator as soon as possible after use and consumed within three months of opening.
Handling
Be careful when handling steak sauce because it has irritant natural oils that make it spicy. Steak sauce should not be touched with bare hands because the spice oils can irritate the skin and cause a burning sensation for hours afterwards. Always use gloves if you need to use your hands while working with steak sauce. Also, whenever adding steak sauce to a dish for added flavour, make sure to taste it repeatedly for the perfect balance otherwise the steak sauce may end up overpowering the taste of the dish.
Cooking with Steak Sauce
Steak sauce is the most loved condiment in the U.S. The best thing about steak sauce is not how good it tastes with steak, but how good it tastes with just about everything else too. Steak sauce is not only limited to steak. It is served with everything from sandwiches, fish, and chicken, to lasagna and every other non-steak item you can think of. Not only that, there are many great recipes available online that can guide you in making your own steak sauce. This can allow you to personalize your sauce in a way that you can’t with the commercially produced steak sauces.