Heinz 57 Steak Sauce

In the late 1800s Henry John Heinz established the slogan "57 Varieties," which you can still find printed on Heinz products even though the company now boasts over 5700 varieties in 200 countries. Today Heinz is the world's largest tomato producer, but interestingly the first product for the company that was launched in 1869 had nothing to do with tomatoes; it was grated horseradish.

It wasn't until 1876 that ketchup was added to the growing company's product line. Tomato is also an important ingredient in this tangy steak sauce. But you'll find some interesting ingredients in there as well, such as raisin puree, malt vinegar, apple juice concentrate, and mustard. And don't worry if your version doesn't come out as brown as the original. Heinz uses a little caramel coloring in its product to give it that distinctive tint. It's just for looks, though, so I've left that ingredient out of this clone recipe.

Besides, I've found that the turmeric and yellow mustard will help get this version close to the color of the real deal.

Raisin Puree Recipe

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup water
1 1/3 cup white vinegar

1 cup tomato paste

2/3 cup malt vinegar

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon yellow prepared mustard

2 teaspoons apple juice concentrate

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon turmeric

1. Make the raisin puree by combining the raisins with the water in a food processor or blender. Blend on high speed for 1 minute or until the puree is smooth. Measure 1/4 cup of this puree into a medium saucepan.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth.

3. Turn heat up to medium high and bring mixture to a thorough boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 1/2 hour or until thick. Let sauce cool and then refrigerate it in a covered container for at least 24 hours.

Makes 3 cups.